Ironbeard Clan

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Ironbeard Clan
Clan motto:
[glow=blue,2,300]Rhunha Anadgnol Bingarazen Akazak[/glow]Power will be proven in fearlessness in battle.

Members in hold:5
Medium home

Clan History Part 1: The undoing.

The tale of the Ironbeard clan is that of great sorrow, in the days before the Goblin wars and the war of Vengence the Ironbeards held great power, they pride themselves on being descended from two dwarf high kings. But those days are long gone, and their power has greatly deminished. It was both of these wars that started them on the decline from power, as many from the clan were butchered on the battle field. It is also recorded that some of the clan aided manlings by the teaching of metal working.

In the Great pillared halls of Karaz-A-Karak this clans history is only just being written once again. During the Great wars and the earthquakes the Clan Ironbeards held residence in Karak Varn. The earthquakes broke the tunnels and mines flooding the lower layers, many creatures of horror came to Karak Varn and the waters were no longer safe. Also goblins and skaven poured into the fortress through breaks in the tunnels and wave after wave came till the flooding waters ran deep blue with goblin blood and red with dwarf blood. Those that did not escape or killed in the battles, were tortured to such extremes that it is not spoken about to this day.

Only ten of the Ironbeard clan survived, the with many of the dwarfs from that hold that got out fled to separate parts of the empire. the Ironbeards had found a small village to the east of mordhiem. This villae was attacked year after year by brigands and strange creatures from the southern borders of sylvania. It was only just over two centuries ago that the village was attacked for the final time and raised to the ground. The Ironbeard's were now but four, a grandfather nearing the end of at an age of over 400, a father and mother around 250-300 and a child of just 5 years of age. The clan were taken in by a small town under the protection of the main force of what manlings dub 'The Empire'. But a price was set for the protection given to them. The child was to be raised to amuse the people of the town.

The grandfather fell to the plague and died not ten years after the arriving at the town,and the child was brought to the Pit fighters and taught their ways, so he himself became one.

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Clan History Part 2: Varn's journey to Kazad Dawr.

Varn Ironbeard unlike most dwarfs was not conceved or even born within a strong dwarfen hold, but in a manling village that consisted mainly of warriors and craftsmen, that lived on the outer skirts of the empire, due to its posistion it was often attacked by beast herds, goblins and brigand warparties.

By the age of five, Varn was already well built for his age and with helping his father and grandfather around the village was had a knowledge of weaponary and armour. Not long to go before his fifth birthday the village was once again attacked by brigands, but this time they managed to break through the defenses. Mass panic spread through the village, and women and children were being evacuated on horses and wagons. The village was burned to the ground and many of its occupants slaughterd. Only four members of the ironbeard clan escaped alive, the rest had either died in battle, or had stayed with a few of the remaining village warriors to give the rest time to escape, sacrificing themselves.

Those that escaped were separted in the panic, the Ironbeards found themselves in a nearby town(now named Marienburg). The townsfolk did not accept these dwarfs and made them pay a high price for staying. Varn's parents were forced to put Varn into the Pit fighers for the towns amusement, they themselves aswell as their grandfather were to work for the town for measily wages just to survive.

At the age of seven Varn was well into Pit fighting, when the news of his Grandfather had died from the plague reached him. This made him fight all the harder for the sake of his family. For he had decided that with what little he earns here, he will escape to a dwarf hold and return for them when he had settled. Over the years Varn was bought and sold between the fighters owners of the town, through experience he was taught a number of techniques to fight an opponent. One fight that will haunt his dream was that both fighters were armed with a spiked plate gaunlet, he had come out victorious, but while his back was turned his oponent had drawn a knife and came at him, Varn turned and reacted, but to slowly, his right eye was slashed and rendered useless.

It took years for Varn to build up his reflections again to what they were, with his sight damaged his sense of danger and reflexes were sharpened. He was 104 before he was able to leave the Pits with decent weapons and armour, and funding to help him off to finding a new home.

After a year of travel, his funds were running low and so where his supplies when he came to the gates of Kazad Dawr, though he was recognised as a stranger by his accent he was welcomed (more or less), taking loding in the dwarfen tavern and then venturing with a few dwarfs into the deep mines, his new life was just begining.

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Clan History Part 3: Varn the outsider.

Varn was welcomed as friend, by the gatemen of Kazard Dawr, as soon as his foot crossed the line his life changed........was it for better.....well only the ancesteral gods can tell you that.

Within weeks he was on his first quest. Where before they had gone beyond a mile from the hold Varn was already compeating for position leader, he was beaten down by Thorek Bloodfist, now departed from this world but not from legend or memory. As the adventures came and went Varn earned the respect of a select group of warriors from the hold, on of the group named Grundi Copperfist became a close companion to Varn and both saved the life of the other many times. One such adventure was given to him by the Late High Priestess, Brundika and her apprentice Esmirelda, after he had no payment for their curing of him, he gave them wolfskins and a tooth neckless but for his life he vowed to give them more. It was to aquire a rare flower to help cure a bitter plague that swepted a nearby village, the task proved more deadly when the flower was in the middle of a goblin tribe camp watched over by a foul orc. With his new friends Kadrik Spanglhelm, Thorin Thorgisson, Thorek Bloodfist, Thorax Bloodhelm and Gortek Sizlack, plus two companions from Varn's past. Though the quest began in good order more or less, Kadrik managed to lead them to safe housing for the night and time to scout and plan their means. It was Varn who slew the orc and took the flower, for it was his quest and demanded the right of it to be so, the price was bitter, both of Varn's companions had fallen to foul to greenskin magic and arrow fire, both Thorin and Thorek had been captured, while the Kadrik and Gotrek escaped into the mountains and back to the hold through secret tunnels.
So the adventures grew in the making and they turned into pitched battles, for Kazad Dawr itself. Varn and Thorax reached the shelter of the previous night, and though badly wounded bore the night, when Thorin appeared in the snow infront of the door...face down. A night and day and the wounded dwarfs began the march back. They were assaulted by a small hunting party of goblins but it proved no mean feet for the adventerers.
The three returned back but no news had come from the others, sorrow took the dwarfs but they fulfilled their duty and were rewarded by the Temple of Valaya, and had earned the favour of Esmirelda.

No sooner had his wounds been healed than the first siege on Kazad Dawr began, Thorek had taken the slayer oath and was deep in the fight with Thorin. The main hall was overun and the baazar was the point where the forces of Kazad Dawr and whatever manling warrior were around stood their ground. The fight was harsh and casualties were high on both sides. Thorin was battleing a huge troll and Grundi had joined the frey to aid him.

the army was forced back, but the great slayer Thorin and varn's closest companion Grundi stood their ground to take revenge on the shamen who had tortured Thorin. The shamen sent forth a blast of raw magic at the two dwarfs but missed and killed their own kin. Thorin slew the shamen and the goblin spirit was breaking. But still they pushed on the goblin swarmed over their corpses and the bazaar was lost, at the secondary gates nfresh troops including the kings hammerers and troops from the fight in the mines aided the dwarfs to drive the goblins back. Thorek now joined the second gate fight even though wounded from the battle below, raged filled the two slayers eyes and with their inspiraion the rest of the dwarf fought like their ancestors before them. It is recorded that for every dwarf that died that day, the goblins paid a hundred fold. The foul creatures fled back through the hold and the dwarfs were left to morn their losses. Kadrik bore Thorek's body to his famliy tomb and Varn found Grundi in the bazaar, the force of the greenskin spell had sent masonary straight at him crushing him. Sorrow filled the hold that day.

Varn carried Grundi's body to The Copperfist clan home, to bear the news, and ask their forgiveness blaming himself for their sons death. The clan elder chose Varn to bear the clan's symbol in Grundi's stead.

At the kings palace he was rewarded by becoming a member of the Hold of Kazad Dawr, and his own house. To this day he still bears the Copperfist clan symbol in tribute to his lost comrade.

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Clan History Part 4: Varn's New home

Not long after the Varn was accepted into the Copperfist clan, he married the priestess of the temple of Vallaya, Esmirelda. They were wed in the temple of Gazul, Varn was insistant of this for he wanted his dead comrade to beable to see and watch over their wedding.

Varn enrolled into the standing army of Kazad Dawr and placed into the 25th regiment. When his regiment was sent to the gates to be prepared for an assumed assault on the gates, Varn deserted his post and followed the path of his wife and a group of adventerers, it didn't last long as the group was called back when skaven started to attack the hold from below.

A second seige followed on the heels of the first and it was annouced that King Lance had been killed, Varn upon his return was sent to the front line as punishment for deserting his post, Esmirelda was sent home to recover from an ordeal in the mountain pass.

As Varn fought wave after wave of skaven troops, some skaven had come up and burrowed through in several places in the hold, one of which in Varn's house where his wife was, Esmirelda was quick to react and held out for some time. Varn after coming back from fighting at the mines gates, with the aid of some hold guards broke through the house door and slaughtered the skaven inside.

The aftermath of the seige was foul and it took many years to recover. Varn took a closer watch to the safety of his wife and brought her proper armour and weapons, incase he was not there again. Varn when investigating the damage to his home found a weapon of the skaven with symbols carved upon it, which for reason known to himself he hid and has kept secret up to the present date.

Adventure soon brought Varn to his best form, and he was preparing to head off on a dangerous journey to collect some ancient dwarf artifact, while the hold was aiding humans and elves.

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Clan history Part 5: Respect is rewarded -Imperial year 2422

The adventure proved more dangerous than was originally thought. Not far into the quest the part was split by a surprise attack. Varn was forced deep into the tainted lands and darkness is what he found there. Varn found Nalim and the two dwarfs led by a strange druid guide were taken to where the artifact lay, but taking it was not easy. An orc shamen who by way of dark magic had become undead with his army. Nalim and Varn fought hard against it and with the druids magic confronted the cursed shamen Torgoch. The fight was bitter, but Varn took the life from the shamens body and took the artifact, the lost crystal of fire.

Though Torgoch was dead the fight was not over, his horde through crumbling still lived. On that day it is said that Varn and Nalim took on an army and won, using the tunnels size they prevented any advantage of numbers. By the time they saw the light of day, they were bruised and bloodied their muscles ached and their arms were to heavy to lift. By the choices of the ancestor gods, Thorax Bloodaxe and the human Aravax found them once again and aided them in the return to the hold of Kazad Dawr.

The welcome was grand, news had spread of Torgoch's death and the halls were made ready for feasting upon their return. Esmirelda embraced her husband and they walked together to the old kings palace where the council sat awaiting the party. Umong the rewards Varn was made the bearer of Kazad Dawr's standard, and proclimed there and then that while it was his responsibility to carry it, he would defend it with his life and if he failed he annouced his entire clan would be banished and the oaths of the slayers taken up by them.

But not all celebrated Nalim was stripped of rank and assigned a task that would either make or kill him.

With responsibility in his hands, Varn only made one more quest for himself, that was to regain the rest of his clan as he promised he would do. In the imperial year 2442, Varn brought back his parents who were then sick and aging beyond their years, due to the poor conditions they lived in. Within a few months of their coming to Kazad dawr and the personal attention of Esmirelda, they recovered strength and still live to this day.

[Throndin Ironbeard]

Clan History Part 6: A new Beginning

Varn carried the Battle Standard of Kazad Dawr into many battles against thier hated foe, and never did any of the units around him flee while their eyes gazed upon it. It was said that any army crashed upon his bodyguard and those around like water hitting a mountain.
In the imperial year of 2449 seven ears after he first held the Kazad Dawr Battle banner Varn lead an army of dwarfs aiding the Army of Yetzinburg led by the Elven Prince Caldath ambushed the goblin tribes in the Winter's Teeth Pass. Due to the force and swiftness of the armies every goblin in the pass was cut down with minor casualties caused.
Due to this heroic feet the council of Kazad Dawr promote Varn Ironbeard and give him the honourable title of 'Castellan of Kazad Dawr' giving him full command over the troops in the event of seige and attacks against Kazad Dawr himself. It was on this day that Varn made his oath which was written in the holds lore books and and said allowed to the whole population of both Kazad Dawr and Yetzinburg at his celebration so that all would bear witness to it.
[glow=Blue,2,300]I, Varn Ironbeard, Castellan of Kazad Dawr hereby swear upon my life, my honour and on my beard that while air is in my lungs and blood beats in my veins I shall never abandon this hold in its time of need, and I shall never abandon its halls. As the ancesteral Gods as my witnesses I will do my best to defend our home and those within.[/glow]
Since then Varn has never left the stronghold of Kazard dawr incase it fell under assault while he was away, and since has trained the warriros of Kazard dawr harder till even te least skilled is an equal to any masters of other holds.

In the imperial year of 2470, Varn and Esmirelda were blessed with a son. In honour of Varns lost companion he was named Throndin Grundi Ironbeard and blessed in each of the ancesteral gods temples by the high priests.
Varn made sure his son was trained, and trained hard for he knew his reputation would give throndin a challenge while growing up.

Now at the age of 52, Throndin is still young, but is well known in the hold and knows the uses of many weapons of war. But being his father's son he craves adventure and o earn the fame he already has been given. It is now through Throndin that the Ironbeard's Clan adventures continue