Dwarf/Gnome Timeline

[Havard]

Yeah the theory I've been going with was that the dwarven population has been drastically declning for more than a millenia now, due to wars and what have you, opening up vast areas of what was once part of the northern delving to new settlers, DoP, Dot, and Blackmoor.

Well, they have only lived in the North for about 500 years, but it does appear that the settlement is failing. Given their vital role as supporters of Blackmoor, the doom of the dwarves would be very unfortunate for Uther. If Uberstar was to be rescued, that might be enough to turn things around...

Its hard to say what the situation is for dwarves in Thonia, or the Dwarven Goatherder culture in the far west...

As for elves and steam tech, I would take the opposite stance based on what Jerry told us. They really should be the only ones fooling with any technology - like the holy water fire hoses. I realize though the d20 stuff went in a different direction following the AD&D gnome engineers etc. Impossible to reconcile everything.

IMC I am replacing the water hoses with Elven Hydromancers. ZG has many elves be elementalists so that fits. Early Arneson was fairly vague on the demi-humans so I think it makes sense to make use of ZG material here.

Havard

[Havard]

830
The Gnome Wizard Mieroc completes his vessel allowing him to fly to the Sun. He never returns from his journey, but Charis elevates Mieroc to Immortality. As a result of this, Gnomes begin to mass migrate to the North in search of Mieroc’s laboratory. DAB

Interestingly, the above means Mieroc accomplished this right in the middle of the Mage Wars. That sounds a little odd doesn't it? Rechecking my sources, all we know is that Gnomes have been migrating to the North over the last 200 years, so Meroc would have had to make his invention some time before that. Should we move it prior to 815? I wonder if Mieroc arrived with the migrants heading for the Duchy of Ten, or whether he was sent to work for Uberstar...

-Havard

[Havard]

Timeline updated

-Havard

[Havard]

The map for DA3, bottom right corner in the Thonian Rand - "New Delving".

Good observation Dave! What should we make of that? is it an older settlement or a colony established by Oberstar?

I checked DA3 and unfortunately New Delving/New Digging is not a dwarven colony, at least not anymore.

Bumping this thread also because I am taking another look at the Dwarves of Blackmoor. There is quite a bit of information in the Blackmoor PG which I didnt look to closely at first time around.

-Havard

[aldarron]

The "strange comet" in 1019 - how does that relate to the Dwarves? Connected to the economic depression?

I've been putting the date of the mines about 40 years further back (460) to reconcile with the line on pg189 of the 4eTFC sourcebook “nearly 600 years of mining”; that'd give about 570 years which is just close enough to 600, I think but still in keeping with "DA1:63; “over half a millenium ago”.

Some interesting bits about dwarves in Daves'[ Izmer writeup too...

[Havard]

The "strange comet" in 1019 - how does that relate to the Dwarves? Connected to the economic depression?

Good question. I think I put it in there because it is linked to the development of technology. While perhaps not apparent yet, discoveries made in the Valley of the Ancients will have dramatic consequences on on the things that dwarves and Gnomes have already been working on. IMC I also theorize that dwarves have a secret linked to this.

I've been putting the date of the mines about 40 years further back (460) to reconcile with the line on pg189 of the 4eTFC sourcebook “nearly 600 years of mining”; that'd give about 570 years which is just close enough to 600, I think but still in keeping with "DA1:63; “over half a millenium ago”.

That would work

Some interesting bits about dwarves in Daves' Izmer writeup too...

Very interesting! Will check it out ASAP. Thanks for pointing this out.

Also, I realized that for some reason the timeline in the OP had been cut in the middle of 1019. I have now edited it to include the last decades:

1019
Dwarves enter an economic depression which is still felt to some degree even 15 years later.
“The Saboteurs” begin destroying machinery, claiming it is a threat to the dwarven way of life. C&S

1020
Dwarves begin building war machines. C&S

1021
Dwarf War Machine destroys Orc Army in the Dragon Hills. C&S

1021
University of Blackmoor founded in Blackmoor City. The new University staff includes dwarves, elves, halflings and many scholars sent by the bishop of Blackmoor Garamond Bolitho (DA1).
Blackmoor University Professor Telgrim Whistlegate begins studying clockwork inventions. (C&S) DA1, C&S

1022 Whistlegate creates humanoid Clockwork Defenders.
Order of the Pendulum founded. It is a sinister organization devoted to the development of technology at any cost. C&S

1023
Clockwork appendages used to replace lost limbs
Clockwork spies outlawed in Blackmoor and the Thonian Empire.
Dwarven Steamsaw construct destroyed. Westryn Rangers suspected. C&S

1024 Uberstar Kazakhum is captured by Orcs. The dwarves set up right away a military force to free him, but they are defeated and pushed back until the gates of Northern Delving, where they are besieged by the Orcs. This is the start of the Sixth War between dwarves and Orcs. Lortz Kazakhum, the son of Uberstar, becomes ad-interim Regent of the Mines. The siege forces him to interrupt any communications with Blackmoor and the humans (DA1). DA1

1025
Events of the DA series begin DA1-4

1030
DAB Campaign Begins DAB

-Havard

[aldarron]

Some interesting bits about dwarves in Daves' Izmer writeup too...

Very interesting! Will check it out ASAP. Thanks for pointing this out.

Also, I realized that for some reason the timeline in the OP had been cut in the middle of 1019. I have now edited it to include the last decades:
-Havard

Yeah there's a bunch of things about the Izmer write up that echo what was later written for the DAB books and could be seen as the "west coast" details of the same events and trends. (izmer being west of the Goblin Kush) No time now but I want to work up a post about it.

[Havard]

Yeah there's a bunch of things about the Izmer write up that echo what was later written for the DAB books and could be seen as the "west coast" details of the same events and trends. (izmer being west of the Goblin Kush) No time now but I want to work up a post about it.

Here is what I have been able to find so far:

The dwarves, driven by their greed, destroyed the city of Antius by mining under the entire area. Rather than take proper precautions in their many tunnels, the very earth was honeycombed and weakened in their quest for magical ore. Only then when it was too late the city was warned.

A few mages in their towers were able to reinforce their foundations enough to prevent themselves from being drawn into the sinkhole that was once Antius. Many of the citizens were thus saved by the foresight and benevolence of those ancient mages. With the ore gone the dwarves moved on, leaving proud Antius to become one of the most disreputable places within the Empire.

[Now nobody likes those smelly, dirty dwarves less than I do. All that they’re good for is digging holes for outhouses. But I heard that they got a bum rap on the Antius deal. It’s said that they had no choice but to get that ore out. Whoever was in charge around there a thousand years ago said to get it all out right away. Rumor has it that if dwarves didn’t do what they were told, then they dwarves would have been turned into rocks themselves. --C.]

The dwarves hid in their underground fortresses to avoid fighting in the Great War. Even abandoning their fellows in their haste to make themselves safe.

[Tough to figure. Them dwarves are always getting into fights. And it usually doesn’t matter what the odds are -- they’re just stupid that way. Can’t hardly imagine what sort of threat would have made them hide away like that. --C.]

In the wake of the Great War, dwarves were recruited to fight the hordes of orcs and other humanoids that sought to destroy what was left of civilization. Fighting in small groups, the dwarves proved to be quite useful as the Empire sought to return peace to the land. Today only a few of these creatures remain to wander about outside the mining camps. Some of these creatures are rumored to posses inherent magical abilities, although they seem to show no inclination to use them. It is not known what the dwarves, if indeed any still exist, do beneath the mountains.

[Magical abilities? Nah. The only magic I ever seen a dwarf do was eat more food than ten grown men! --C.]

All know that the dwarves are a contentious and aggressive folk. The amount of damage that dwarves have done within the city of Sumdall from their frequent fights in the local taverns is quite high.It is fortunate for the remaining dwarves, and society in general, that they were gathered together in camps to work the Empire’s mines. Only the benevolent rule of the Empire has kept them in check, else they would be in a constant conflict with some portion of the Empire.

The above is taken from Dave Arneson's article Society of Sumdal and Izmer original appearing on wizards.com (ca 2000). Passages in italics are by "Charlie the Cutpurse" a thief living in the Empire.

Now I am less inclined to treat the movie setting as part of Blackmoor, but I think it can be seen on par with the other settings that Blackmoor has been connected with to be discussed in the Beyond the Veil Forum. However, since Arneson wrote these articles, it is not unreasonable to assume that he inserted his own views on Dwarves, just like he did with the elves. Now it might not be apparent in the quoted paragraphs, but the article depicts the dwarves as seen by the wizards, so should not necessarily be taken at face value.

-Havard

[aldarron]

I'm cool with including Izmer on my Blackmoor map because Dave put it on his, but the movie was so terrible its really easy to see why anyone would shy away from that. "My" Izmer though is Dave's Izmer - what he wrote, and has no more connection to a vaguely remembered Hollywood movie in my mind, than Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings has to Tolkien.

The "underground fortresses" is an interesting thing to note, as is the commentary that they do not (usually?) do magic.

[Havard]

, as is the commentary that they do not (usually?) do magic.

This one caught my attention as well. It could be related to dwarves being able to be spellcasters in 3rd Ed though...

-Havard