Clan Cragbeard and the Chaos dwarves of the Emerald coast

  Hashudath Cragbeard and the ascent of Kharagroth Ghazath Cragbeard

The home city of the Dawi Zharr (also called Chaos Dwarves), is Zharr Naggrund within the Dark Lands. The great slave forges are a Stepped Obsidian Ziggurat surrounded by shanty towns of hobgoblins and enslaved Orcs, Goblins, Dwarves, Men, Elves and Ogres, the political machinations are not unlike it's physical form. At the bottom of the social hierarchy is the mass of Dwarves who make up the artisans, engineers, slave drivers, supervisors and clerks of the forges. These men also serve as the warrior caste, either armed with a black powder weapon or heavy shield, armour and Axe in hand. Towards the middle the Sorcerors, lords and Despots politic and conspire with the top to advance themselves or their clans all whilst worshiping at the Altar of Hashut. Finally there's the Sorceror Prophet and his retinue of Overlords who set the policy and goals of the great war machine that is Chaos Dwarf society.

Map of the Warhammer world, the Dawi-Zharr originate from the dark lands of the central continent

 

Normally territorial gain is not an explicit goal of the Sorceror Prophet, the real motivator is access to a vast flock of slave labour for the industrial machine, working in the mines, felling trees, working in machine shops and eventually meeting their fate is some damned ritual for the dark god Hashut.

 The Story of Hashudath Cragbeard begins with the fall of his clan from favour, during a slave raid into the wastelands, the clan was tasked with defending the baggage when it was caught unawares by a pack of goblins riding squigs, stealing the pay chest and setting fire to the priceless alchemist carriage the Goblins met their end when a patrol of Bullcentaurs chased them down and crucified them upon large praying stones of their Greenskin gods (the squigs were consumed). Hashudath Cragbeard was not present during the raid, instead he was absorbed in important experiments into rocketry, but the fall was painful for him and his clan. The political turmoil took on an energy of its own and many believed the Sorceror Prophet would declare the Clan Cragbeard traitors to be sacrificed in the pits alongside the slaves.

 Pulling together the remainder of their political and material wealth, the clan migrated to Uzkulak and set sail in smoke belching behemoths of the Chaos Dwarf Navy. Navigating the Frozen sea by moving up the coast, they sold weapons and armour to the Chaos wastes tribes, all produced on board their great ships or acting as pirates and mercenaries Enslaving those deemed too weak.

 The Clan Cragbeard landed on the Emerald coast in 1815ic, establishing their city of Kar-Tor along the Obsidian river that flowed down from the Blackstone mountains. They quickly subdued the local City states of Men and Sea Elves in a series of pitched battles that ended any notion of organised resistance either on sea or land, as 1817 came around a new rival appeared. A scion of the Empire landed and confederated the city states along the southern coast south east of the Ironjack mountains.

 

 Conflict was as unavoidable as it was profitable, Hashudath Cragbeard saw the chance to swell the slave ships that returned yearly to Zharr Naggrund as well as establish an empire apart from the Sorceror Prophet and his court, beyond reproach or authority.

 Disaster was to strike for Hashudath Cragbeard, in the year 1817 an Empire assassin attempted to slay Hashudath whilst out hunting giant wolves. The assassin managed to kill many bodyguards, but the Lord was unharmed if shaken. Hashudath Cragbeard Worst fears were to be answered the next winter, in 1818 another Empire assassin made an attempt on his life, finally ending Hashudath Cragbeard.

 

The fallout was disastrous and only the extreme separation between Subjects and Chaos Dwarves kept much of the details secret. After many disturbed days and nights Kharagroth Ghazath Cragbeard was officially declared successor, his opponents corpses thrown into massed graves the outcome of much duelling. 

With Kharagroth Ghazath Cragbeard as warlord the Year 1819 was fought sharply in the best spirit of Hashudath Cragbeard, taking the fight to the Empire and trading shot for shot. It is yet to be decided if Clan Cragbeard will dominate the Emerald coast or will the Empire reign supreme, ending Clan Cragbeard and any chance of redemption, let alone ascension.