Lower Empire

Pop: none.

Lang.: Dwarven.

GM(s)

Struan

History

Whilst it's exact origins aren't clear, the Lower Empire (of the Dwarves) records it's history as starting in the 6th Age since the Elven War of Ascension with the crowning of Draxul the Great, First Archivist Lord.

Notes from the Temple

summarised

The tone of the documents is self-confident, self-reliant and xenophobic.

ExerptsThe people (Dwarves) are self-evidently the most noble and worthy of all living things.

They have an inherent and absolute right to anything "not tainted by exposure to the sky", because only in stillness and darkness is stability and endurance possible, without influence from eroding forces and degrading effects.

Other races, when they are mentioned at all, are related as little more than animals, to be avoided if at all possible "so as not to sully the purest" or eliminated completely if avoidance is not possible "for surely the smallest unfixed flaw can shatter the largest pillar"

Thus is pragmatism, dogma and xenophobia combined in equal measure.

Over and over and over again!

There is much material for many scholarly works on the religon and dogma of this branch of the Dwarven race with only a few mentions of either history or "current" events.

In fact in the time you have only the following two items of interest are found:

1. A number of entries about a conflict with Orcs? (literally ugly tusked tall sky warrior animals)
   • 1657-10-23 -- Hope is expressed that the Orcs? will not encroach on the northern mines
   • 1657-12-31 -- Prayers are offered for those who have not returned from the Northern mines.
   • 1657-20-19 -- Special prayers are offered for the safe return for the many who go to cleanse the Orcs?
   • 1657-21- 2 -- A week of celebration is announced at the victorious return of the Great Cleansers. Not a single person was lost and all of the Orcs? are buried in many chains of dirt in the lowlands to the north. Thus are our rights and destiny confirmed.
2. The last few entries in the same records
   • 2895-10- 6 -- It is almost completed. Is it right that people should seek to make crystal plan and weigh and consider?
   • 2895-11- 1 -- The Mages and Mechanics celebrate but there is dark feeling amongst some of us
   • 2895-13-18 -- Many come to us with low malaise and fuzzy thoughts. What cause could this be?
   • 2895-15-26 -- It is out of control! We are only a little surprised and know that plans are now being actioned against it.
   • 2895-17- 8 -- All have different approaches but only the Mechanics' is immediately proven flawed. Their skills will be missed.
   • 2895-18-22 -- The Paladins? have chosen their Great one. His title is Der Grosse and faith is both his axe and his shield.
   • 2895-19-12 -- The Mages plans have won regal support. Co-ordination is required and trust is slim.
   • 2895-19-32 -- I cannot carry this as we are evacuated. But others have more complete records so it is no great loss. (Last entry)

Logs from the Command Post

Battle rune notes

4th Leg 8th Div Rear Post

2895-20- 1	est. G/O Rear Grd, Trng
2895-20-38	1st Cmp reinf snt fwd
2895-22- 2	Bldg bgn Barrier prj
2895-23-10	"Der Grosser" insp
2895-24- 8	2nd Cmp reinf snt fwd
2896- 1-16	Brrr prj apprx 20% cmpl
2896- 2-21	Sml grp D's elim
2896- 3- 3	3rd Cmp reinf snt fwd
2896- 4- 1	Cmpl Drft init
2896- 5-18	Prsnl Wkng, esp Civ
2896- 6- 4	4th Cmp reinf snt fwd
2896- 6-37	Brrr prj 50% cmpl
2896- 8- 5	Grps of D's try brkthr. All elim
2896- 9-13	5th Cmp reinf snt fwd
2896-10-19	Sprdc Inc dly. All elim
2896-11-24	Dbld Grds on Bldrs
2896-12- 2	Fd Shrtg. Scnd Drft init
2896-13-27	Cntmnt Fdrs 75% cmpl
2896-14- 5	Brrr prj 90% cmpl
2896-15-11	All Fwd bss ovrrn. Cntl fght
2896-15-32	Brrr prj nd Cntmnt Fdrs almst fnshd. Mstr fr psh bk.
2896-16- 7	Smll grp D's brk out. 2 sqds prsu
2896-16-12	Mjr Offnsv bgn. Mgs / Prsts Rtl init

Kerns (possible) Translations of the Command Post Battle Runes

2895-20- 1	est. G/O Rear Grd, Trng = Established Group of Rear Guard, Training initiated
2895-20-38	1st Cmp reinf snt fwd = 1st Company Reinforcements Sent Forward
2895-22- 2	Bldg bgn Barrier prj = Building Begun on Barrier Project
2895-23-10	"Der Grosser" insp = "Der Grosser" inspection
2895-24- 8	2nd Cmp reinf snt fwd= 2nd Company reinforcements sent forward
2896- 1-16	Brrr prj apprx 20% cmpl = Barrier Project approx 20% complete
2896- 2-21	Sml grp D's elim = Small Group of Demons Eliminated
2896- 3- 3	3rd Cmp reinf snt fwd= 3rd Company reinforcements sent forward
2896- 4- 1	Cmpl Drft init = Complete Drafted Initiated
2896- 5-18	Prsnl Wkng, esp Civ = Personnel Working, especially Civilians
2896- 6- 4	4th Cmp reinf snt fwd = 4th Company reinforcements sent forward
2896- 6-37	Brrr prj 50% cmpl = Barrier Project 50% complete
2896- 8- 5	Grps of D's try brkthr. All elim = Groups of Demons try to breakthrough. All Eliminated
2896- 9-13	5th Cmp reinf snt fwd = 5th Company reinforcements sent Forward
2896-10-19	Sprdc Inc dly. All elim = Sporadic Incidents Daily. All Eliminated
2896-11-24	Dbld Grds on Bldrs = Doubled Guards on Boulders
2896-12- 2	Fd Shrtg. Scnd Drft init = Food Shortage, 2nd Draft of Volunteers Initiated
2896-13-27	Cntmnt Fdrs 75% cmpl = Containment Feeders 75% Complete
2896-14- 5	Brrr prj 90% cmpl = Barrier Project 90% complete
2896-15-11	All Fwd bss ovrrn. Cntl fght = All Forward Bases overrun. Continual/Central Fighting
2896-15-32	Brrr prj nd Cntmnt Fdrs almst fnshd. Mstr fr psh bk. = Barrier Project and Containment Feeders almost finished, Muster for the Push Back
2896-16- 7	Smll grp D's brk out. 2 sqds prsu = Small Group of Demons break out and 2 Squads Pursue - This may mean some of the Demons got away completely
2896-16-12	Mjr Offnsv bgn. Mgs / Prsts Rtl init = Major Offensive Begun. Mages / Priests Ritual Initiated

Calendrical Note

Their calendar may be a regular 40 days in 24 or 25 months. Given the established mindset, regular-length months are likely. 25 months gives a 1,000 day year. 24 months gives constant factors of 8 (stability, regularity, even), and 960 days (easily sub-divided). Given racial considerations, a regular 40/24 calendar with no extra-calendrical days seems probable. This would be one of the few known calendars that is not affected by the month, seasons, or stars, which makes sense for a deep-dwelling races with a dislike of change and the sky. This tentatively puts the duration of the Empire at 7,636 years and 307 days from putative founding (1-1-1) to last record (2896-16-12).

Speculatively, if a Dwarven age were 1000 years (rather than a division by significant events), then six ages since the Elven War of Ascension would be just over 15,824 of our years, putting the start of the empire somewhere between 17,000 and 20,000 years ago. External evidence places the founding at a little before 17,000 years ago. This would place the end of the empire at slightly under 10,000 years ago. External evidence places it at slightly over 10,000 years ago. Divination errors are +/- a few hundred years, which is the order of magnitude of discrepancy between calendrical calculations and divination. The two measurements are thus compatible, with further evidence or calculation required to determine which is more accurate.

It is likely that the number of days in a year and years in an age would be identical. For various reasons I have chosen them to be distinct - this introduces a possible error of +/- 4%, but bisects the possible error to give an mean expected time. Speculative changes of the provisional calendar to 25 months/year, or 960 years/age do not result in exact multiples, and place further tension between empirical and theoretical results. Kit

Wordsmith says it took two years to build the thingy which is about 18 40-day Dwarf Months which also matches Wordsmith's translation of the writings and Kern's interpretation of the abbreviations. Which means you're right about their months or Wordsmith is lying to maintain the secret Dwarven conspiracy of the Old Dwarven Empire. So to confirm whether it's empirical or theorical we should probably interrogate the nearest Dwarf to see if he's imperial. Aryan - This Philosothingy stuff ain't so hard.

Update: I forgot to consider the Double Asynchronic Year (1004 days), which is exactly 40 Dwarven Months. Assuming these particular Dwarves are backwards and contrary (as supported by their writings), they could easily have the number of months and days swapped around, resulting in 25 'months' of 40 days each, with 4 High Holidays (like any well-designed year). The Double Asynchronic Year doesn't tie into any lunar (or other sky) feature, which again fits with the mentality of these dwarves. Kit