Herenkoa : Zwerc : But you would probably call them Dwarves or Dwarfs. Also Gnomes.

I did this back in 2007. It is very rough, no it is very very rough. The whole idea from here has moved. But it is still something I did and so am going to post. 
I am starting to think that over the years I have worked on a lot of stuff and things always got in the way, so I am going to dump everything into a blog and then the world can decide if it was ever going to work.
(This has aged badly so many things I would do differently now) 
Sorry there is no art work. Would appear I have lost that. 

Enjoy the trip down memory lane. (My memory not yours)

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Scrall, the entity of jealousy, the deity of mistrust, the green eyed monster among monsters.
These are the thoughts of all the Guardians.

The race known as the Dwarven was a peaceful quiet tribe, settled upon the edge of the frozen wastes of the north. They thrived on there fishing and hunting. There mastery of metals and working of precious jewels and glass’s were unsurpassed.
Scrall watched this happy tribe and hatched her devious plans. She felt though she had been forsaken by the lord and as such wished to make amends for this, alone stranded and unloved she would find the gifts left to the races of the one God, and return them.
Though she knew she could do this, she also knew that she would need help in doing it, so the plan was hatched to convert this peaceful and untroubled race to her evil biter and twisted ways.
In the beginning most of this was done from a far, leaving suggestions, and performing miracles and answering prayers, whispering into ears of nobles, and leaving signs to show her divinity.

Scrall, the being of compassion, the divinity of forgiveness, the angelic of all above.
These are the thoughts of the Dwarven.

Before Scrall.

Before the time of finding a higher power the humans that would be transformed into these wretches were a peaceful people. Living in there small villages, trading between there close neighbours, and passing stories and skills. The largest of these cities was half on the land and half buried into the mountain face. With in the inner sanctum of the city out of the light and into the rock were hundreds of mines, each one producing many different substances, from flit and chalk to iron and gold. With in these regions that the city had grown up round were many different seems of materials. Very few trees grew in this region of the planet and so they learned to quarry stone to build structures to live in, mastered the art of devising systems to haul giant rocks from point A to point B, and also ways of holding upper floors steady via many different stone formations. Because of the way the race had formed over the years they had discovered many different methods of using these gains from the ground, though wood workers were a rare commodity, iron workers, masons and smelters were common skills with in the race. Though saying that wood was lacking would be apt, the reality was that at one of the outer lying villages did have a small forest and they managed it as well as they could, using selective tree harvests and replanting new ones where there was room in order to keep a supply of wood even though a limited one. Some farming had been introduced in order to supply fuel for the fires needed to smelt the ore’s and to produce the metals. Though this was mainly grain, the seed was thrashed and then what remained would be dried to give fuel. As more mines appeared and new underground areas arrived more and more of the population began moving into these newly built spaces. They were warmer and easier to maintain than above ground housing. So slowly all the cities, towns and villages began to vanish under the earth. Most now are only noticeable via the black clouds appearing from large chimneys that seem to sprout from the earth. One stormy night the sky was torn a sunder by an almighty crack, and hurtling towards what was left of the outside of the City was a giant glowing ball of fire, the few that lived outside of the mines began to scream and run for their lives towards the mines. The fire drew closer to the outer reaches of the town until finally it shattered into the ground causing horrendous damage to the tunnel network and destroying over half the city above ground. The fire ball, started to rise too its feet, towering over every one there.  Then slowly at first it raised its gigantic foot from the floor nudging a building which began to melt and deform under the intense heat. Rapidly from with in the mountain a force came rushing through carrying spears and axes, the spear throwers let go with a volley of shots, but as this creature was still super heated they melted once they got with in inches of its hide, the axe men ran forward wanting revenge for the destruction of there fellow dwellers homes. As these seekers of redemption got close enough to bring there axes to bear up on the giant, fires started to erupt amongst them as there clothing and armour began to ignite up on the unbearable heat of this creature. This being just continued to walk away from the city ignorant to the destruction it had caused. The remaining tribesmen looked to the skies and cried for vengeance, screaming with rage they delivered what Scrall had been waiting for, and this was RAGE and HATRED. For a time after the entity had passed through the survivors had been sent in to a twirl of disarray, though there heads were starting to clear and it was decided that to save this happening once more the whole race would move under ground, deeper than they had ever gone before. All surrounding villages were called and all came to the city to move under the mountains. The only village which did not come was the forest tribes, which all was agreed that wood would be needed and once a way was found under the earth to recreate this need, they would join. Hugh caverns were created with artificial light created to allow the crops to grow, which though never reaching the sustenance of the fields above ground still formed in a bitter way. Time progressed and small hardy plants were drilled in order to try and produce some form of wood for different tasks, though these plants also never got to the size they could have done above ground. Slowly though Scrall had been infiltrating the tunnels and ways of the tribes, and with small words and little miracles had begun sowing her own seeds. She showed herself to high ranking officials within the tribe, she made her present felt by the farmers and the miners, within the smiths’ workshops and the tanners’ dwellings. Slowly shrines were erected in her honour, she began to realise the time was coming for her to do that one big miracle that would bring the whole tribe under her foot. She set to work altering the lights with in the farm and forestry caverns, slowly turning this unnatural light that was used to give it the same properties of sunlight, and allowing the crops to grow. Word spread and with this the cult of Scrall began to form, and so did she. The Doors to the great hall flew open splintering across the floor. There standing in the doorway with an aura glow around her was Scrall, and every tribesman with in the area bowed, knowing that there divine had arrived. She looked at her proud followers who she had saved from the darkness and said my Children you are my Dwarves and from this day forward no one will ever destroy your craft again. The transformation had already begun. Before Scrall had made her presence known the Dwarfs had already started to become shorter, and more doubled. There skin had become grey and hair had failed to grow, madness had also set in with some of the older ones, as they had spent so long with in the realms of these heavy metals their minds had begun to rot. The lack of natural light had done a lot of the damage, and a poor diet didn’t help either. Each member had become hunched over and large of waist, there legs had began to bow from carrying the excess weight and in some of the seams they spent much time doubled over. This made there arms look so much longer and knuckles drag along the floor. The decision to wear cloth or leather around the face and head to try and stop the gas’s and the poisons entering them had been taken early on, but for some it was already too late, and the mad ones were cast out into a lower cavern to wait out there days. Though Scrall had decided to force these ones to stay alive as she knew they would come of use in her diabolic plan, once it unfolded. Many other things had also been discovered, creatures that had lived in caverns, which had never seen the light of day. Some things even the Entities hadn’t seen, but Scrall, now discovering these creatures had started hatching plans on how to use them. Knowing that with time Amaritt would find a tribe that would accept the giant as there guardian, it was decided that the fear and hatred of the living mountain must be cultured and grown so that they would be ready to destroy this interloper.

Hierarchy within the Dwarves Colonies

The way the chain of command works with in the Dwarf world under the rule of Scrall is more down to the strong survive and the weak disappear.
Information is everything with in this society, power is a plus but knowledge is the greatest power.
No one is more powerful than Scrall, and though she rarely appears from her chambers hidden deep within the rock, her present is always felt throughout the minions. There have been several attempts which are greatly documented via the sages about attempts to dethrone the majesty that is the mind and controlling force behind the empire of the dwarves, though the result have ended in the disappearance of the members who attempted the subterfuge and any one they had talked too regarding this act of treason.

Scrall is the top of the food chain.

Sages
Below this the Sage’s are the only members of the colonies that are able to enter the sacred chambers. These hi ranking individuals, pass the messages direct from there lords mouth, to the ears of the masses. They spin the propaganda, pass out false information, and inspire the troops to die for there cause.

Scribes
Scribes record everything, they also map, plan and store stories histories and information. Some segments of the scribes design new inventions, fill a social need and create art and a small few write and teach the ways to others.

Once you get out of the desk job dwarfs, you move into the actual force of the dwarf colonies. These are the battle ready fighters and mechanics that man the forces that will defend, destroy and inflict as much pain to the enemy as possible.

Excavation Initiator (Lord)
The Head Dwarf that rally’s the minions to battle, instructs the directions of the shafts, and generally boss’s everyone around with in the colony.

Chief Whip (2nd to the Lord)
The Chief Whip is the head of the inquisition, or torture master, depending on which race you belong. The job apart from being the 2nd in command is also the master of the dungeon and creator of unnatural ways. 

Master Smith (Hero)
The forges are run by all manner of the Dwarves race, though there is one that controls all with in the colony. The job of the Master Smith is to maintain production, control metal consistency and discover new uses for all rocks that appear.

Shift Runners (Hero)
The Shift runner controls his groups with an iron rod and a large chain whip. They command the Dwarves under with a grip of iron. Be it in the mines, the forges, or on the battlefield.

Dwarves (General Troops)
Coming from all over the colonies from under the mountains of the north, they make up the majority of all the units with in the army, though different rolls are given out with in the confines of the army of the Dwarves. 

Dwarf Troop Types

Gralled: (Hero)
At the highest level of the Troops there stand the Gralled, these are trained in different fighting styles and weapons; as such they are stationed around the colonies, They command small units of regular foot soldiers to defend the colonies, and to guard different areas within the network of tunnels and caverns.

Brallic:
The ranged minions who spend many hours training with weapons of distant death, they spend the days building and manufacturing there weapons forever looking for better ways to bring ranged fatality upon their foes. Many different materials are used then abused to produce the best weapons they can bring to bear upon the unknowing. 

Mallum:
The general foot soldiers or front lines of battle; these groups are designed to be the first wave in any attack. Trained with basic hand weapons and light armour they travel on foot and will march for days without wariness. As such they can travel for all the hours of daylight across grounds and once arrived erect with speed camps and defences, then once the sun rises once more they will dismantle and move on before resting again. This is all done via there hard relentless drilling of there commanders.

Whirick:
The slavers, these evil twisted minions of Scrall are the underlings directly under the Chief Whip,
There main objective on the battlefield is to control the slaves of the Dwarves and to gather more, via going through the dead and dying of the opposition grabbing them, healing them back to health then torturing them to with in an inch of the next life till they declare allegiance to Scrall.

SLAVES & SUBORDINATES

With in the Dwarves tunnels live several different species of creature that have been taken in by Scrall and placed under the control of the Dwarf people. Some of these beings are there through their own choice, others though weren’t so lucky.

Subordinates

Gnomes
Miniature versions of the Dwarf, though more evil and twisted. They hide deep under ground deeper than most dwarfs would travel. A collapsing tunnel beneath one of the first mountain lairs introduced the Dwarves to the Gnomes long ago, and Scrall never one to miss a trick took them under her arm and shaped them to the servants they are to day.

Grelkins
A lot like the dwarfs but animalistic, some scribes say these are Dwarfs that fled and were tainted through the influence of Bane.

Raksha
Large intelligent bear type thing that live in the snow caves among the mountain ranges of the northern wastes, incredibly evil but subdued by Scrall in order to be a powerful warrior in the Dwarves armies. Several different species exist and there shading and sizes vary.

Slaves

Humans
Humans get everywhere and are easy to control, once you have destroyed there free will.

Dwarves
Even though most tight nit group from time to time has a run away.

Excavation Inquisitor

The Great one, Master of the forces, Controller of the tunnels, Excavation Inquisitor, creator of the passages, which ever name is given to this figure the figure is the controlling force behind the armies of the Dwarfs. Though Scrall is there ruler and mistress, she has not been seen for centuries, her message comes from the myriad of sages and scribes which tightly guard and defend her exalted cavern. Each region or colony across the underground dwellings of the Dwarfs has there own Lord, each given there own name and rights, each with there orders coming directly from the top of the chain, the traditions have not changed in the years since Scrall locked herself away. Here should read, during times of peace these chief of construction plan and manoeuvre the tunnel networks for the most efficient results of gathering the precious metals buried with in the northern ranges of the rock. Unfortunately, though these miniature miners have no concept of peace, the slaves collected are forced to work the mines, and the dwarfs train for there next large fight. 

Master Smith

The controller of the forge, years of study enables Master Smiths to use every substance, mineral and resource with in the colonies to their full ability, nothing is wasted every thing is used. Designing new equipment to increase production, creating new methods to improve existing technologies, allowing for faster and higher production. The creation of weapons, tools and other implements are also in the control of the Master Smith. Designing and creating ways of improving things is not the only job, creation of a recoil bow from metal was the greatest work of one master smith the use of wood removed from the bowery process producing a harder wearing weapon with extended life and the same power and accuracy of its wooden counter part. Once more each region has its own master smith, so many cycles these master smiths come together in the great hall of designs to swap ideas techniques and possibilities.

Shift Runners

In control of every army there is a controlling force, the ones that pass on there orders from the top of the chain to the grunts in the line of fire. This is the job of the shift runner, passing information from the commanding officers down to the soldiers in the trenches. They are trained in tactics and weapons; this is so that if lines of communication are cut then the Shift Runners are able to take charge with out issue of them disobeying orders. The only downside of this though is if they get it wrong suddenly they would discover what is in the cave under the central city.

Troop Types

The Dwarven Armies are made up of 2 squad types, the Mallum which are the close combat fighters, or the Brallic who are the ranged combat units.

Mallum are all armed with the same close combat weapons, be it shield & spear, club and spear, or hammer.

Brallic are the ranged fighters and as such will normally be carrying a quill of arrows or bolts, a bow or crossbow and a short sword for id the enemy get too close.

The Gralled are armed according to their personality, just because they lead a certain group dose not always mean they bear the same arms. Though normally a Gralled will arm themselves with a similar weapon to the squad. 

The Retained

The retained are the assistance to people in power, they are all trained in one form or another and as such give bonus to the characters they are with. 

Healers allow healing to be performed.

Seers give tactical bonus.

Messengers run from commander to squads passing orders and keeping discipline.

Toolsman help with moving large weapons.

Whirick capture slaves and control troops.

Minions Other Than Dwarfs

Scralls influence goes a lot deeper than just the Dwarf population of the planet. Ranging from the highest mountains to the deepest caverns her mind wanders every where finding those most fitting to her needs. 

The Gnomes though being small in stature are vast in number which as such helps with the controlling of the larger creatures with in the power of the one in the dark. 

The Raksha though quiet intelligent and incredibly powerful need more guidance as they are still beasts, which the Gnomes have helped subdue and train with assistance from the malevolent ones abilities.

The Grelkins seem to come from the early forest days of the farming communities out side of the city, though as they underwent the same conditioning as the city dwelling tribe it is beloved they have been touched by not one guardian but two. Scrall keeps these hidden though deep within the caverns out of site. They are released in times of great need only.

The Drell are Dwarves sent insane by the toxins and poisons from the early days of mining. By all rights they should be dead, but Scrall had plans and as such sent them to the same place as the Grelkins. Very few Dwarfs go this far into the under city, and the ones that do have never returned.

The Lost cavern

Night fell across the encampment. Everything was at peace, the shipment of wood had left for the mines, the guards had finished their patrols of the perimeter covering the animal flocks, and the last of the hunter teams had returned carts fully loaded. The torches that lit the main pathways suddenly started to flicker and burn brightly before suddenly extinguishing, was it a bad omen of things to come?

With a mighty crash the village descended into the cavern. The idea hadn’t been Scralls the Drell thought it would be the fastest way to reclaim the ones that had wandered from the darkness. The whole village and every thing with in it fell smashing the homes to pieces. No atrocity of this nature had occurred since the time of the fall of Amarrit, in a moment of genius the Drell had worked out how to bring the Grelkins to them. Unfortunately as the sky fell around them they had once more changed the mind and become enraged. The two abominations of Dwarf lunged at each other. The fighting was brutal and bloody, limbs and fur splattered the floor of the cavern. Scrall sat watching from her chambers. Using her force of will she began to repair the damage to the roof of the cavern and adjusting the lay out back to the city, making the simple to follow tunnels into a never ending labyrinth. As each side became less and less, and weaker she noticed the Drell mind set once more start to change. She knew she could subdue the beast with in the Grelkins tribe, but the Drell were a different matter, poisoned by the mine work and gases trapped under the earth there was no way that even her powers could penetrate the rage. More time passed as the darkness engulfed the cave and each subspecies slowly slunk back to opposite sides. Determined not to let them destroy each other one last move was made to collapse sides of the expanse in order to keep the two factions apart. 

Only time would tell if these two groups would be able to partake in the war still to come. 

Design Notes.

Okay so that’s the Minions of Scrall finished for now, you may be notching a few things missing. It has been decided to let them lie for now. It is still early in the development of this race and as they are the first to get there own book you can be sure there will be another one following soon regarding the advancements they have made as they have faced the other evils on this rock.

I will leave you with this, to the North Amarrit moves, South Bane is already affecting the tribes.

What is Scrall to do……..