Karak Ankor

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Karak Ankor is the name (Kh. "Realm of the Mountains" or literally "Mountain Realm") for the Dwarf Empire. It has also been referred to as the Karaz Ankor, which means "Enduring Realm".

[edit] History

In it's heyday Karak Ankor stretched from the north to the southern tip of the vast World's Edge Mountains, with Holds in the Black Mountains, Vaults and Grey Mountains in the Old World and also across the Dark Lands in the Mountains of Mourn. The Empire was mostly made of of large mountain fortress/city/mines called Holds. Thousands of Dwarfs populated the ancient halls and built great works. The Dwarfs used their ancient underground network of tunnels - called the Undgrin Ankor - throughout the World's Edge Mountains to travel between most of the strongholds. The Empire's Capital is Karaz-a-Karak; and it's leader the High King. However gradually over time the Empire has begun to crumble, due to the marauding forces of Greenskins, Skaven, the War of Vengeance and the coming of Chaos. The Karak Ankor of today is far from the grandeur and majesty of it's ancient past, or possessing the untold riches it once had.

[edit] Holds

[edit] Existing Holds

Karaz-a-Karak* - Ancient Capital of Dwarf Empire. It's name roughly translates as "Everpeak"
Karak Kadrin* - Slayer Keep overlooking Kadrin Valley in Peak Pass. Kadrin literally means "Mountain Pass", and thus Karak Kadrin translates as "Hold at the Mountain Pass".
Ekrund* - Under constant siege by Greenskins from nearby Mount Bloodhorn and surrounds.
Barak Varr* - Dwarven sea fortress overlooking the Black Gulf.
Zhufbar - Hold where precious metals and ores were smelted, "Torrent-Gate" in Khazalid.
Karak Hirn - In the Black Mountains. Also known as the Hornhold (Hirn means "Horn" in Khazalid), the Hold was so named because of the natural caverns in the surrounding mountains that produce a deep, echoing sound akin to a massive war horn when the wind passes through it. Engineers have added to these caverns, allowing the inhabitants to sound the 'horn' themselves.
Karak Azul - Briefly occupied by Greenskins, but reclaimed.
Karak Izor - In The Vaults north of Tilea.
Karak Drak - Northern hold in the mountains of Norsca. More properly known as Kraka Drak, as the Norse Dwarfs who inhabit it use a slightly different dialect of Khazalid.
Karak Norn - In the Grey Mountains, east of Athel Loren.
Karak Eight Peaks* Outside the WAR continuity is precariously held by Prince Belegar's dwarfs, although skaven and Skarsnik's goblins have control of the vast majority.

* Appears in WAR.

[edit] Lost Holds

Ekrund* - Outside the WAR continuity was one of the earlier strongholds to fall to the greenskins.
Karak Eight Peaks* - Fallen to Greenskins, their capital in WAR.
Karak Drazh - Lost to Greenskins, renamed Black Crag*.
Karag Dum - Lost hold in what is now the Chaos Wastes, contained a Bloodthirster which was killed by Gotrek Gurnisson.
Karak Zorn - Original hold of the Dwarfs. Situated a long way south in the World Edge Mountains. No record of since -2000
Karak Azgal - Once an extremely wealthy Dwarf Hold called Karak Izril, fell to Greenskins and Skaven.
Karak Ungor - First Dwarf stronghold to fall to the Greenskins, was held by the Red Eye tribe of Night Goblins and renamed Red Eye Mountain. Later Grimgor Ironhide claimed it, using it as his main base for a number of years before moving to Troll Country.
Karak Varn - Twin hold to Zhufbar, and a major source of the precious Gromril metal. First flooded, then lost to Skaven.
Karak Vlag - Located in the north of the World's Edge Mountains, disappeared into thin air in the first coming of Chaos.
Some holds in the Mountains of Mourn were lost in the ancient past, the Dwarfs there became Chaos Dwarfs.