War of the Beard  

The War of The Beard (referred to by the Dwarfs as the War of Vengeance or Great Betrayal) was a great conflict fought from around -1997 IC to -1560 (though some battles occurred later, notably the Seige of Sith Rionnasc'namishashir in -1502) on the Imperial Calendar between the proud High Elves and the unforgiving Dwarfs. While the war itself was orchestrated by the Witch-King Malekith, both the Asur and Dawi hold much of the blame for the tragedy. The whole affair was a great travesty and served only to weaken each race. Neither the Dwarfs nor the High Elves have ever recovered. After the war, the Asur who stayed in the Old World became the Asrai or Wood Elves.

Overview

Prelude

Long before the time of The Empire, Sigmar or Gilles Le Breton, during their Age of Discovery, the High Elves allied themselves with many races and perhaps the most powerful of these the Dwarfs. Although a simple people when the Asur first met them, they were well versed in the secrets of ancient runes and made the finest weapons in the world, which the mightiest Archmages of the Asur. The Elves taught the Dwarfs how to enchant items on their own and of arts, such as literature and poetry. Trade between the races flourished, Elven silk and steel was much valued by the Dawi, and Dwarf clockwork toys were the delight of Elven children. The fortress of Sith Rionnasc'namishathir was established at the mouth of what is now the River Reik (present day Marienburg in the Wasteland). Other colonies, such as the mighty city of Tor Alessi (present day L'Anguille in Bretonnia) were also founded.

In the Age of Strife and the tragic civil war called the Sundering, the Phoenix King Caledor the Conqueror steered the High Elves through their time of turbulence, after the murder of the previous King Bel Shannar by Malekith, the son of the first King Aenarion. However as long as Malekith and his followers still lived there would be no peace. After his defeat at the Marches of Maledor and the exile of the Dark Elves to the cold land of Naggaroth, the Witch King hatched a plan. In the Imperial Year -2005 IC his warriors attack a caravan of Dwarfs, steal their weapons and massacre those defending it, Malekith created a spark that would become an inferno.

The Failure of Diplomacy

The High King Gotrek Starbreaker was furious when he heard of the attack; unaware of the civil war that had just taken place within Ulthuan he assumed that the Elves were still all of one race and that the High Elves were hence responsible. The concept of a war between kin was at the time incomprehensible to the Dwarf race. Gotrek sent a message to the Elves demanding to know the reason for the attack and that he be compensated. The reply was immediate and unwavering, if Gotrek wanted recompense he should come to Lothern, the High Elf capital; and beg for it. Gotrek was insulted and in -1997 IC sent an envoy to the Asur demanding both recompense, and explanation and an apology. When the envoy arrived the Elves realised how serious the claim was, and at first the Asur welcomed the him. However so enraged by the attack on the caravan was the envoy that he refused to hold his temper in check.

Swearing by his beard that he would not leave until justice was served, the envoy raised his axe in front of the current Phoenix King, Caledor II (the foolish son of Caledor the Conqueror), and started yelling and. This was the final straw for the Asur. According to Elven law, they were allowed to kill him where he stood for threatening the Phoenix King but instead they humiliated him by shaving his beard and casting him out of Ulthuan, gravely insulting the envoy, the High King and the whole Dwarf race by extension. The ambassador became a Slayer due to the shame the incident placed upon him.

The War of the Beard

If Gotrek was angry when he heard about the attack on the caravan then his blood boiled when the envoy returned with his beard shaven and without even an apology from the Asur. Dawi armies marched to war, drawing troops from the far ends of their empire, Karak Ankor. Ironbreakers of Karaz-a-Karak marched with Longbeards of Karak Azgal, Slayers from Karak Kadrin marched with Hammerers of Ekrund. Upon reaching Tor Alessi, Gotrek made an oath that he would extract recompense either in gold or blood from the High Elves or he would shave his beard. With a desire to avenge to their injured pride, the Dwarfs were not about to let their King break his promise. Upon hearing of the assault on Tor Alessi, Caledor was outraged and ordered his generals to send an enormous fleet to relieve the city. The force that left Ulthuan was truly huge, Dwarfing any navy before or since, and though the Council of Princes was worried that this would leave their lands undefended, Caledor was determined.

Elves and Dwarves fought bitterly until in -1974 IC Caledor slew the Dwarf Prince Snorri Halfhand after Snorri challenged him to single combat. Being tired of slaughter, and wishing reduce their losses, the Elves then retreated. Seeking revenge for his cousin's death was Morgrim Halfhand, and giving in to their need to avenge their pride the Dawi pursued the Elves. For two days the Asur retreated, hoping that the Dawi would eventually come to their senses and stop the fruitless war. Alas the Dawi wanted blood and would not stop until they had bathed in it. Tired of running the Asur decided to stand and fight. Elven bows and Dwarven crossbows exchanged shots while the glittering line of Asur and the stonewall of Dawi advanced, this was the Battle of Oeragor (-1968 IC). When the lines met, rivers of blood flowed and hundreds on each side lost their lives until Lord Imladrik, the prince commanding the High Elf main army, laid down his sword and offered his own life if the Dwarfs would stop their rampage. Morgrim and the elves retreated once again, this time leaderless.

Morgrim was crowned a hero and he continued to rampage through the Elven towns and cities across the Old World, notably razing the city of Athel Maraya in -1948 IC. The heroes Lord Salendor of Tor Achare and Brok Stonefist of Karak Azgul, who had previously fought many great battles, eventually lost both their lives in the doomed city, crushed by the burning crumbling towers. The Dwarfs were quite unlike any foe the Elves had ever faced, refusing to give up even when doom or defeat was assured for them. Unlike the Chaos hordes of Aenarion's time, the Dawi used advanced military strategy and were highly disciplined. The war became a stalemate, the mountain fortresses of the Dwarfs were unassailable and the Dawi laid siege to Tor Alessi thirteen times, but could not seem to penetrate the city's walls. In retaliation of the envoy having his beard cut, the Dwarfs chopped down entire virgin forests to spite the Elves. The war would continue for almost 450 years.

The Battle of the Three Towers

In the year -1560 IC at the fourteenth siege of Tor Alessi (later called "The Battle of the Three Towers"), for over a hundred days Dawi engines of war (at that time, the Dwarfs had not invented black powder) attacked the cities mighty walls and, when it proved fruitless, they instead focused upon destroying the finely constructed towers. The Dwarfs had been surprised at the strength of the High Elf forces, judging the strength of the Asur by the least of their provinces, but in true Dwarf fashion, were not about to admit a mistake. The Dwarfs looked at row upon row of shining Elven warriors who stood beside powerful Archmages and Dragon Princes, at the time riding actual dragons. These formiddable warriors confronted the Dwarfs. Eventually, blood-crazed Caledor charged straight into the Dwarf lines and confronted Gotrek. Elven Scholars claim that Caledor did not wish to kill Gotrek and deepen the hatred between the two races. If this is true then the Phoenix King's hesitation was the death of him, however the Dwarfs claim that foolish King attacked Gotrek and that Gotrek was forced to cut him down.

As a trophy, the Dawi took the crown of Phoenix King from Caledor I's body and with their honour sated, retreated to their mountain keeps. The Asur sent an envoy asking for the return of the crown, and the Dwarfs sent an envoy in return, saying that if the Elves wanted the crown back, they should come to Karaz-a-Karak with an army and beg for its return. The Asur began gathering an army to lay siege to the Everpeak, the world's most unassailable fortress. However by this time Malekith's plan had come to fruition and the Druchii has launched a titanic invasion of Ulthuan, their legions of warriors raising the ancient sunken city of Anlec from the depths of the Great Ocean. It was ordered that all the Asur, soldier, civilian and otherwise retreat from the Old World to defend Ulthuan and to stop the pointless slaughter that was named The War of the Beard. To this day, though another crown was made, the first Phoenix Crown lies in the great treasure hoard of Karaz-a-Karak. The main part of the war was over, though some isolated colonies still existed, the fortress of Sith Rionnasc'namishashir, ("Star Gem of the Sea in Eltharin) was razed in -1502. It marks the last major conflict between Elves and Dwarfs.

Aftermath

Although the Dwarfs claim to this day that they won the War of Vengeance, the truth is that neither the Asur nor the Dawi won. The war cost the Dwarfs two things; the lives of thousands of brave dwarves and more importantly, a powerful ally. With the Asur gone and the Dawi severely weakened, thousands of Greenskins overran the Old World, Night Goblins and Skaven conquered many Dawi strongholds and Beastmen swarmed into the forests, these marauding hordes would not be subdued until the migration of humans over a thousand years later, and the time of Sigmar, a thousand years after that, though they have never been fully exterminated from the Old World. The exception to this was in the magical wood of Athel Loren, where the Elves who dwelt there chose to remain even after the Asur has left, they are now known as the Asrai - though they retain a scintillating hatred of the Dwarfs. To this day, the Dwarfs refer to the High Elves as Oathbreakers and there exists a great distrust between the races. The Dawi may have won the battle against the Asur but in doing so they had weakened themselves and the Elves enough to put both civilisations into a decline which continues into modern times.