The First War of the Dwarves and Cave Goblins
The first major conflict between dwarves and cave goblins marked a major turning point in the history of the north. He showed the weaknesses of the Stone Crown, brought about the death of King Cerbert and gave rise to the third Durbuluk - the unifier of the orcs in the underground.
Silence in the deserted corridors
At the beginning of the war there was no great conflict, but silence. The silence of the abandoned mines the dwarves left behind. The places where hammers once thundered and furnaces blazed were left empty. And it was this emptiness that attracted new residents. Cave goblins were not surface raiders. They were creatures born in darkness, raised in narrow tunnels, and learned to survive where other races would have perished. The abandoned dwarven corridors weren't just a refuge for them - they were a school. They studied the architecture of their enemies, learned their ways, their weaknesses and the rhythm of their lives. At first it was just minor clashes. Lost caravans, missing miners, broken links between mines. For a long time the dwarves refused to believe that they were facing an organized enemy. By the time they realized it, it was too late.
War under the mountains
The cave goblins did not attack directly. They waged a war unknown to the dwarves. Avoiding open engagements, they instead attacked from the shadows, cutting off supplies and dividing dwarven forces. Dwarves were used to fixed formations, head-on engagements and clearly defined battlefields. However, there was no front in the underground war. The enemy could come from anywhere - from the ceiling, from an unknown corridor, from the rear lines. Gradually, entire cave complexes began to fall. Some were conquered by force, others were abandoned without a fight. For the first time in its history, the Stone Crown faced an enemy it could not easily defeat.
Western Stone Gate
The decisive clash came at the West Stone Gate - one of the largest and most important entrances to the dwarven realm. King Cerbert decided to end the war with one blow. He assembled an elite force and set out into the depths to destroy the orcs in their own habitat. At first, his plan seemed to be working. The dwarven shields held the line and the goblins retreated. But then came the moment that changed everything. The goblins used the network of secret passages they had built over the years and surrounded the dwarves from all sides. The attack came from behind, from the sides, and from places the dwarves considered safe. Cerbert fought in the front line. According to legend, he fell only after his bodyguard was crushed and he alone faced dozens of enemies. His death became a symbol of the end of an era.
The birth of the third Durbuluk
The Orc victory was not just a military one. It was also political. For the first time in the history of the underground tribes, a leader appeared who was able to unite the fragmented groups into a single force. This leader took the title Durbuluk - dominator, unifier. Third in order. His rule was based on strength, but also on an understanding of the underground world that was his home. Under his leadership, the goblins became a true empire in the deep. Not just raiders, but rulers. And the dwarves understood for the first time that their dominion over the mountains was not eternal.