After nearly three hundred years ruling as Dragon-king of
Iron Hold Angrax the Mighty, Scourge of the Northern World,
looked to the south and coveted the realm of
Mountain Hall and the lands beyond. In 810 he assembled a vast army
of Orcs, Trolls and Hobgoblins and marched south. His army was met outside the gates of Mountain Hall
by a joint army of the Dwarves, Cambrians and the Elves. It is said that the Elves were reluctant
to deploy so far north but they recognised that the dragon had to be stopped, preferably far from
their own woodlands. Although outnumbered
the army of the alliance was the largest army of free-folk ever seen in the North and crucially they
had the discipline and skill at arms to win the day.
The Orc and Hobgoblin commanders knew this but what dominated their thinking was the fact they were led by a dragon
who they expected to
devastate the enemy troops. This might have indeed been the case but for the clans of the Mountain Dwarves.
For nearly three hundred years after being driven out of Ironhold they had been waiting for this
day and they had used their time well. In their forges deep under Mountain Hall they had developed armour
to withstand the dragon's fire
and heavy ballistas capable of piercing its armour. The ballistas were certainly capable of
piercing the wings of the dragon and it managed only one pass over the battlefield before it was
brought crashing down on its own troops. The Mountain Dwarf infantry immediately formed a wedge to
press through the battle to finish off Angrax. The dragon was still able to crawl, however, and
in the end King Gror sounded the trumpets to recall the assault.
The decision to recall that advance and the tactics involved in the harrassment of the defeated
orc army are still debated today. The most notable military strategists agree that King Gror was
right, however, as at the time of his fall Angrax's army was largely intact. Covered by a desperate
rearguard action by his troops Angrax was able to limp all the way back to Ironhold where his
anger towards the dwarves is no doubt still festering. It is not known whether he has regained
the power of flight but the Mountain Dwarf clans are still busily improving their arms and
armour assuming they are destined to meet their huge foe on the battlefield once more.