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INTRODUCTION
This stalwart race is everything you would expect: short, fierce, shuns magic and has mastered the world of engineering. Having harnessed steam power the Dwarf Guilds quickly set about exploring and was the first race to send out fleets from the Old Kingdom, in search of new lands, resources and riches to the west.

Iron Dwarves are loners, choosing to shun most races in favour of their own kind. When they found the new world they settled a large land mass to the north east, naming it Karneia and in true dwarven style they started to establish military bases on and around this landmass. Soon bases were to be found far to the west on a large island the Dwarves named Demaros.

As masters of steam and engineering the race makes up for its relatively small numbers, in comparison to the other races of the Old World, with efficient fighting machines – and an angry disposition always comes in handy during a fight. And dwarves certainly have a furrowed brow.

THE OLD AND THE NEW
Most of the Iron Dwarves that have settled The Uncharted Seas are from a region in the Old World called Kulloria, where they are ruled by King Ringvald the Stout who has established a new capital in Aron-Delf in Karneia. The Kullorians have settled the mainland of Karneia, leaving the islands of Bolg to be settled by the Venvalder dwarves, and Illonia to be settled by the Delfdran dwarves. The Venvalder and Delfdran are rivals of the Kullorians, but do not have many iron ships, and are late in coming to The Uncharted Seas.

It is Ringvald who named this new region of expansion the Broad Blue. The Kullorians have built fortified bases on most of the islands of the eastern regions of the Broad Blue, many of which serve as outposts rather than actual settlements. Despite the best efforts of the indigenous races of the new lands, and the best efforts by the Imperial Navy to harass the dwarves, their bases hold strong and some have now formed uneasy relationships with trading vessels from different races.

 The centre of power for the Iron Dwarves is Aron-Delf in Karneia, where King Ringvald the Stout organises his campaign of expansion. He is the head of the Kullorian League, which commands all other dwarven leagues and guilds, except for those of the Venvalder and Delfdran. Ringvald aims to gain allies among the old races of the Broad Blue, particularly the Kreel lizard race, from whom he seeks greater knowledge of the islands of the region. With this knowledge he hopes to outwit the Shroud Mages and the Bandits who prey on his merchant fleets, and to then destabilise the foundations of the Dragon Lord Empire.

ENEMIES
As stated, the Iron Dwarves are a race that shuns interaction with others unless they are forced to. Military conflict is not something they shy from, and as a result this race is in direct conflict with just about everyone in the Broad Blue, old and new.

But it is the Dragon Lords and human House Tepes that the dwarves have the most argument with. Early in the campaign to establish bases in the Broad Blue a dwarven garrison in Helg was attacked by a Dragon Lord force and all were lost, bar one lone cruiser which escaped back to Aron-Delf. At the time the Dragon Lords were relatively unknown as an enemy, and the dwarves had opened their garrison to a visiting House Tepes scouting fleet, which had stopped to make running repairs.

When the attack began the humans turned tail and fled, leaving the dwarves to suffer at the hands of this new enemy. As a result, the Iron Dwarves view this act of cowardice as despicable and all dwarf ships of war have standing orders to engage and destroy ships flying the colours of House Tepes.

THE FUTURE
The Guild structure is what holds the dwarf society together, giving it a distinct feel and power base. It does, however, cause friction amongst the different dwarf factions, but at times of war the mechanical way that the Guilds inter-operate with each other is formidable.

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