The Dwarven Realms of Borathas lie to the far north-east in a mountainous region called Darath Toth Bar, which literally translates into The Finger Bones. Dwarven scholars suggest the origins of the name originated from it's extremely steep peaks, but no evidence has been found to suggest how or why it was so named. However this has not stopped the many Dwarven Scholars from speculating on the Mountain’s peculiar name.

Sharing its borders with the Centaurs of the Open Plains, the Dwarven Realms have often come into conflict with the Great Horselords of the Plains as they each attempt to extend their boundaries and feeding grounds. However this has never led to an all out war between the two races, as the nomadic Centaurs rarely stay in the same place for long. Still, if ever the Dwarven armies attempt to steal Centaurn lands, whole herds of Centaurs would quickly moblise to drive them back; leading to a short and bloody battle, till the borders have been restored.

Divided into eight domains, the Dwarven Lords are constantly battling each other, and the Centaurs to increase their power. It is because of this constant fighting between the Dwarven domains, that has led to the creation of a professional standing army for each of the Dwarven Lords; making war an art form in the Dwarven Realms. It is also the main reason why so many Dwarves are eagerly sought after by the many races that inhabit Coroleya to serve as mercenaries in their armies. 

If not for their internal fighting, many Dwarves firmly believe that they would have been able to conquer the entire world using their ingenious devices, and well-trained warriors. An unlikely outcome considering that the Dwarves are night creatures that prefer the darkness of their underground tunnels. Too much exposure to sunlight can permanently blind Dwarves, if they stay out in sun too long. It can also accelerate the process of Feralisation.

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Dwarven Feralisation is a process that occurs to all Dwarves once they reach a certain age. At the age of around two hundred or three hundred years old, Dwarves begin to lose all sense of themselves, becoming mindless animals. Called Feral Dwarves, these dangerous creatures act purely on instinct to sate all their needs. Often isolated, and killed off whenever they begin to appear, these creatures can dig tunnels within a matter of seconds and breed like rabbits.

With such a large number of Feral dwarves occupying many of the tunnels beneath Borathas. The Dwarven Domains are under the constant threat of being overwhelmed. It is due to this threat that all the Dwarven Lords have an unspoken agreement to clear the tunnels, when the Feral population becomes too high. Every year, dozens of extermination squadrons will roam the tunnels from each of the Domains, wearing white armbands to cleanse the tunnels and keep the population under control.

After studying the Process of Feralisation for hundreds of years, Dwarven Alchemists have concluded that any Dwarf that stays out in the sun for even a short period of time can accelerate the Process of Feralisation, which means that most Dwarven expeditions to the surface are conducted under nightfall. It is also because of this that many Dwarven Lords have chosen to build hundreds of outposts on the surface of Borathas and a few areas of the Open Plains, in order to have easier access to the surface, where they can shelter, and guard their territory from intruders.

To be Continued...