Time Period: ATD=After the Darkness



Lore: An island off the shore of Redsnow is inhabited by mining dwarfs. Fort Ronduff, an outpost for the Macduff Empire, one of the oldest and largest empires in the Lands of Imagination. Fort Ronduff lays on a island name Short Gold, because of the tiny gold veins in the earth. The island is completely stone because of the ongoing eruptions of the mount Kaaron. Short Gold was a territory of the Macduff empire and most of the western shore of Redsnow. 3ATD the Macduff empire sent colonists to populate the mass islands of the coast. One of them was Short Gold where the dwarfs lived in prosperity. During this time they were isolated from the outside world and forgotten about for years. The colonie supported itself and was able to maintain life and civilization. When the discovery of gold in the mountains around 15ATD word got back to the mainland where King Harlem III sent his troops to the island to harvest this gold and make the island an outpost for his empire. The people were not pleased of this but did not revolt. They saw a new side of King Harlem III. He had become greedy, which would ultimately lead him to his demise. Short Golds way of life was gone and replaced with mining and manufacturing gold items such as armor, accessories and furniture. In order for the operations to happen they had to conceal the eruptions of mount Kaaron. They killed the volcano with a powerful freezing spell. And heat no longer travels throughout the island.


As time went on the dwarfs built bridges from mountain to mountain, underground railroads and tunnels dug out by giant moles, and factories. King Harlem III built a castle of granite and gold on top of one of the mountains for all to see his greatness. At this point it is 21ATD and the word has spread around the globe that the dwarfs have struck it rich. And so started the Gold War.


Gold War: When Goldhaven, in Fourthwind, had heard that Redsnow now has a gold producing city of its own it would mean that Goldhaven would now lose many customers since there is now a place selling gold by dwarfs instead of greedy humans. Even though Goldhaven was once run by dwarfs during PY, it was mostly run by merchants who have found gold on there own and wanted to sell it. Merchants moved to Redsnow in search of gold to sell. Most of them would come back to Fourthwind empty handed, or filthy rich if they got robbed on the way or not. Fourthwind was slowing losing money over the next 40 years. 65ATD the Council of Alorum gathered to discuss the Gold War. They came to a conclusion that the import of goods into Fourthwind from Redsnow was now illegal and anyone caught with Redsnow goods would be exiled. The people of Fourthwind were furious because now there new way of life was being threatened and now it was easier to lose everything. Most of the merchants who left Fourthwind did not return until the turn of the first century. 100ATD Gold ran dry in Short Gold because of the killing of the volcano. Without the pressure and heat the volcano gave the the earth it could not make the gold. King Trent II demanded that the trade with Fourthwind to be opened and held a meeting with the Council of Alorum. It would be the first time and last time that a dwarf from the royal family would come to a meeting. They discussed the issue at hand. Gold. Fourthwind wanted Redsnow to hand over any Fourthwindian gold that was profited from and shut down the gold market. Goldhaven would become the trading central of the continent again in exchange for dwarfs running the city once again. King Trent II did not like this at all. He stated “The city was abandoned for a reason and that it should have stayed that way. That is sacred dwarven ground. No dwarf has set foot on Goldhaven soil in over 1000 years.” King Trent II also thought these demands were outrageous. He also stated “Gold is gold. There is no reason to put a tag on it.” The respect and admiration King Trent had gotten by speaking those words made a huge controversy over the value of gold and what it meant to the people of the Lands of Imagination. In protest of the council not meeting an agreement with the dwarves the people of Goldhaven took all the gold in the city and mashed it into tiny bits of sand and dumped it on the beaches. The people of Fourthwind hoped the message would get across. It did, but not in the way they intended. King Trent was very furious. He was so angry that he had a heart attack and died upon hearing the golden beach. The Council once again gathered to speak of the matter of gold. They met King Trent IIs last wishes. “Gold should not be given to one country or to one estate. It should be given to everyone. For gold is gold. And that is it.” Everyones gold will remain where it is and no tag was put on gold. Trade opened between Redsnow and Fourthwind in 112ATD.


And the two countries were more split than they ever were.