Battle of Vendrim Pass

The ground shook and the roar of the mountain could be heard for miles.
Never expect the dwarfs to fight fair, ...
...they only fight to win.
~ Spectator in the village of Tandburg.

The Conflict

Prelude

A large force of Black Orcs, lead by Gnorgol Marroweater, was gathering in the permafrost north of the Dron Mordin Mountains near the Verdrim pass. Argosian scouts from the south had spotted them amassing a week before. Estimates were 10,000 orc warriors strong with wyvern and mountain troll support.
Argosian forces in the pass were meager at best numbering less than 200 men, most archers, and huntsmen. with a small garrison on the northern end to house them. This was mainly to keep larger wondering creatures from migrating south into the Argosian homelands.
By the time the Argosian's were alerted it was too late to pull out of the garrison fortress in full force. A few small messengers and scouts were able to break out under cover of darkness, most were shot down by orcish archers as they tried to depart the fortress. The skirmish for the north end of the pass was over less than an hour after it started.
The few messengers that did make it out, we're able to relay a magical warning to the kingdom from the Village of Tandberg south of the pass. 2000 men would be dispatched, but it would be after dawn the next day for them to make it to Tandberg. All civilians in Tandberg were given the option to flee, none did. Man, woman, and child of the village took up arms and started to build defensive positions to help in the coming battle.

Battlefield

The Vendrim Pass crosses the Dron Mordin Mountains is around 12,000 feet above sea level. While high, it is one of the shorter passes through that mountain range. The pass is about 15 miles long, and at its widest about 1.5 miles across.

Conditions

Early snow for the fall equinox started falling that night and brought temperatures down below sub-freezing rates. This forced Marroweater to camp in the middle of the pass at its widest, and campfires were lit to provide food and warmth for the Black Orc Troops.

The Engagement

It was just after first light, as the Black Orc camp was beginning to come to life that the battle was initiated and down minutes later. A dwarven outpost named Karak Drakk Dok (Dragon Watch Outpost) was also cut a thousand feet up in the clifts of the pass, unbeknownst to the kingdom of Argos, or the Black Orc marauders.
When the dwarven guards detected the black orcs were camped for the night, they set out laying charges in the snow line and glacier faces three thousand feet above the pass. they had worked all night on their trap, finishing just after dawn. Dwarven reports after the fact indicated they played a sorrowful tune on the bagpipes apologizing to the mountain before they set off the charges above. Within minutes an avalanche of snow and glacier ice came crashing into the valley below. crushing the invading army under 600 feet of frozen water and rock.

Outcome

The crash was deafening and was felt and heard in the village of Tandberg. Argosian troops had forced march all night to make it to the town having arrived about fifteen minutes prior to the explosion. the pass was out of commission but so was the black orc marauding army. The dwarven outpost was damaged in the avalanche, but the occupants were not, as they retreated into tunnels inside the mountain. It took half a year for the dwarven fortress to be restored and dugout. The dwarves feel this was more than a fair trade to remove 10,000 Black Orcs from existence, there only sorrow was what they felt to the mountain.

Aftermath

Some of the snow and ice has been cleared and the pass was reopened about 20 years later for any normal travel with wagons. It could take decades or longer for the snow to melt naturally if at all.

Historical Significance

Legacy

The outpost of Karak Drakk Dok had 24 dwarven warriors garrison under the command of Bumdam Bonebrewer. It remains under his command today, 106 years later.

Long Date
On the second day of Bist, 10 Vig Fodaro. 
Location
The northern border of the Kindom of Argos, in the Vendrim Pass of Dron Mordin Mountains.

Conflict Type

Battle

Start Date

Bist 1, Year 10

Ending Date

Bist 2, Year 10

Highlights
The Dwarven outpost of Krack Drakk Dok caused an avalanche of glacier ice and snow to bury an invading Black Orc army of 10,000.
Argosian Loses
197 men lost their lives in the north end battle.
Invading Loses
An estimated 10,000 estimated troops were killed.