Footnote in Histories

In Eskillson’s chapter on the Empire of the Undersun appears the following footnote:

1 Valormr: val (war or slain) + ormr (wyrm), pronounced Val-ORM-r. During the Throrgrmir Renaissance, when the new-hatched wyrmlings prowled the dungeon, already dragons came to hasten the prophesied Age of Dragons. The dwarves called to their neighbors, who responded in force. Dragons recruited forces of Chaos to oppose them.”

—Viggo Eskilsson, Histories of Throrgrmir From Great Wyrm to Age of Dragons

Wargamers often refight historical battles. They layout terrain similar to that upon which a battle was known to be fought and command troops equipped and armed as those of the era in numbers and composition according to historical record. These aspects they couple with the game rules to simulate events as they may have unfolded. Curious wargamers might change some aspect of a battle, thereby departing from history, in order to ask the question, “What if…?”

Eskilsson tells us precious little about the Battle of Valormr and, of the campaign that led up to it, nothing at all. We understand from this that the dragon incursion had little impact on history’s course. Being curious wargamers, we want to learn more.

The Valormr Campaign, like a historical wargame, simulates history. It doesn’t tell us what happened. It tells only what might have happened. Still, we may draw from events unfolded to inform the history of Wyrmwyrd.

A Mock Battle
A Mock Battle.

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