This is a story on how the dwarf Stodir Tradeivy became one of the most prominent figures in the world of Zavazsil :
Zavazsil - The Momentous Plane
[NOTE: My grammar may be a bit off so sorry in advance]
Stodir Tradievy born in the year 133 was a man destined to be great. He was born into a royal family who's ruled the Dwarven Kingdom of the Oceanic Smith for four generations. His father (Who's just 13 years older than him) is a famous poet whose poems and dramas are famous across the Oceanic Smith.
The Tradievy Royal Family
By the age of 19 he took up a scholarship (thanks to his noble status) in the Grand City of Shadelute; a city known for its diverse culture, arts, and knowledge. Within the City of Shadelute, he resided within the Home of Abbey; one of two major libraries in the world (It has a lot of scholars residing in it).
The Grand City of Shadelute: Capital City of the Unions of Trammeling. The City is known for its acceptance of other races. Due to this merchants, scholars, and artists of all races from all backgrounds flocked to the city resulting in its prosperity. Thanks to this, the City is also known as the Knowledge Capital of the World
He was under the apprenticeship of Litast Sackheart; a fellow scholar like Stodir whose major invention in the field of Engineering is the valve, the tumbler lock, the windlass, and the bellow. Like his master, Stodir also invented and created concepts in the field of engineering.
All of his inventions during his time as a scholar
His inventions in the field of engineering propelled him to be one of the top scholars of the world. But the story doesn't end here. During his engineering scholarship, his thirst for knowledge began to increase. His undying search for knowledge led him to adventure. His adventures lead him to the Ashen Phantom, a slab containing the secrets of necromancy. After reading the slab, he was then able to achieve immortality. Now, with immortality, he desired even more.
Stodir's first step to cruelty
While having obtained the secrets of life and death, he still continued his engineering scholarship; continuing to discover new concepts to further improve both Dwarven and Human infrastructure. His calm and peaceful time as a scholar ended in the year 276. His father, the King of Oceanic Smith has died of old age. Due to his direct lineage to him, he was then anointed as the new King.
He stopped his scholarship and traveled back to his homeland. His homeland has no running fortress due to all of them being destroyed by forgotten beasts.
His rule as a king was marked with general peace and no major conflicts involvement. While there were no major events; there was one separate case where King Stodir influenced an elf to safeguard his embezzled funds within Shadelute which failed
Fewer funds for him lol
This all ended when word came out that King Stodir hasn't been aging and is a necromancer (Necromancy is considered taboo throughout the world). This caused general concern and protest throughout the kingdom which caused his abdication.
Stodir fled his Dwarven Kingdom to avoid punishment
After fleeing from his kingdom, he joined a nomadic group of Dwarves known as the Mountainous Craters. Due to his charisma and his noble prestige, he easily rose to the rank of Overlord (the overall leader of the group). He then settled in the Tower Bonenurtures (Which was reclaimed by his group) to begin his rule as the Overlord.
Stodir's pathway to cruelty
Stodir's Mountainous Craters (White) as of Year 371
His first 24 years as the overlord was marked with general caution. He and his group stayed within the towers and avoided conflict with other groups. Their time of general peace and isolation ended in the year 395 when he wrote the book: "The Tower Explained". As explained within by Legends Viewer:
This marked Stodir's Tradievy change in morals and ideology as seen within his goal:
Spoiler: He will literally achieved it.
Within the next 3 years, Stodir began to increase his group's numbers by reviving the dead within tombs. His increased recruitment and resuscitation from the dead culminated in the year 398, his first war of conquests.
The first step in Stodir's goal of Total World Domination
Over time his gains grew and grew:
Stodir's Mountainous Craters as of Year 398
Mountainous Craters as of Year 405
Mountainous Craters as of Year 419
His conquest reached the peak in the year 435 When his "now called empire" conquered the Northern territories of the Fresh Empires (another Human kingdom whose king is a dictatorial necromancer King who plays festival games with the literal leader of a goblin nation). Another achievement in that year was his conquest of the Fresh Empire's northern capital: Feedcouncils. The most contested city of the Momentous Plane (Zavazil). It was one of his main goals due to the City being a major trophy for any empire/group
The City of Feedcouncils is also known as the Winter Capital due to its cold and harsh climate even in summer. The City has been in constant hands with other groups/empires due to its location in between the cold and evil biomes. The City is a literal warzone as we can see
Stodir Tradievy's Mountainous Craters at its peak (435)
After the year 435, Stodir's Empire (I'll call it that because it's big enough) began to consolidate itself. A form of currency was created to have a uniform economy. Necromancers and Stodir's experiments began to populate the conquered cities. New governments are formed to ensure order within the territories. While the territories are being consolidated, the City of Feedcouncils changes hands with different Empires and Groups.
The Mountainous Craters were able to reclaim the city in a total of 9 times.
While the city of Feedcouncils constantly changes hands with other groups/empire, Stodir's army gain another achievement in the year 467 : The conquest of the city of Chaosgales: The former Capital of the Tiled Confederation (Another Human kingdom)
The City itself was been razed by another Necromancer group in the year 266. Around 15 people were brutally executed and their bodies were hung like crosses. This included their Queen and her predecessor (Who staged a coup against the previous King)
Stodir's Mountainous Craters stopped their continuous expansion after the conquest of Chaosgales. Instead, they began to consolidate their rule and power within the territory. The Mountainous Craters began to lose a few parts of their territory from coalition groups (Empires that banded together to reclaim lost territories).
Stodir Tradeivy's Mountainous Craters as of the year 550
Stodir during his conquest was cruel to his or her subjects as he would do immoral and unearthly experiments on their bodies, resulting in them turning into monstrosities:
The event log reached a total of 918. Meaning He did this to many of his conquered subjects.
One thing that fascinated me is why didn't he invade the Union of Trammeling (The Kingdom where Shadelute is the capital). Was it due to his high respect for them due to his past scholarships? Was it due to the terrain, or was it due to them being too prosperous that destroying them will cause chaos throughout the continent?
The Union of Trammeling as of the year 550, this is the only Human Kingdom besides the Fresh Empire where it has a proper government. (Due to other Human Kingdoms being pillaged and conquered by other civilizations and necromancer groups.)
TLDR: This concludes the story of Stodir Tradeivy; a man whose thirst for knowledge resulted in him turning to a necromancer. Who then became a king but abdicated due to fear of being deposed, who then became a tyrannical conquering overlord who controlled nearly 30% - 40% of the main continent. Who then launched a reign of terror through his monstrous experiments.