When news of the disappearance of the Order of the Crimson Sigil and the elven princess Kyntela Gwyn reached Burning Forge, many of Maeve’s fellow dwarves paid no heed. Some even joked that the wolves had finally taught the elves the meaning of humility. But Maeve, sole daughter of Borim Sunderstone, paid attention. She knew that war was coming, as eternal and hungry as the flames of the Forge itself.

In the days to come, more foul omens reached the Worldsend Mountain Range. The Temple of the Banishers was overrun by wolves. The archmage Sonlen was said to have been killed. There were rumors of the disgraced wizard Morinstein slaving away in the halls of the Esenweins, crafting undead horrors to shatter the city of Ashra. The dark shadow of Cyprien Esenwein grew daily, extending his influence over Feylund’s wolf packs and monsters alike, his skeletal cavalry venturing further and further abroad, spreading rot across the lands.

Still, Maeve’s many brothers laughed. It was all the same to them. The fires of the forge burned hot, their farms bore hearty feasts, and no storm could ever rattle the bones of the great mountains. They would simply wait for it to pass.

Maeve did not wait. Despite the jeers of her brothers, she mustered her Thunderhoof riders and trained relentlessly. Weeks stretched into long months. She was sure the storm would come.

And one day, much to the surprise of her kin and the rest of Burning Forge, it did. She rode into battle that day astride her steed, bursting forth from the great door atop the thousand-step stair with a battalion of her Thunderhooves storming behind her. And when she beheld the horde of thousands—tens of thousands—of skeletons stretching before her, she did not flinch before her hammer plowed through the first wave of them like chaff.

It is said that only when Maeve finally disappeared into the sea of slashing bones, never to be seen again, that hope was lost for Burning Forge.

Maeve Sunderstone is available in the Fury of the Verdant Pact army expansion. Pre-order now for a February 2027 release!