When the empire crumbled, the empire was divided, many rebls took over provinces.
But there where also many refugees. These refugees began to run to all possible directions.
One large group of them landed in the white mountains. They dicided to stay there.
But with all those caves, the evolution took over. They began to shrimp, untill they where dwarfs.
The dwarven kingdom is a proud kindom, and advanced in technology. They are the only ones who made use of firepowder weapons. But by selling this weapons to vladimirs empire, and the island kingdoms, they've got tons of gold. But they didn't sell them on the first costumer who wanted to buy it. they only sold it to the factions they trust. But they where wrong about one faction. Vladimirs empire declared war upon the dwarfs. Just for territprial expansion.
The islands assisted them in this battle, and now the treaty of Newport was born.
The treaty of newport says:"An army of dwarfs will always be present in at least one settlement of the kingdom of isles. But there will also be always an army present of the island kingdoms in at least one settlement of the dwarfs.The armies only can be called back when the faction is on point of crumbeling."So both factions will always be well defended. With the heavy infantry of the dwarfs, and the well trained infantry of the isalnd kingdoms, they always had a balanced army.
But Vladimir still kept conquering land of the dwarfs.The rich dwarfs, payed a tribute for a peace treaty that at least endured for 200 years. The empire accepted. Now there is peace between the two nations.
Now after 200 years, the empire attacked again, and its your job to hold them off, and defeat them once and for all, with help of your true ally, the island kingdoms!
nice story