The ‘Earthen’, one of the races created by the Titans when they shaped Azeroth, was greatly affected when the Well of Eternity exploded. They locked themselves into their underground chambers and went into a comatose state, refusing contact with the outside world. One group, however, woke up early for a reason as yet unknown, and they lost their stone skin and power over rock and earth. They called themselves the Dwarves (Originally a derogatory Night Elf term) and built the city of Ironforge. Up to the War of the Three Hammers, the three clans – the Bronzebeards, Wildhammers and Dark Irons – lived relatively peacefully in Ironforge until King Anvilmar died, leaving no heir. This began a civil war of enormous proportions, all three attempting to take the throne of Ironforge as their own. Eventually the Bronzebeards won, forcing the other clans out of the kingdom.

The Wildhammers recovered from this and built their own city of Grim Batol in the Wetlands. The Dark Irons did not recover quite so well, however, and resolved to destroy both the Bronzebeards and the Wildhammers in a single, two pronged attack. Though Grim Batol suffered heavy casualties and the death of its king, both forces of Dark Irons were repelled and brought to the edge of destruction in an ambush, the survivors fleeing to the Redridge Mountains. The warlock queen of the Dark Iron dwarves who went to Grim Batol was killed, but her evil magic cursed Grim Batol, forcing the Wildhammer Dwarves to leave. They were not finished yet, however, and attempted to bring back a powerful being to aid them in their cause – Ragnaros. Though they succeeded in summoning the evil monster, their leader and many others died in the aftermath, burned to a cinder by Ragnaros’ power or enslaved to do his bidding. When Ragnaros was summoned a large crater was carved in the once peaceful Redridge Mountains, creating Searing Gorge on one side and Burning Steppes on the other side, and in the middle of it was Blackrock Mountain, in which the Dark Iron dwarves created a large fortress. The land around them became a burned wasteland rather reminiscent of the land of Mordor in Lord of the Rings. The Wildhammer clan, fearing that Grim Batol was irrevocably cursed, left the Wetlands for Lordaeron, where they built Aerie Peak above ground on the mountains of the Hinterlands, refusing to have anything else to do with the underground lairs of their brethren and forefathers.

And so the Bronzebeards claimed the entirety of Khaz Modan as their own, though still trading with the Wildhammers, with whom they attempted to mend their relationship. During the Second War, the Humans were able to convince the Bronzebeard Dwarves of Khaz Modan to aid them in the war effort. The Horde overran Khaz Modan, but the Alliance was able to liberate it once again. It was then that King Magni Bronzebeard vowed that the Ironforge Dwarves would forever owe a debt to the Alliance.