History of Northern Darokin Forts
by John CalvinHmmm... My take would be slightly different on these forts. I'd say that it's very possible that some of them were built even earlier (in the BC 2300 - BC 1800 date range) by the dwarves in order to keep humanoid incursions out of "Rockhome". It's also possible that some were built in the BC 1000 - BC 800 date range, during which dwarven occupation of foreign lands was at its height (see Gaz 8). It's at this time that Loktal ruled the Shires, and many bitter battles with the humanoids were fought as well.
Of course that doesn't preclude any of the above being true either, it just adds one more layer to the history of these locations. I'd say that most of the underground passages were dwarf made, and then later expanded by humanoids, while most above ground sections could have layers of dwarven, human, and humanoid architecture (in that order).
Here is how I would envision a rough timeline:
BC 2200 - Grukk and Dast built by the dwarves to protect their western border from elves, and humanoids of the region.
BC 1701 - Resurgence of faith in Ethengar; Akkila-Khan betrayed by Ethengar allies; retreats from Dol-Anur.
(Gaz10 pg 4 DM's Book)
BC 1700 - With the remaking of the dwarves and the collapse of southeastern Brun into the sea, the dwarven population becomes more isolated. They abandon Grukk and Dast, leaving only a small contingent to occupy the halls of these once great strongholds. These strongholds are soon overrun by humanoids fleeing from Ethengar.
BC 1690 - Akkila-Khan builds a fortress in Broken Lands, and starts raiding Glantri and Ethengarian borders.
(Gaz10 pg 4 DM's Book)
BC 1190 - Descendants of the Great Horde surface in Broken Lands. The Tribes meet again and discover the Rock of Oenkmar. End of the Quest for a Blue Knife. Truce proclaimed.
Gaz10 pg 4 DM's Book)
BC 1180 - With the finding of Oenkmar, and the uniting of the humanoid tribes there, the creatures become much more organised, and thus a much larger threat. C'Kag is established by the dwarves to defend against the depredations from Grukk and Dast.
BC 1000 - Xorg is established as the dwarves once again look to expand their borders.
BC 935 - Fort Cruth is built by the dwarves as a staging area for assaults on (and finally the conquest of) the hin lands. A trade route probably exists between Fort Cruth and Xorg for bringing riches of the conquered lands into Rockhome. (Remember that at this time, there is no Canolbarth forest - the area would have been flat plains. Xorg and Cruth would have been responsible for defending the area of "Alfheim" from humanoid attacks.)
BC 929 - Dwarven rule begins. Loktal Ironshield crowned King of the Glittering Land. Hin enslaved. Dwarven kingdom grows rich, attracting orc and human invasions that weaken the dwarves.
(Gaz8 pg 8)
BC 912 - The Second Rising. Loktal defeats orcs at Brokenfang Falls and rushes north to repel gnoll invaders, but is too weak to withstand a hin revolt. Halflings found the realm of Shaerdon, ruled by a Council of hin clan Lords.
(Gaz8 pg 8)
(The gnolls would have been coming out of Traladara at the time, and probably raiding the forts of Cruth and Xorg. It's possible that they made their way as far north as Glantri.)
BC 500 - Fall of Nithia. Oenkmar sinks into the ground.
BC 492 - The Rockhome borders are finally secured against the nonhumans in the Battle of Sardal Pass. This is Year 0 in the dwarven calendar.
(Gaz6 pg 45)
[Note: At this point however, the Rockhome borders have shrunk so as to not include the western Dwarfgate mountains. They have abandoned all of the strongholds previously built there to the humanoids in order to focus their defences on a reduced border. It is very possible that over the next 1000 years the forts of Xorg and Cruth change hands between the Daro and various humanoid tribes several times.]
BC 475 - The dwarves begin a program of exploration outside of Rockhome. They meet Alasiyan nomads and begin to trade with them.
(Gaz6 pg 45)
[Note: We know that the dwarves have roamed from Rockhome before this (they conquered the Shires after all). I read this to mean that they have switched from a policy of conquest to one of trade.]
AC 501 - The Elfwars begin.