Embergate
The Embergate is the southernmost outpost and primary defensive gate of Stoneheart Hold, carved into the sheer basalt cliffs that border the volcanic lands of Emberfall. More than just a passage, the Embergate is a bastion of resistance—the first and last line of defense against fire-born horrors and elemental incursions from the south. Its name carries weight and pride among the Stoneheart Dwarves, as it was here they held the line against the infernal dragon Vrakorath during the Battle of Flame and Frost.
Purpose / Function
To the dwarves of Stoneheart Hold, the Embergate is not just a fortification—it is a sacred promise: that no fire, no dragon, and no infernal threat shall ever breach the mountain's heart again. Ceremonies of remembrance and oaths of protection are held here yearly, particularly on the Day of the Emberfall, when the dwarves recount the siege of Vrakorath.
Children born near the gate are said to be "touched by flame, but not consumed", believed to possess unshakable resolve and the strength to withstand any trial.
Alterations
- The Dragon's Scar: Just outside the Embergate lies a scorched canyon, blackened and glassy from where Vrakorath's final flames raged during his death throes. A massive obsidian monument stands there, depicting Dunmar Frostheart raising Dragon’s Bane against the beast.
- The Emberwatch Barracks: Housed within the inner wall of the gate, this elite order trains in resisting fire and flame. Their armor is a unique alloy of froststeel and obsidian plate, adorned with cooling runes. Many bear fire-scarred skin as marks of honor.
- The Gatefire Beacon: A signal tower above the gate, enchanted to emit a flare of blue flame that rises miles into the sky. It serves as both a warning signal and a call to arms, visible even from distant Thronemar Hall.
Architecture
- Gate Construction: The gate itself is a towering triple-layered bulwark of enchanted obsidian and rune-bound froststeel. These materials make it both resistant to intense heat and nearly impervious to physical siege. The central gate bears the Seal of the Flamebound, a dwarven rune sigil representing unity in the face of destruction.
- Elemental Enchantments: The gate and surrounding fortifications are inscribed with ancient runes of cooling, warding, and fire-breaking. When activated, these enchantments create a shimmering blue barrier that can repel firestorms, magma surges, and even flame-touched beasts.
- Wall Garrison: Flanking the gate are battlements manned by elite Emberwatch warriors, trained to resist fire magic and wield elemental-resistant arms. The walls above house ballistae enchanted to fire bolts of frost, used to repel wyverns, fire elementals, or even rogue dragons.
- Cooling Vents: Ingeniously designed thermal exhaust channels funnel heat away from the interior of the Hold. These are regulated by runic valves, which can be opened to release pressure or redirected to forge halls deeper inside
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