Dren'Mordenaz
A Kingdom in Turmoil
Twenty five hundred years ago the mountains south of Heliahmir in the Sunset Mountains of Kharza were home to a very old dwarven stronghold called Mordenaz. It rivaled Azan because its mines also produced magical ores like mithril and orichalcum. Though they were not known for their artificery, they still became extremely wealthy by selling these coveted ores to their cousins and enchanters from Va'Sehir. Then The Event occurred, the event that ripped holes into other planes all around the world. Tragically, the rift that opened in this location led to the plane of fire. It filled this ancient stronghold with lava and fire, it was as if the mountain had suddenly become volcanic. It destroyed their archives, melted their treasuries, and made their mines and tunnels inaccessible. The vast majority of the dwarves here, including most of the royal family, perished in this event. The rest fled into the desert, realizing with dawning horror that there was no recovering from this. No one could get inside to close the rift. Not only that, but a great number of fire elementals poured through this rift, taking up permanent residence and becoming hostile to anyone who entered their new domain. This stronghold was forever called Mordenaz Dulath, or Lost Mordenaz. The dwarves were forced to relocate. Some scattered to the winds, but the most stubborn stuck together and headed for a series of old and abandoned mines in the southernmost hills of the Sunset Mountains. These mines had been abandoned by their ancestors because the mines weren't worth the effort to maintain them. Now it was all they had left. They got to work building a new and proper stronghold here and they named it Dren'mordenaz or Unyielding Mordenaz. These hills, once nameless, came to be called Endling's Ridge. The mountains that held their old home came to be known as Fireglow Ridge, as occasionally lava would work its way out of the mountain and pool down into the southern canyon below (Hellfire Canyon).
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A Society Defined by Loss
The lack of riches and decent mines are only a part of the problem the dwarves of Dren'mordenaz face. They are a society whose culture and self-identity is crumbling. All historical records, art, and most of their treasury and heirlooms melted away. A great number of very important clans were lost in the invasion- including the majority of the core royal family. A number of scribes did their best to write as much as they could remember of the old stronghold for the future generations, but the knowledge that was lost was unfathomable. The newer generations don't feel the sense of pride and community and history, and glory. They see their own people and see defeat and embarrassment, and with each generation more dwarves leave. To them, there doesn't seem to be anything here worth saving or fighting for. To continue fighting and struggling in an effort to bring back the "glory days" is seen as pathetic and sad, like a man in the middle of a mid-life crisis. Also, mining in this mountain has become increasingly more dangerous and less are willing to do this risky work. They've hollowed out much of the surface mountain which leaves only the option to dig down and deeper. They are dangerously far into the Underdark at this point, and that can have terrible consequences. You could ask the Andunian Dwarves about this, if they still existed.A Crisis of Rulership
Another big issue within Dren'mordenaz is a very disorganized government. Most of the royals perished, and the rulership that took its place was a small council of dwarves who were the oldest and wisest. At the time, these experienced clan leaders seemed the obvious choice. Nowadays various clans fight over whose right it truly is to rule. There are members of the royal family (distantly related) who are determined to prove that it is their divine right to take up the old crown of their ancestors. Others don't believe they are related because there are no records left to prove this. Others think that a rule by council by those who show merit is a far superior way to govern, that rule by blood was actually never a great idea. There have been a number of civil revolts and a changing of leadership over the past millenia. To this day, not everyone agrees, and various parties always are scheming to take power and overthrow the unworthy.A Trial of Tenacity
The mines of Dren'mordenaz go deep. Very deep. These mountains are much like ant hills, thoroughly carved out in every direction in their desperate attempts to find anything worth mining up. Their stronghold is very austere- carved stone and basalt, very little ornamentation. The halls of their fathers were lacquered in gold and inlaid with precious gems. It was truly magnificent, awe inspiring. What they toil in now is a constant reminder of their loss. Many cannot move on and forget. They want their old stronghold back. Every few decades a number of frustrated and foolhardy dwarves plan attempts at taking back Mordenaz Dulath from the fire elementals and try to find some way to close the rift. None have returned successful, if at all. Sometimes they try to acquire assistance from mages and genasi but it is never enough. More and more, dwarves have simply left to set up shop in human lands, not even daring show their shameful faces to the dwarves of Azan and their glorious stronghold. Some end up indoctrinated in the zealous nomadic desert tribes during their attempt to cross the Sehiri Desert. The Mordenazi dwarves have long held Azan and it's artificery and magic with disdain, but nowadays some consider joining them. Many consider this a great betrayal to their people.
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