Khallador

The kingdom of Khallador is mostly composed of dwarves that honor past traditions and live the way their ancestors did. Here one will find the legendary cities of the dwarves that reside almost solely underground, away from the prying eyes of dragons and out of reach of orcish marauders. While more races than dwarves live here, they mostly live apart, many receiving a cold reception from the traditionalist dwarven population. Like the federation to the south, the kingdom is ruled by the clans, but here they have less power to rule themselves. Instead they are ruled by one monarch who has total power. The land is known for its master craftsmen, who are the best in the entire continent. A suit of master crafted Khalladori armor is easily worth its weight in gold.

History

Age of Mortals

During the Dragon-Giant Wars, dwarves were captured and used by the giants for their service in crafting. While most giants paid no attention to them, the fire giants took a liking to them for the devotion to their craft and their skill at their forges. Though they were skilled blacksmiths and armorers, they paled in comparison to the fire giants, who began to teach them more advanced techniques for treating metal and improving their productivity and crafting capability. Later, when the giants broke apart and their dominance over the land diminished, the dwarves moved towards the Archaism Mountains where they set up their own kingdom of Khallador. They remembered the lessons they had learned in their time as servants of the giants, and continued to hone their craft at armoring and smithing. Though some of the fire giants wished for the dwarves to remain with them, it was simply because of they were the only 'lesser' mortals deemed skilled enough to work the forges. Neither race had any affection for the other, and the two parted on bitter terms.

As more kingdoms arose around the land of Khallador, more of the dwarves' services became valuable to them, bolstering the dwarven economy and causing a great deal of growth within the borders of the land. However, with growth came new difficulties. Some of the clans began to argue that the ruling clan had not been helping them when needed or listening to what they wanted from them. Eventually, many clans began to vie for independence, asking for their own kingdom or government. As more clans chose a side between those who wished to have rule over their own lands and those who wanted to stick to traditional law, a civil war broke out. For over a century, fighting took a hold of the region and did not let go until finally, those who wished for independence were allowed to leave, forming the Federation of the Dwarven Lords.

In 1816 A.o.M, dwarven scouts from Khallador reported movement in the mountains to the east. Elves were beginning to scout out the area, as if they were looking for something. Weeks later, more arrived, and soon there were armies beginning to set up camp in the Archaism Mountains. The dwarves took a cautious approach, simply avoiding the elves and keeping a keen eye on their activity. However, some of the elves found and attacked dwarves working at some of the mines within the mountains. Afterwards, the dwarves of Khallador marched to one of the elven encampments, determined to make them leave through diplomacy or force. Unfortunately for them, the elves knew the dwarves were coming, and took the opportunity to show off their army, which was much larger than the dwarves had initially realized. Still the dwarves held their ground, demanding an explanation for why the elves were here encroaching on their territory and why they had attacked the mines, but they never got their answer. Instead, thousands of arrows rained down from the sky, forcing the dwarves to defend themselves. The confrontation would become the first battle of a series of wars with the Ancient Elven Dominion known as the Archaism Wars. The elves would fight for a few years before offering a peace treaty. While the dwarves accepted the first one, it only lasted 60 years, a very short time for dwarves, who had realized the elves had simply taken the time to replenish troops in the area for another fight. Again, the dwarves managed to push back the elves, but only barely. When another peace treaty was offered, the dwarves agreed, but knew it was a farce, and immediately got to work.

The Federation of the Dwarven Lords to the south had likewise run into the elves, who had also trespassed and warred with. Though the two dwarven Kingdoms disliked each other, they saw that if this continued the elves may just eventually win. The two began to collaborate and plan for the next wars, working to produce enough weapons and armor for a massive army, and began to work on training such an army. The most erudite mages from both sides worked on constructing a training center that created illusions for soldiers to fight in order to practice. Forts were built and made impenetrable by the stone workers. Finally, in 1901 A.o.M., the two felt they were ready, and noticed more elven activity in the mountains once again. This time, it was the dwarf's turn to get the war started. Knowing the mountains better than anyone else, they snuck into the valleys where the elves were, surprising them. Though the elves were readying for war, they had not expected such a coordinated attack from those they knew were foes to each other. According to the dwarves, there were no survivors except for those who immediately fled upon seeing the dwarven armies.

Seething, the elves sent a larger army than ever to take out the dwarves, but they were too hard to catch in the mountains. When the elves began to consider their options, they realized that mounting an attack against the dwarves head on was suicide. The number of reinforced, masterfully crafted strongholds they would need to conquer simply made the task impossible. Instead, they sent wood elves to use hit and run tactics to harass the dwarves, but that simply made the dwarves angrier. As the elves continued to work on a solution to the dwarven fortresses, the commanders were given unfortunate news - the dwarves had tunneled under the mountains, and were now attacking from behind. By the time the elves could reinforce the area, the dwarves had destroyed two fortresses. The elves finally sent for a peace treaty, promising they would never enter dwarven territory again.

The dwarves enjoyed over two centuries of peace, and even they began to see it as genuine this time. However, in 2132 A.o.M. both the realm of Khallador and The Federation came under attack by elves emerging from within the mountains. The elves had used their mages to teleport into the mountains, where they had been getting ready for a massive assault. Together, the dwarves of both kingdoms fought side by side to keep the elves at bay. For over a year, the elves continued to emerge, until one day the First Cataclysm took place. After the dwarves recovered, they found they could no longer use magic, but neither could the elves. Together, the two kingdoms cleaned up the remaining elves, winning the final Archaism War.

Post-Cataclysm

After the war, the two recognized each other as kinsmen despite their differences. The king of Khallador gifted the Federation of the Dwarven Lords a shield that had been a sign of his clan's rule over the region since their founding. In return, as a sign of their own gratitude, Khallador was gifted the Axe of the Dwarven Lords, an axe that had been forged to symbolize the clan's union. To this day, both continue to hold onto these as unsigned symbols of both their kinship and their alliance. Unfortunately, monster attacks in the area became more common, and the dwarves were low on soldiers after the war. The only thing they could do was shut their doors to their strongholds and wait out the worst of it. They would not re-emerge for over eighty years. When they did, they found new human kingdoms, the return of their elven enemies, and worst of all a new race that had moved into the mountains known as orcs. Though at the time they were most worried about the elves, they were in no shape to fight the dwarves any more. Instead, the orcs quickly became the largest problem the dwarves had ever faced. Still, life slowly resumed after they came out of hiding, and once again things returned to normal for a time.

The Second Cataclysm was much like the first. Once again, the dwarven clans were forced to flee into their strongholds for decades, with only the brave and the foolish occasionally leaving to explore, many of which would return wounded, or not at all. Unlike last time, magic was now totally lost to the land of Khallador, much to the dismay to all the clans, who would have their crafts imbued with the power of magic. But once again, life eventually returned to normal. Reemerging from their strongholds, the dwarves found new customers in their neighbors, more orcs in the mountains and no elves, much to their celebration.

Age of Restoration

The return of magic is something that has excited every dwarf in Khallador, and the ancient knowledge they had accumulated has not been lost, meaning they are slowly regaining the skilled wizards they once had. But little besides that has really changed in Khallador. The land of the dwarves remains unchanged, much like the dwarves themselves who mostly keep to themselves and out of international affairs. Rarely do they interact with other nations and people, and the dwarves of Khallador rarely leave their own land.

Social

In Khallador, almost every aspect of society is centered around the clan. Unlike the dragonborn clans, the dwarven clans mostly remain unspecialized, but have many workers who perform a multitude of tasks from mining, brewing, smithing, and so on. Each clan does what it can to be as self-sufficient as possible, with the ideal clan being one that is a master of every art and skill. Many of the famous clans of Khallador have their own underground strongholds, which have since evolved into cities, each dwarf inside a member of that clan. Few are the non-dwarves who have access to these underground strongholds, as dwarves of any one clan only trust other dwarves or proven friends to enter. Most are allowed to only see the tip of the strongholds which stick out from under the earth, often forming minor communities around them where most non-dwarves live. There are also other communities that are comprised of mostly non-dwarves that operate as typical villages or towns. The largest city is the capital of Dal Khanis, which has become so huge as to have a full section of the stronghold sticking out of the ground, forming a monument to the diligence and craftsmanship of the dwarves.

The dwarves of Khallador are typically suspicious of outsiders and foreigners in their lands. Thanks to their long lives, many get to know those who have grown up in Khallador and become familiar with them and their families. If you are a traveler in Khallador, it is impossible to hide it, as nearly every dwarf that walks on the surface world will know that you do not belong. orcs, goblinoids, goliaths, elves and humans face particularly cool receptions and may find themselves being shadowed by guards who are watching them closely. Only upon serving a dwarven community or living in the region for years will that suspicion begin to subside. The only exception are the duergar, who are the ancient enemies of the dwarves and are attacked on sight. Friends of the duergar are no friends of the dwarves of Khalldor.

While all the clans of Khallador work to better themselves, each has friends among different clans, whom they talk to and share knowledge, competing with each other as friendly rivals. All clans are considered equal except for Clan Mountaincrown, who rule the land of Khallador and has near total authority over it. Additionally, younger clans are expected to show respect and veneration for the elder clans. Similar to other clan oriented societies, many dwarves have a first name, family name and a clan name. Leaders of a clan are typically addressed by just their first and clan names. Dwarves who decide they do not belong in the clan society are seen as enigmas in Khallador, and it is a rare occurrence for a dwarf to voluntarily leave a clan. Most of the time it results in the dwarf becoming an outcast, and they are advised to leave the kingdom. Meanwhile, dwarves who commit a crime so heinous as to be exiled from their clan are demanded to leave under threat of death, having their clan and family name stripped from them and forced out of Khallador. Being separated from the dlans is to many in Khallador worse than death, as dwarves are very social and cooperative people by nature.

Political

As stated earlier, the ruling clan of Khallador is Clan Mountaincrown, who has been ruling the land ever since the dwarves completed their journey to the Archaism Mountains upon no longer being forced to work for the giants. Clan Mountaincrown then agreed to lend land out to other prospecting clans if they agreed to be servants to them. This technically means all of Khalldor, down to each rock and gemstone, belongs to Clan Mountaincrown, giving them total authority over every other clan. Mountaincrown has since become the de facto political power in Khalldor, and no other clan has the right or authority to challenge any decision they make. While this would likely cause some issues in human kingdoms, it is not so in the land of the dwarves, who prefer predictability and order. Many are fine with governance of the land being passed over to someone else, allowing them to work on their own trades uninterrupted. However, things can unexpectedly change when the king decides there is a national issue that needs addressing, such as war or preparations in case of same disaster. These are mostly unwelcome to the other clans, who wish to tend to their own affairs, but they have no choice in the matter, and must assist in whatever the king declares necessary. The power distance in Khallador is such that no representatives of the clans are present at the king's court, all of which are members of Clan Mountaincrown. The only way another clan can get the attention of their own needs to the King is to request an audience or by knowing someone within Clan Mountaincrown. However, neither of these guarantees the king will listen to or acknowledge the needs presented, and is under no obligations to do so. The rules created by the king and the ruling clan are expected to be followed by everyone, everywhere, and even by non-dwarves.

When a king dies, members of Clan Mountaincrown may put their names forwards to become the new king. After all names have been put forwards, the elders of the clan lock themselves away until they unanimously decide upon the new king, a task that can take upwards of a year at the most. But upon the selection of the king, they are declared ruler for life. Each of the leaders of all the other clans then arrive at Dal Khanis and swears their loyalty to the new ruler, bringing with them gifts and many of their people. Afterwards, a celebration that goes on for over a month begins, welcoming the new king and wishing a long life upon him, his family, Clan Mountaincrown, and Khallador.

The legal system of Khalldor is perhaps the most complicated and sophisticated in all of Galledall. Committing even a simple crime can result in years of trials and hearings to decide one's punishment. Due to the dwarves' long lives, they are imprisoned only as a means to keep them bound until their fate is decided. Most of the time, a short sentence of ten to thirty years of hard labor is all that is required for most crimes, but longer sentences can be handed out, and other punishments such as death, exile, or torture can happen for the worst of crimes. These punishments also extend to non-dwarves, resulting in absurd situations such as a human being sentenced to fifteen years hard labor in the Archaism mines for things as simple as petty theft or brawling. While this is harsh to most shorter lived races, no crimes are petty to the dwarves, who greatly value order. The worst crimes are theft and murder, and committing them in Khallador is the fastest way to earn the hatred of every dwarf of every Clan in the land.

Economic

"There is a reason that stories tell of dragons longing for dwarven gold, and that is because the hoards of dwarves are something else.. To call them big would be like calling a demon lord dangerous; it is far from inaccurate, but hardly captures the whole picture... I'll put it his way... One hoard could crash an entire empire's economy, such that people would have to trade hundreds of gold pieces for a cracker. Enemy nations don't try to plunder it, simply because it's for their own good."

Each clan's stronghold in Khallador doubles as a city, but also serves as place where their hoards are stored. The oldest clans have more treasure than they know what to do with, with gold minted during the days when giants and dragons were as common as bandits and goblins are nowadays. Having been storing wealth since then, the dwarves must routinely expend their treasuries, a daunting task considering what is stored inside. Much of the gold that lies within the hoards of the dwarves are from their relentless mining and crafting ever deeper into the heart of the earth, but much of it also comes from the business the clans conduct. The clans of Khallador devote themselves tirelessly to crafting items that are then sold across the continent. Even a mundane shovel could sell for as much as a hundred gold pieces if it were made by the dwarves, since it is likely to last centuries of constant use before it even begins to break. Among the clans are the master craftsmen of the dwarves, individuals who have studied their trade for centuries and who can make items that most others could not dream of. Their services are exceptionally expensive, and they are hard to get the attention of since they can pick what they want to work on from a list of tens of thousands of bids. Though their crafts are rare, the items they make are the highest quality weapons, armor, potions, tools, clothing, or other commodity that one can expect to find anywhere in the world. The previously mentioned shovel could sell for more than 10,000 silver pieces if made by a dwarf master craftsman. Items such as armor and weapons go for much, much more most of the master crafted items take years to make, but never wear, and are beautifully made.

Due to their unparalleled quality, dwarven goods are bought in droves by their neighboring nations. Crafted goods such as armor, tools, and weapons are some of the most popular. Dwarven artists are often hired to decorate and carve stone structures, miners and engineers are hired to create vast and safe underground mining networks, and dwarven officers are hired to train and help get entire armies into shape for wars. For every craft that has existed, there is a dwarven version that is most likely superior in some way, and those who know how the skill set extensively are invited to help others for a price. Thanks to so much mining, the dwarves also have a huge surplus of each stone, both practical and precious. Mountains of ore await to be smelted into ingots, and much of the excess is sold in bulk to Khallador's neighbors.

Religious

For many of the dwarves, working as hard as one can is not about making the most money, making the best item for fame, or even to bring glory to the clan. At the end of the day, many see their work as glorifying and working towards being like their chief god, Moradin, the creator the dwarves. The priesthood of the Mordinsamman is tightly bound to how dwarven society works in Khallador, and they are perhaps the only people who hold sway over the ruler of the land. The priests of Moradin decide what vocation a young dwarf is to pursue at a young age, and their decisions are accepted absolutely. Most strongholds have parts of them dedicated to Moradin, while most have at least one or two temples to other gods of the Mordinsamman, depending on what the clan specializes in or holds important. To the dwarves, their gods are the very image of what they should strive to be, and each day they spend over a hot forge or in the mines brings them slightly closer to that image. Each stronghold city has its own priests, but they do meet annually to organize events and discuss religious duties. The priesthood of Moradin are responsible for holding crafting competitions every fifty years, with the winner of each category being granted the title of Master Craftsman. It is as much as celebration of skill as it is a religious ceremony.

Those who do not follow the Mordinsamman are almost entirely non-dwarves who instead follow the Wizgaran Pantheon, since the Mordinsamman is specifically for the dwarven race. Dwarves who do not venerate the Mordinsamman typically pretend to at the very least, as not doing so would be taboo. Those who do not worship them openly are viewed as ungrateful deviants at best, while dwarves who openly oppose them or denounce them don't live long.

Military

"I wish I could say that those who mock us for our size are humbled by our might. I'm glad to say that most are... It's just that they don't live long enough to put that humility to use."

Each clan of Khallador is in charge of selecting their own soldiers and guards. They watch over their stronghold cities and the lands they control. While Khallador rarely goes to war, when they do all focus shifts to operating for the war effort. Mining gold and silver nearly ceases, while iron and steel production are kicked into high gear. Crafting of silverware stops, while it shifts over to weapons and armor. While the dwarven armies are not huge like the humans, they are far more specialized, skilled, and better equipped. Khallador deploys their heavy infantry in tight formation, with armor and shields so thick that no arrow finds a mark. Those foolish enough to think they can overwhelm the dwarves simply because of their size play into the dwarves' tactics of exploiting overconfidence. Patient and well coordinated, few armies can fight them head on without some kind of advantage that they can exploit.

However, it has been centuries since the dwarves of Khallador fought in a war. To keep their skills sharp, many venture off into the neighboring nations to fight as mercenaries, going as far north as Haffanland and as far south as Port Jardic. Many make livings out of being a mercenary, visiting their homeland every few years to drop off the treasure they have acquired and to rest for a time. Others help train soldiers of other nations, work as smiths and quartermasters for foreign armies, and some even become generals for nations in times of war. When they are done, the return to Khallador and share the experiences they have had, and all they have learned to help them should they come under attack. The other fighting that keeps the dwarves busy is that against their eternal enemies in the mountains. Orcs, goblinoids, goliaths and humans that wander over the mountains or live in them are often the target of the Khalladori military, helping them keep their skills sharp. While most groups are not a challenge, the dwarves know they can never be too careful. More dangerous but less common are giants, dragons and other monsters that make the mountains their home. Killing a fire giant is a challenge many take up, but few manage to do by themselves. Such creatures are always after the dwarven strongholds, and must be treated as a major threat.

Foreign Relations

Khallador mostly keeps to themselves, with two exceptions. The first is their brethren to the south in the Federation of the Dwarven Lords. Though once enemies, they put their differences aside indefinitely after they were forced to defend themselves from invading elves. Those from the Federation are welcomed in their lands as if they were still their countrymen. To many they are more than that, they are kinsmen. And while Khallador is routinely suspicious of any non-dwarves that wander in, they are far less nosey about it if they are citizens of the Federation, believing that if the Federation trusts them, then they can too. The two nations often work together to eliminate threats in the Archaism Mountains, and celebrate many of the same festivals together. The other exception is the New Golden Alliance, which is to the north of Khallador. Each year, the King gives a gift of thousands of gold to the New Golden Alliance to continue their resistance against the red dragon Zaviorth and his armies, as well as the many monsters that wander into the area. Part of this is because their capital city of Nincetra is an old dwarven stronghold which they pay honor too, but also because the Khalladori know that should the alliance fall, they will be on the front lines against Zaviorth. Khallador has few other nice things to say about their other neighbors, or anyone for that regard. They tend to try to stay out of the social and political affairs of other nations, preferring to keep to themselves.

Magic

The dwarven mages of Khallador were perhaps the best non-elven mages before the cataclysms, and the loss of magic greatly hurt their society. With the return of magic, many of the clans that once specialized in it are ready to get started again, re-learning what their ancestors already knew and eager to discover more. For over a thousand years the master craftsmen had to rely on entirely non-magical means in working their skills, and the result would be impressive, but mundane. Now, with magic restored, the master craftsmen are ready to begin incorporating magic into their practices and their final products, knowing that the results will make their forefather's work appear dull in comparison. Already by 28 A.o.R., magic is being used once more to enchant items created by the dwarves, making them even more powerful - and more expensive - than they were before.

Type

Geopolitical, Great house