Járnskjaldur
the Iron Wall
Overview
Járnskjaldur, the "Iron Shield" or "Iron Wall" is the second city of the dwarves and the capital of the Ironkin dwarves.
The city got its name from the wall they erected after the battle with Orcs, Goblins, Garladans, Trolls and a few Giants. The first iteration was only a bit taller than a Troll (which is nearly three meters), but the heavy crossbows and stubborn dwarves with their axes and hammers are a formidable answer against lightmagic and raw strength.
Because of this the Járndvergur named the City Járnskjaldur, the Shield forged with Iron and because of their only really, really strong wall it was also called the Iron Wall.
Structure
Járnskjaldur has one mighty defense with a surprisingly narrow gate and a few towers protecting the wall as well. Behind that there are the training grounds of the military and the construction sites of the builders who are contracted by the military including storage for them. The armoury is close to the training grounds and next to the leaders office.
The way to the city entrance is larded with smaller defenses such as bunkers for archers and chokepoints for the usage of pikes and torsion-turrets.
Behind the last chokepoint began the fields where the dwarves grow their crops and corn. They have a nack for brown bread and sour bread. Carrots, parsnips, onions, pumpkins and goat farms with fields for their food. There are storages for food, goat cheese and other products of their farms. Nobody guards them because stealing is not honourable, right? Right?!
Now we are coming the the second... hm, it is not a wall, it is the side of the mountain with an engraved double-door gate in it. It has a few defenses like oilspitters and flame-crossbows and a few holes for shotting arrows through, but it lacks the defensive capabilities of the great first wall. The gate can be barred and heated up as an additional disturbance.
Standing in front of the gate one can turn right or left and see a small path going into the mountains. There one might find - if one is allowed to go there - the fields of the Sunny Dewdrop mushroom fields. At least a few of them, others are buried beneath the surface.
If one traverses through the double-door gate one find a room in the form of a rectangle, illuminated by fire bowls, stone chandeliers and small gutters inside the walls which are filled with burning oil. This room only serves the purpose of greeting visitors or holding off enemies, because the room has only one other exit and this one is only three dwarves width. One chokepoint.
After one has passed the rectangled room there are a lot of ways to go from there. One'll land in a huge section full of pillars, illuminated by fire and crystals and sometimes moss. Stairs, bridges, spiral staircases venturing up and down, sometimes into, over or along descents or holes. Inside the entrance with the pillars are mostly markets, merchants and the offices of officials like the Quartermaster who is responsible for the quarters, storages and coinage. His or her assistant changes foreign coins or the old dwarvish currencies into the remaining one currency, installed by the Golden Hoard Capital and Investment Management a few hundred years ago.
Left and right accompaning the entrance hall are storages, armouries, Vaka (guard) chambers, military workshops, directly followed by a lot of more civilian workshops like smithies, jewelry makers, Klæðiklæði (master of cloths and textiles) and other Skapaðskepnur, those who are skilled in a craft.
Behind that very huge market-/entrance-hall there is a second gate to the outside where the mountains have created a valley. There are more fields and a few plazas where the Dvergur sometimes held festivities when they are feeling adventurous. Normally the festivities are held inside the mountains. And located here are a few entries to the other caves where the dwarves cultivate their mushrooms. Three main aqueducts supply the dwarves with fresh, running water and getting rid of the biological waste. It is also the Grjótborð, a gathering place for the communities.
If one crosses the field one finds the third large gate of the city to the throne room and the chambers of the royal family. There is also a kitchen and armouries and chambers for the personal guard of the royal family. Balconies high up the mountain ensure that the royal family has a nice view over their sanctum.
Defenses
As stated there is only one defense which is capable of holding off armies and that is the Iron Wall itself, the shield which is built to last, the Járnskjaldur.
The Járnskjaldur itself is nine meters deep and spans across the whole entrance. Every thirty meters a round tower emerges from the wall, holding sixty to a hundred archers with crossbows and small chambers for the torsion-turrets. On top of every tower sits either a trebuchet or a larger torsion-powered weapon.
The wall also has oilspitters and small ramps scattered across the wall to throw stones and bombs down the wall to the ground, where they hopefully decimate enemies with overwhelming force. Otherwise the dark grey stone is protected by one meter thick steel plates, hooked onto hooks so enemies need to get rid of the steelplates first. The dwarves can also loose the steeplates if the plate is about to break, so it can crush more enemies.
Behind the wall, facing outside, sitting six trebuchets ready to fire stones or flaming iron balls towards enemy forces. Or, if there is more honour to gain, iron balls filled with up to four dwarves, cladded in iron and lusting for blood and slaughter.
Population
The population of Járnskjaldur is still growing and consists mostly of young or middle-aged families (65%), some older families (25%), a few elders (6%) and children (4%), not counting babies.
Most of the younger men are in the military or learning the craft of their fathers, sometimes of their mothers. Stronger females join the military as well, mostly as archers or close-quarter-combat experts. Some are going full berserk which is a sight to behold.
A good portion of the population is working in the fields or maintains the infrastructure. The rest is in the field of a craft, be it cloth, paper, iron or stone.
Trade
Járnskjaldur is mostly exporting iron. Who would have thought of that, right? Besides that they export their Dewdrop Syrup, their strong mead, weapons, armour and clothes. Jewelry is their third-largest export directly behind iron & steel and their culinary products. There is a sturdy beauty in the jewels and chains and pendants. Some swear that the Járndvergur put some magic into their craft, but that is utter nonsense. Or... is it?
In terms of import they are importing not many things. Gems, different kind of stones, marble not found in the Daveldare Mountains, different cloths like silk or linen, rice and alcohol from different other species. Oh, and Chocolate, they love chocolate with a nice cup of their mead.
Tales
"Did ya see her? The blood dripping from her axe, from her lips, from her cute beard? The lightning behind her and the screams of the wounded surrounding her? Me fell in love again."
I visited Járnskjaldur during the spring to get fresh iron and jewelry and deliver a bunch of linen to them. It was a good time, the fields were growing and so were the enemies. I came a few days after the last assault from Orcs and Goblins and Trolls. I didn't have a choice as to walk through pierced, squashed and smoldering bodies. The earth was sick with the stench of blood and death and the dwarves were having a small party on top of the Iron Wall. What a sight to behold. I never want to be their enemy, even when they can only reach my belly with their head.
"Ah, Granelda, you should look at this. Yes, this is fine dwarven craft directly from the Ironkin dwarves. Look at this ring, this pendant. They even made me a corsett based on my measurements and it fits like a glove. I payed a fortune for this, enough to employ ten more people into my household."
"We should crack 'em open just like animal skulls. They make a fine barbecue. But respect them, they aim for your knees."
Bartul Crest by CrazyEddie via Midjourney
Gates of Járnskjaldur by CrazyEddie via Midjourney
Royal Entrance of Járnskjaldur by CrazyEddie via Midjourney
-Silverkin
-Pebblekin
-Jasperkin
Well finally! This header really gets me in the mood for the text as a reader and no longer irritates me. Great, I hope so much, you'll consider customizing your main title too.
Customising it on its way, so it get there eventually in the very near future. :) Thanks for the read.