The Heartforge

"I watched the faces of a thousand dwarves in the dark, each pair of eyes following one as he entered the great hall. The Sovereign Crown stepped ceremoniously down the marble steps, lifting a torch on high above his head and shouting to the stone. "By blessing of Darsith and the stone ancients, let this forge be a heart for our people, and by its blood shall we be made strong" cried he, as he dropped the fiery scepter to the wet floor below. The flame took to the water and rushed forward like dragonfire and found purchase in the maw of the forge, igniting a new age of dwarven power."
-Hardagrim Trueanvil, from the History of Karaz Dunlune Volume 9, 1567 C.C.

History

Upon the founding of the fledgling dwarven nation, the reigning King Balenthur Onyxheart ordered the construction of the greatest center of dwarven craft in the world. In their new home beneath Mulanthorn the dwarves worked for nearly two centuries carving out and constructing this new temple to master-craft. The Heartforge and the surrounding forge district of Karaz Dunlune was completed in 1567 C.C. and has been producing Senea's greatest works of smithing and metallurgy ever since. It is the hub of all new industrial ironwork and bespoke blacksmithing in the west of the continent and has become a pilgrimage site for any who believe themselves devotees of the smith's art.

Architecture

The Heartforge is built at the center of a downward spiraling cavern, nestled beneath three other distinct levels of bloomeries, forges and rows of anvils and bellows. The enormous room resembles some sort of temple with the Heartforge taking the place of an alter in the middle. Great ramps and beast-powered conveyors are used to bring ore and other materials into and out of the chamber, and winding tubes carved directly from the stone form a network of veins from the great bellows to the central furnace.

Type

District

Location under

Karaz Dunlune