Thunder Keep

Standing upon the rocky slopes of a mountain in the Sword Hills, the dwarf-built city of Thunder Keep lies to the east of Falkryst and west of Ironwall. It is understood to be a part of the Kingdom of Oster, and is home to most of the Kingdom's dwarf population. It is known for its cultural differences from the Dwarfholds -- here, the dwarfs are loud and lively folk, and the city is known for its gambling dens and fest halls.

Demographics

• The city was founded by the dwarfs of Clan Thunder, and most of its population consists of their descendants across multiple clans. Some residents even claim the prefix "Thunder-" in their surname (Thunderboot, Thunderson, etc.).

• Humans are the second-biggest demographic here, about equal to the number of dwarfs. There is a minority of halflings, as well as orcs and half-orcs.

Government

• Similar to the Dwarfholds, Clan Elders are in charge of their respective families. However, in Thunder Keep, multiple Clans coexist under the same roof. As a result, the Clans formed a council that elects a High-Elder, called the Clansmoot.

• The Moot cannot take action without a majority vote from all the Elders; politics in Thunder Keep can be slow when compared to more autocratic states.

• They have recently begun to invite prominent members of human families to the Moot.

Defences

• The Mountain Watch guards the city; each Clan sends its warriors to serve. They are well-equipped and well-trained, but inter-clan rivalries are a common issue. Other races can sign up for the Watch, but don't receive quite the same support as dwarfs do from their Clans. There are roughly 200 members of the Watch.

• The city's elite-guard consists of the Knights of the Spiral Horn, an order of dwarf warriors who are trained to ride mountain goats that are the size of small horses. The Spiral Horn Knights can scale mountain peaks quickly, and travel between the city's concentric rings faster than foot patrols. They are called "the Horn" by locals.

Industry & Trade

• The dwarfs quarry stone from the nearby hills, and Thunder Keep is full of skilled masons.

• Loggers operate on the southern slopes of the mountain, and in the surrounding hills.

• By Royal decree of Queen Galfrey, some of the farmers in the valleys of the Sword Hills are required to pay fealty to Thunder Keep, rather than the Crown. The dwarfs receive a fair amount of food from downwind of the mountain, but their relationship with the farmers is uneasy.

Infrastructure

• Thunder-Keep is built around a tall, thin mountain that sticks up out of the Sword Hills.

• The original dwarfs of Clan Thunder carved out the cliffs to form a series of flattened rings around the mountain's edge. They are fairly thin, but allow for homes and business to circle the mountain's perimeter on several levels. As streets, they can be fairly steep and rugged.

• The oldest rings are in the middle; as the city's population grew, they carved additional rings upwards, but when they reached to the top of the mountain, they began to build newer rings below the originals.

• The interiors of many homes and businesses are actually carved into the mountain, like caves.

Guilds and Factions

• Several dwarf Clans vie for power in the Moot. Examples include:

• Clan Amber consists of small but wealthy families of luxury-merchants, who trade in gold, jewels, and expensive imports. They are worldly and progressive, and their leader, Ighild Ambergard, advocates for the use of magic in the city's defense and infrastructure.

• Clan Iron trains mercenaries and soldiers. They contribute the most to the City Watch, and have a tendency towards hawkish politics. The Elder of Clan Iron is Harbek Ironjoy, a one-eyed veteran of the Spiral Horns.

• The members of Clan Stout are merchants, but they also fund cartographers, explorers, and prospectors. The Elder is Jorimandius "Jor" Stoutmead, whose family is active in Ironwall as well.

• "Clan" Halfdown is one of the oldest human families in Thunder Keep, made up of landowning farmers and yeomen from the base of the mountain. House Halfdown was the first human family allowed at the Clansmoot, and their heads, Rell and Merla Halfdown, are savvy politicians in their own right.

History

Thunder Keep was founded by, and named after, the dwarfs of Clan Thunder, composed of families who chaffed under the strict ways of the Ironbender and favored his brother, the Thunderer. They were promptly exiled from the Dwarfholds and made their way west to make a home where they could cherish their cultural virtues: freedom, courage, and good drink and fun. Before the Elveswar, they controlled much of the Sword Hills. But they were no match for the elves and never saw the end of the war. Thunder Keep was the only vestige of their civilization that survived, and has been maintained and expanded by the descendants of Clan Thunder.

Alternative Name(s)

The City of Rings

Type

Large town

Population

15,000

Location under

The Kingdom of Oster