Dark Iron Hold

Duergar see themselves as the true manifestation of dwarven ideals, clever enough to understand how important is the link of dwarves with the elements. As such, they created a clan of their own, and severed their ties with the Ice-peak Concord. Dwelling deep in the ancient forge of Uldaman.
Resentful of the dwarves for losing their stone form, and their link to the elemental plane. In many ways, Duergar culture is similar to that of other dwarves, but influenced by the treaterous Dao. When typical dwarves strive to create, Duergar strive to own.
Hiding among the Ice-peak Concord, the duegard of Dark iron have no realm of their own.

Geography

Region

Frosted heights

Capital

Uldaman

Allias(es)

/

Society

Government

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Leader(s)

Ymir Runegrog Gray

Race(s)

Duegar

Main Pantheon

Zaratan

Population

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Other

Government

As the noble house leading the Dark Iron hold died millennia ago, the house turned into a clan, in which a chosen king or queen rules mercilessly over its people.
Just like their cousins of the Ice-Peak Concord, the Dwarves of the Dark Iron hold believe that when one of the heads of a noble family is crowned ruler of the mountain town, the act of taking the crown imbues them with the knowledge of the previous rulers—both their wisdom and their mistakes.
The king is surrounded by an assembly that gives him advice and guidance. To be part of politics, it is required to be a noble, as the Dark Iron hold conserves a very strict caste system.

Hierarchy

Culture

The Duegar are selfish and ethnocentric, prioritizing the importance of a united nation and preserving their traditions. They firmly believe that their bastion is the only thing that will protect them and their comrades. Duegar take immense pride in their possessions and in upholding the honor of dwarves, and insulting a Duegar's honor is a path few survive.
Most duegars place significant importance on the glory and honor that a profession can bring, especially considering their profession is limited by their caste. A profession that offers great material rewards is considered highly honorific among duegars. Unlike their dwarven cousins, duegar do not pray to gods. Instead, they pay homage and respect to their elemental nature and connection, offering prayers to the elder elemental of earth. The duegar's spiritual beliefs are deeply tied to the earth and the power of the elements, guiding them in their daily lives and forging a strong connection with the stone around them.

Justice

The hold's justice system is a multi-tiered system that depends on the caste of the individuals involved.
For conflicts between lower caste duegars, the disputes are settled in courts where noble duegars act as judges, considering each contestant's arguments and evidence. If a contestant is dissatisfied with the judgment, they may request a duel to settle the matter.
On the other hand, conflicts between upper caste dwarves are always resolved through judiciary duels, with the upper caste often calling upon a champion to represent them.
There are rarely any conflicts between lower and upper caste individuals, as the upper caste is always considered to be in the right and any grievances they have against the lower caste duegars are taken seriously.

Diplomatie

History

Ymir Runegrog Gray, king of the Dark Iron Hold, was approached by the Brownoak family—a noble family from Tana’s Empire. The Brownoaks, eager to sponsor research on ancient scriptures potentially held in Uldaman's vault, provided Ymir with substantial funds in exchange for his cooperation.
Liliana, alongside two other wizards and a multitude of servants and diplomats, was sent to the Dark Iron Hold to investigate the mysterious vault within Uldaman. However, a group of adventurers, disguised as gray dwarves, infiltrated the vault before the wizards could, stealing most of its contents and fleeing. Liliana, recognizing their identities, offered to assist Ymir in tracking them down, believing they might hold information beneficial to the Brownoak’s research. Ymir agreed.
Soon after, two of the four suspected adventurers, Etha and Aelsthim, were captured and brought before the king. Despite their crimes, Ymir saw the potential value of their knowledge and offered to spare them if they cooperated with Liliana, returning any artifacts taken from the vault. The adventurers refused, asserting that Liliana’s motives were dark and even presenting evidence against her.
Stunned by their revelations, Ymir banned Liliana and the Brownoak representatives from his hold but allowed Liliana to retain any artifacts the adventurers surrendered. However, the specific artifact Liliana sought remained in the hands of the adventurers who had escaped.
Unable to reach a compromise, Ymir sentenced Etha and Aelsthim to Death, intending a public execution. The first blow fell on Aelsthim. But as his head was severed, a disguised Tanuki, the third adventurer hidden within the crowd, attempted to interrupt. To everyone’s horror, Aelsthim’s body surged with infernal energy, reattaching his head as devilish horns sprouted from his now-fiery form. With newfound powers, Aelsthim slaughtered the guards and killed Liliana before the king and his guard could retreat to safety within the castle.
When Ymir and his forces re-emerged, the adventurers had vanished, leaving only fallen guards in their wake. Declaring a state of emergency, Ymir ordered the city closed to foreigners, doubled patrols, and commanded the immediate capture of anyone suspicious.
The adventurers were never found again, and Ymir chose not to pursue them further, deciding that the bloodshed had already gone too far.