Gracklstugh

Gracklstugh, the City of Blades, is a duergar city on the shores of the Darklake in the Northdark of The Underdark.
Gracklstugh is located about 100 miles away from Menzoberranzan across the Darklake and beyond. Access to Gracklstugh could be achieved by the following routes: caves in the Sword Mountains; tunnels from Beldabar's Rest in Yartar; tunnels from Luskan and Mithral Hall; and via a major trade route from Skullport through the Labyrinth.

History

Gracklstugh was founded in −3717 DR by duergar escaping the fall of Deep Shanatar and the subsequent enslavement of many gray dwarves in Oryndoll. In −3392 DR, King Horgar Steelshadow II began uniting the duergar clans in and around Gracklstugh, creating the Deepkingdom. Over the past few centuries, however, the Deepkingdom narrowing its reach to the city itself and its close environs.
The Deepkingdom's might began falling during the Deepbear Battles against the quaggoths from −1803 DR to ca. −1350 DR. Around the 14th century DR, King Tarngardt Steelshadow (grandfather of Horgar Steelshadow IV; king since 972 DR) was manipulated and controlled by the Council of Savants. Upon his demise, Horgar IV took the throne but recognized the threat of the savants and planned to kill or at least expel all the derro in Gracklstugh.
In 1372 DR, Horgar used the Silence of Lolth and the weakness of the followers of Lolth as an excuse to attack the Drow city of Menzoberranzan and thus cement his power over his lairds. He allied with Nimor Imphraezl of the Jaezred Chaulssin to further his goals. Under his prompting, Horgar led his army to success against the drow at the Pillars of Woe and gained additional allies: the Scourged Legion of Kaanyr Vhok and the traitorous drow House Agrach Dyrr, also aligned with the Jaezred Chaulssin. Referred to as the Siege of Menzoberranzan, the allies then marched against the drow city and besieged it for several months.
On Ches 28, 1373 DR, the Silence of Lolth ended and Lolth's priestesses regained their powers. Kaanyr Vhok subsequently recalled his forces to Hellgate Keep; the remaining duergar were easily defeated and turned back. The siege officially ended on Ches 30. As the duergar army retreated, Nimor swept in and killed Horgar Steelshadow IV. Following Horgar IV's death, Horgar Steelshadow V ascended to the throne.

Type

City