Forgehome
Home of Civilization
Stone Dwarf Capital
Forgehome is the oldest city on Aerith, founded in the year 20 HE. The first Dwarves that emerged from the Womb of Humanity headed straight to the mountains and started mining and building. Nearly 5,000 years later, Forgehome is the last of the cities on Starhelm from the time of Haven and is seen as one of the most important city on the continent. Most believe that if Forgehome falls then fall of Starhelm is not far behind. While it may not be an official decree, most Dwarves will agree that the direction that Forgehome takes is the precursor to all other Dwarvish cities; it is the home to all Dwarvish culture, religion, and society.
Climate
The city itself is located near The Centre of the The Barrier Guard, but The Mines of the city reach to as far as Shalehaven to the north and to the Scar of Fire to the south, making the full city one of the largest on Aerith. Since the city is entirely under the mountain its Climate only varies slightly from any effects of external weather patterns. During the winter, when the air gets cold and bitter, Forgehome will be only slightly cooler. In contrast, when the sun burns the exterior world, Forgehome will lower the heat on some of the forges to maintain a steady temperature. In some outlying areas of The Mines the Climate can change depending on how far north or south one travels, but the majority of Forgehome has steady and predictable weather and Climate.Government
Old Forgehome was ruled by a monarchy that lasted almost 2500 years, starting with the first King Dorinthor Brawnkeep I. Dorinthor was the first to walk out of the Womb of Humanity, leading his brethren to the mountains, where Forgehome was founded. Constantly lamenting the complacency of the Dwarves in their mountain homes, he longed for a time when they walked Haven, exploring and discovering. His grandson Dorinthor II made it his mission to see his grandfather’s vision come to life. He created The Triune, with the task of leading Dwarven settlers to discover all the mountains of Haven and claim them for their own. The three families closest to the King, Goldstone, Rureinhold, and Wyrmcave, made up The Triune and they were his most trusted advisors. Starting with Shalehaven as their base of operations, The Triune set out to forge new relationships with the rest of Haven. The rule of Forgehome continued to be led by the monarchy, while Shalehaven was led by The Triune. 1000 years later Forgehome was ruled by King Dorinthor IV, a descendent of Dorinthor I, the first Dwarf to ever walk out of the Womb of Humanity. Dorinthor IV was a kind and just king who led the Dwarves toward a bright future. The current Triune in Shalehaven were respected and savvy advisors to Dorinthor, and he trusted them greatly. Aliskar Goldstone, Holdinhar Rureinhold, and Thardin Wyrmcave, were revered in Shalehaven as good leaders. The king admired and relied on their individual expertise in their field. Aliskar was a military genius, who advised the king on the best way to protect and defend the Dwarvish race; Holdinhar was a heavily religious and extremely knowledgeable about the divine, advising the king on how to best maintain a productive and working relationship with the gods; and Thardin was an expert miner, who knew The Mines like the back of his hand. The future of the Dwarves looked bright. Then tragedy struck; Old King Dorinthor IV died suddenly, and without an heir, leaving Forgehome with no future king. During the turmoil, The Triune came together from Shalehaven to keep order in the city, eventually deciding that no new clan should be named king. Owing to their success and experience in leading Shalehaven, they instead agreed that they would lead Forgehome together. The rule of The Triune in Forgehome was born that day. Even to this day The Triune is formed by the Goldstone clan, the Rureinhold clan, and the Wyrmcave clan. While these three clans all rule together, they each have their speciality and an aspect that they have individual lordship over. It is accepted that The Triune acts in a way that is best for the city, and for Dwarves in general. It is said that no Dwarf loves Forgehome more than a member of The Triune. The seats of The Triune are filled by the head of the Goldstone, Rureinhold, and Wyrmcave clan, and their official titles is Durzok. While The Triune watch over the major parts of Dwarvish society, they cannot manage a city as large as Forgehome on their own; this is where other clans come in. While these major clans have great power in the city, even they must abide by the demands and decrees of The Triune. Clans only given the distinction of being a major clan when a Durzok appoints them to their position. Once they are decreed a major clan they can only be removed if the two other Durzoks rule them out, though this rarely happens. The Goldstone clan control the military and defences of Forgehome, in its entirety. This includes the army, city guards, prisons, city defences, and any other martial aspect of the city. Their Durzok is Kaladrak Goldstone, a 4’10”, 250-pound, no-nonsense Dwarf, sporting a long black beard. Like most dwarves he takes a lot of pride in his beard, and he often has it braided with many rings, gems, and coins from around the world. As the head of the Goldstone clan, he has been raised with a military mindset, treating every conversation like a game of chess. To the Goldstone Clan, one must anticipate your opponent’s needs; think 10 or 12 moves ahead; keep everything close to the vest; and there is always a winner. These attributes make him quite good at leading, and making sure he gets what is best for him, his clan, and Forgehome. However, once he gets drunk, he becomes a totally different Dwarf. Kaladrak becomes the most kind, carefree, and open person in all of Aerith, which is why he rarely drinks. His wife Auhilde, is a kind woman who cares for all children in the city who have lost their parents. She and Kaladrak also have 5 children. His eldest son is helping him maintain the clan and oversee the military of the city, but his youngest daughter does not care for the clan at all. While she would rather travel the world then deal with the city that feels like a prison to her, she is dutiful and reluctantly stays to do her part. The Rureinhold clan are more focused on the religion of the city. They make sure the temples, shrines, and churches in the city are run smoothly and help out with making sure the citizens of Forgehome are well taken care of. The Durzok of the clan is Kathra Rureinhold, a calm and wise woman with long, fiery-red hair, which is often braided neatly down her back. She is never seen in public without The Forgeanvil; her warhammer crafted by Denethen himself and gifted to the head of his church many centuries ago. She spends a lot time deliberating before she decides, and she rarely takes rash action. She is the head of the Church of Denethen, which means she has a lot of responsibilities and spends most of her time there. When necessary, she sends her daughter Tora to deal with the city and work with the other clan heads. Tora loves the responsibility, and spends most of her time studying and learning so she can be a great asset to her mother and her clan. Finally, there is the Wyrmcave clan. They are focused on The Mines of the city and are in charge of the trade, currency, workforce, and shops in the city. They own 67% of all The Mines that are in Forgehome and are working very hard to gain control of the remaining mines. Their Durzok is Rekvok Wyrmcave; an odd Dwarf with white eyes and blond hair with runes and symbols tattooed all over his body. A popular rumour of the Wyrmcave clan is that their ancestor Kurgain, who first walked out of the Womb of Humanity came across a blue Drakon in a cave. He managed to survive long enough with this Drakon until he eventually struck a deal with it. The two agreed that the Drakon would share some of its power with Kurgain and, in turn, Kurgain would keep the Wyrm’s cave hidden. In addition, Kurgain would send random Avariel towards the cave for the Drakon to slay and feast upon. After a few centuries Kurgain and the Drakon became close friends, and when Kurgain had a son he sent him to the Drakon to pact himself. It is said that the Drakon is still in the cave on Starhelm to this day and that the Wyrmcave clan will always send the eldest child of the clan to pact themselves with the Drakon. Rekvok has 4 children, with his eldest children being twins; a boy named Drevin and a girl named Hearta. Both of them are very hard workers and spend most of their time running The Mines that their clan owns.Society
Forgehome is a typical Dwarvish city. The citizens of Forgehome are lawful, hardworking, and religious people who love their ale. They are loyal to their city, their friends, and their clan, they work has hard as possible and when their work is done, they drink as much as possible. Since Forgehome is a fully underground city, the length of days are not determined by the sun but by the large clock tower found in the center of the city. The clock tower rings every hour, and the ringing can be heard throughout the whole city. Most Dwarves work in 12-hour increments for 4 days of the week. The Birth of the week most dwarves will spend in a temple to Denethen praying and observing Corv Mak, the Rite of Choosing. Corv Mak is the telling of when Denethen was chosen as the Pinnacle of the Dwarves. Corv Mak usually takes 3 hours to observe and afterward, most Dwarves will head to a tavern or head home and spend time with their family. The Dwarves of Forgehome aren’t greedy, but they do work hard and expect to be compensated well for their hard work. Painting or acting isn’t held in such high regard in the city as fine art, but to the people of Forgehome a finely cut gem, a well-made suit of armour, or high-quality ale are the peak of culture. To a craftsman of Forgehome, quality is better than quantity. A Dwarf who thinks it's better to make poor-quality products quicker are looked down upon by their peers. Tourism is not a big part of everyday Forgehome life; not due to any of lack of interest by outsiders. Many foreigners would love to venture in the city of Forgehome and see the first city to ever be created, but Forgehome doesn’t allow many visitors into the city. Most outsiders who gain access to the city are diplomats, high-end merchants, and notable historians. Most people of the city are untrusting of travelers and it is very difficult for outsiders to enter the city without having some extreme circumstances. If people want to experience Dwarvish culture, Shalehaven is where most go to do it.Crime and Law
Forgehome has the least crime in all cities on Starhelm. The Union of Shadows has very little presence and even the presence that they do have has little impact on the city as a whole. The more common crime in the city is the use of drugs, typically sought after by workers looking to stay awake during their shifts. More common problem for the city are copyright claims and theft of intellectual property. Dwarves are a very proud people and if they think that someone has stolen what is rightfully theirs, particularly if they are planning on selling it as their own, most take great offence. The urchin population in the city is very minimal, thanks in large part to all the work done by Auhilde Goldstone to care for the children who have lost their parents. Most of the orphans lost their parents as a result of mining incidents, but there are some who lose them to misadventure or danger. The reason crime is so low is because of the zero tolerance that the city has to criminal activity. The city guard is very prevalent and stern nature of the current Master of the Guard, Colwar Goldstone keeps citizens and visitors in line.Post Fractioning
The Fractioning had very little effect on the physical city of Forgehome because the mountain took most of the impact. Dwarven construction being what it is, the building and infrastructure was largely unaffected. While their city, their race, and their god remained in one piece, the Dwarves felt a sharp blow after The Fractioning. Their closest ally, Starhelm, was completely obliterated, with newly formed Undead threatening the western side of the Barrier Guard. Their deity felt a keen loss with the destruction of one of his closest Brothers in Arms, Alucar, and the Dwarves felt his sorrow directly. Months after the destruction of Starhelm Forgehome was forced to make some drastic decisions as the Undead of the Witch Queen began to breach their homes. Many Dwarves were lost in those early days before Forgehome decided it was best to contain the damage and collapsed many mines and entrances to the western side of the Barrier Guard. The presence of Essillion on the eastern side was given more prominence as the last bastion of Human civilization in Eastern Starhelm. Forgehome began trading with them in earnest, a practice that is still flourishing to this day.Military
Situated between The Mines and the Archives lies the Goldstone Staromok and the layer that houses the military, as well as city guards and militia. Forgehome rarely needs to gather a large military force anymore. They are better equipped to deal with smaller groups of subterranean foes that threaten their borders. When they do have to gather for war they do so in an organized and precise fashion, always following their military structure. A small contingent of Dwarf warriors (10-15) is led by a Cotor (Sergeant). Larger units of Dwarves (30-50) are led by a Jarax (Lieutenant). If preparing for large scale war the Dwarves will form into units of equal number (typically 100), each led by a Rocknar (Captain) and march onto the battlefield, prepared to crush their enemies. Forgehome does many practice drills to ensure they can mobilize quickly and efficiently, but the necessity to do so to a real threat has not been present for decades. Dwarven penchant for following rules and tradition keeps them drilling, however. Most Forgehome combat comes in the form of guards, scouts, or small parties led out to stop threats. The head of the Forgehome Routers is Rocknar Grantar Goldstone, cousin of Kaladrak. He takes his role very seriously and is a tough leader. The Forgehome Routers are required to train heavily on tracking, investigation, and speed, as well as the standard guard and combat skills. Stone Dwarves in general, and Forgehome in particular favour using the military pick as their weapon of choice. They have become very proficient in its use and many soldiers and warriors decorate their picks with family runes, trophies, or personal items. Many picks are passed down from generation to generation and it is most often not interred with the dead.Geography
Forgehome is a very unique city. Placed deep in the Barrier Guard, it was able to expand greatly, but it also is quite lucky. The delving Dwarves have managed to hit many veins of ore and gems (both common and magical), and even finding some molten Rocksteel. The age of the city has led to much expansion over its long history. Most of the expansion comes in the form of levels, called Staromok (stratum in common), with each Staromok being connected by a series of staircases and elevators, and lifts. From the bottom to top, the Staromok are listed as follows: The Mines of Forgehome; The Goldstone Catacombs; The Archive of Dorinthor; The Tavern Staromok; The Soul of Denethen; The Golden Path; The Resident Staromok; The Exaltation Staromok; and finally The Triune Peak.The Mines of Forgehome
Under the city is a massive collection of mines, tunnels, caves, gems, and ores. Mining is the largest industry in Forgehome, and the Wyrmcave clan owns two thirds of all The Mines. The importance of the Wyrmcave clan cannot be understated as the majority of the ore, gems, and stone that is used in the city was provided by the Wyrmcave clan in some way or another. The Mines stretch north and south of the city, all the way from near Shalehaven to the Scar of Fire, and east and west a smaller distance. In the past The Mines stretched as far as the Southguard Plains to the west, but those tunnels were collapsed after the fall of Starhelm and the rise of the Witch Queen. They head east toward the Mantle of Denethen but do not quite connect under the Vale of Lutien. Many creatures of the Underdark, Giants, denizens of the Scar of Fire, and many others threaten the miners and workers of the tunnels, so the owners spend a good deal of money and resources trying to protect their people and their profit. Many Krysin also live and hide within these mines but they do their best to keep away from the miners as much as possible. It is for this reason most Dwarves, particularly those of Forgehome, dislike the Krysin. Many Dwarves see them as carriers of disease and filth, just lying in hiding to steal from the Dwarves or disrupt The Mines.The Goldstone Catacombs
The Goldstone Catacombs are a series of tunnels, laid out in a maze-like fashion, and created as a prison, vault, and escape route if citizens ever need to leave the city quickly and safely. The Catacombs are nearly impossible to traverse without a map or guide. This makes it very difficult for a Dwarvish prisoner who may have escaped to make their way to freedom. While Dwarves may have long lives, the guards that patrol these catacombs are often enough to deter prisoners from escaping or make it easier to recapture them. This Staromok is also where the courts, barracks, armoury, and guard stations are located.The Archive of Dorinthor
This massive structure was the first building to be built in Forgehome. The Archive was originally where the king’s throne was, but when Forgehome transitioned from a monarchy to being Triune-led, The Throne room was repurposed into the Archive. One can still visit The Throne that still sits in the center of building. The Archive is the largest building in all of Forgehome and is the greatest repository of pre-haven history, going as far back as when the Founder races emerged from the Womb of Humanity. Access to that part of the archive that holds any information older than 3000 years is very difficult and usually requires permission from all three members of The Triune. In addition to the Archive of Dorinthor, this Staromok is also where the mausoleums of Forgehome are, although some Dwarves still honour their dead in the ways of old, where they burn their dead in a forge and then craft an item from that forge in honour of the deceased. Above the Archive is also where the city clock is located.The Tavern Staromok
This Staromok is where most of the taverns and inns of Forgehome are located. The inns of the city are rarely used by travelers due to the rarity of foreigners. Some inns supplement their income by providing temporary housing for diplomats or displaced miners or citizens. The uncertain flow of income greatly increases the costs of staying at an inn in Forgehome. The Taverns in the city, on the other hand, sell some of the best ale in all of Starhelm; the most popular being from the Mother’s Cry Brewing Company. The largest tavern in the city is called The Diamond in the Rough. This tavern holds 10 levels, and has been around for nearly 4,000 years. Each level is large enough to be its own tavern, and while the top 4 levels can be rented out for a night, the bottom 6 levels are almost always filled with people. Each level gets fancier and more high-end as you progress. This is also where the Entrance to the city is located. Two massive Rocksteel doors that have the following words carved into it in each language; Never bent; Never burnt; Never broken.The Soul of Denethen
This Staromok is where all the temples, shrines, and churches are located. Most of them are to Denethen, but there are a smattering of others, including shrines and temples to Morthos, Tereale, Terralin, Janosis, Ignis, Renathor, and even one old temple to Alucar. Most of these temples and churches were updated after the Ascension to be churches dedicated to Denethen. In the center of this area is where the Anvil of Creation is. The Anvil of Creation is a massive temple complex to Denethen and where the head Priest of Denethen lives. It also sports a secure vault to hold important artifacts that is protected by the greatest traps, safeguards, and guardians. The Soul of Denethen is also one of the only places in Forgehome where one can interact with vegetation. Dwarven Druids enchanted this area long ago, creating everlasting grass and trees that don’t require sunlight or water, instead they feed off of the sulfur, ash, and smoke throughout the city. It cleans the air in the city and allows the Dwarves to experience grass and trees without needing to leave the city.The Golden Path
The Golden Path is filled with the different shops, markets, forges, blacksmiths, breweries, banks, and schools that make Forgehome run. Those that don’t work in The Mines will typically fill their day here. There are a lot of famous places in the Golden Path, including Mother’s Cry Brewing Company; Ruby Hammer Blacksmith; and The Goat’s Cradle. The Mother’s Cry Brewing Company sells a wide variety of ales, from the cheapest Miners Blood ale to their premium Golden Brew ale, and many ales in between. The Ruby Hammer Blacksmiths is run by Adrik Firefrost, a large dark-skinned Dwarf with scars across his face, wielding his signature ruby hammer. Adrik can make anything, from weapons, armour, jewelry, sculptures, to almost anything else. One of the biggest shops in Forgehome is the Goat’s Cradle, a large shop that sells everything and can get anything from all over Aerith.The Resident Staromok
This is where a majority of the citizens of Forgehome live. Most houses in Forgehome are built into the mountain or use the mountain in some way in the construction of their house. Dwarves will often construct their own home when they are first are able to have one, usually at around 70 years of age. It is possible to pay to have a house built, although most Dwarves will look down upon those who do that; the exception to this for those who live in the Exaltation Staromok. Often, when Dwarves get married the two clans will come together to build a house for the marrying Dwarves. Most outsiders who live in Forgehome live here, but most of them have to pay for a house to be built, or in the case of first-generation Goliaths or Gnomes their Dwarvish parent will craft their home. This Staromok is also where the Silver Dawn Orphanage is. The orphanage is run by Auhilde Goldstone and it is her pride and joy. She puts a lot of effort into maintaining and improving it, getting help from the orphans when she can.The Exaltation Staromok
The Exaltation Staromok is where the rich and powerful live. Most major clans, mine owners, and relatives of Triune members reside here. The Exaltation Staromok has some of the most well-crafted houses and a lot of modern amenities produced by the City of Stonebridge. The only way to enter the Exaltation Staromok is by a series of 2 elevators, each guarded by 2 Elite guards, and the only way to get past the guards is either with an official clan seal from a house in the Staromok, or a signed invitation from a house in the Staromok.The Triune Peak
This Staromok is the highest point of the city. It contains the three Triune Clans housing complexes, the halls of The Triune, and the meeting area for The Triune, where they perform the duties of leading Forgehome. The only way to enter The Triune Staromok is by a teleportation circle that can only be activated by using a very unique and intricate activation rune. Only members of The Triune, their families, and selected few others have this particular rune. Other than the teleportation circle there is no way to enter the Staromok. A magical diamond wall, enchanted with many runic wards makes it near impossible to enter or assault The Triune Staromok, even with flight. The Housing Complexes that The Triune Clans have a mausoleum to their ancestors, but other than that most complexes are unique to the Clans.Shops, Inns, and Other Places of Interest
The Diamond in the Rough is the oldest and probably the largest inns and taverns on Starhelm. It is divided into 10 separate levels and most just frequent the first 4.- Level 1, also known as The Pits, is filled people who a lower-class clientele, who are typically down on their luck. Those who drink here looking to get drunk and forget about their hardships for a time.
- Levels 2 and 4 serve as the common areas. This is where most of the people visit when they come to the Diamond in the Rough. These levels are filled with benches, chairs, tables, and a large forge in the center of each level.
- Level 3 is where the bar, kitchen, and storage is. There are no tables or chairs on this level, and people are encouraged to grab their food or beverage and take it to another level to enjoy it.
- Levels 5 and 6 are collectively called the Platinum Canvas. These levels are where the rich and powerful go when they visit the Diamond in the Rough. Entry to these levels requires giving the bouncer at the door a singular platinum piece. Also, located here are separate buildings where rooms can be rented for those who don’t own their own home. These are mostly used by non-Dwarf races, like Humans, or second-generation Gnomes or Goliaths.
- Levels 7 to 10 can be rented out as rooms or entire floors if requested, thought that rarely happens anymore.
- Kaladrak Goldstone (m/dwarf) (military)
- Kathra Rureinhold (f/dwarf) (religion)
- Rekvok Wyrmcave (m/dwarf) (mines)
- The Archive of Dorinthor
- The Clock Tower
- The Goldstone Catacombs
- The Silver Dawn Orphanage
- The Triune Peak
- The Anvil of Creation (Denethen) – Kathra Rureinhold (f/dwarf)
- Time’s Passage (Morthos) – Dezmark Kienkol (m/dwarf)
- The Matron’s Hall (Tereale) – Haladren Gwenlok (m/dwarf)
- The Crystal Tablet (Janosis) – Alodra Amberspring (f/gnome)
- The Stoneheart (Terralin) – Gorndrin Hallows (m/ goliath)
- The Forges’ Ember (Ignis) – Miladri Fendre (f/dwarf)
- The Alucaran Temple (Alucar) – empty
- The Diamond in the Rough – tavern (cheap-expensive)
- The Golden Goblet – tavern (expensive)
- The Mountain Goat’s Fur – tavern (moderate)
- The Open Barrel – tavern (inexpensive)
- The Copper Stool– tavern (cheap)
- The King’s Feast – restaurant (expensive)
- Denethen’s Bounty – restaurant (moderate)
- The Hammer’s Cushion – restaurant (inexpensive)
- The Mother’s Cry Brewing Company
- Ruby Hammer Blacksmiths
- Goat’s Cradle
- The Mines
- The Archive of Dorinthor
- The Taverns
- The Soul of Denethen
- The Golden Path
- The Residence
- The Exaltation
- The Triune Peak
- Kaladrak Goldstone (m/dwarf), Triune Leader of the Military; Auhilde Goldstone (f/dwarf), wife of Kaladrak and head of the Dwarfanage
- Kathra Rureinhold (f/dwarf), Triune Leader of the Temples; Tora Rureinhold (f/dwarf), daughter of Kathra and assistant to The Triune
- Rekvok Wyrmcave (m/dwarf), Triune Leader of The Mines; Drevin Wyrmcave (m/dwarf), eldest son of Rekvok, twin to Hearta; Hearta Wyrmcave (f/dwarf), eldest daughter to Rekvok, twin to Drevin
- Colwar Goldstone (m/dwarf), Rocknar of the Forgehome Guard; Grantar Goldstone (m/dwarf), Rocknar of the Forgehome Routers
- Adrik Firefrost (m/dwarf), proprietor of the Ruby Hammer
- Biple Dimpledonk (f/gnome), proprietor of the Goat’s Cradle
Type
Capital
Location under
Included Locations
Characters in Location
Dominant: Dwarf
Minority: Goliath
Enclave: Human, Gnome
Group: Krysin
Individual: Dragonkin
Singular: Blue Drakon (rumored) Form of Government: Council Notable Inhabitants: The Triune Notable Locations: The Diamond in the Rough (tavern The Anvil of Creation (temple The Archive of Dorinthor (library and archive)
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