Rockjaw City

In the aftermath of the Cataclysm, the dwarven clans of Arvor sought refuge under the mightiest mountains. One of those was clan Rockjaw, led by matriarch Bonglian Rockjaw. Clan Rockjaw laid claim to a tall, sharp mountain that had frighteningly erupted from the Earth during the great cataclysm. They found the earth rich in valuable gems, ores, and minerals from the start. After tunneling deeper into the earth, carefully navigating around magma pockets, they made a discovery which would lead Clan Rockjaw to great prosperity: a massive vein of mithral ore. Mithral is a rare and precious metal. It's light, flexible, and extremely durable, and is rumored to have some magical properties in the right circumstances.
As Clan Rockjaw's city under the mountain grew, it attracted traders and smiths from across Arvor. It also attracted its share of greedy thieves and invaders. For hundreds of years, the Keepers of Rockjaw held the mountain against attackers from across the land. But eighty years ago, that luck ran out.
A vicious red dragon struck the mountain from the inside. Surprised from within, Clan Rockjaw retreated deep into the deepest warrens of the Mithral mine. They holed up in the mines for years subsisting on forage and magical foodstuffs, attempting to launch surprise attacks on the dragon, but ultimately they were overcome by his powerful flames. Nearly every dwarf of the clan was slain by the red dragon Menace of Rockjaw. The few that escaped were not unscathed: badly wounded physically and mentally, they left their mountain behind forever. Or so they thought. With the aid of her friends, Bongwyn reclaimed the mountain on behalf of her clan eighty years later.
It is now a vibrant mountain city. Rockjaw City sits on a smooth stone base in an enormous cavern, surrounded on three sides by deep, treacherous cliffs. The city is an orderly grid, with tall stone buildings rising high around central columns. Each column serves as a support structure for the cavern and buildings, but also contains the chimneys that carry smoke from the hearths out of the cavern, keeping the air fresh and clean. The city is a true architectural marvel, and when it was liberated, it became a destination for stonemasons, smiths, and historians once again.
About one day’s travel beneath Rockjaw City is the Undercity. While the upper city is an orderly, planned community, the Undercity began as the midpoint for mining operations and developed over time into a city of its own. It is carved out of rough caverns deep winding every which way. Many deep gnomes, drow, and others have moved back into the Undercity to be near the pride of Old Rockjaw: The Mighty Forge.
One hundred years ago, The Throng and his business partner the artificer Torgie brought smiths back to the Mighty Forge, where they resumed the mountain’s tradition of crafting the finest armor in Arvor.

Points of interest

Stonemaw Gate is the entrance to Rockjaw from near the Silent Lake, and the main road that leads into the mountain. This gate leads to the Bridge of Jewels.
Plains Gate is the entrance to Rockjaw from the north. It is a smaller, less-developed passage than Stonemaw Gate.
Bridge of Jewels - long stone bridge, decorated with statues of dwarven warriors encrusted with jewels leading from the entrance of the mountain to Rockjaw City.
Rockjaw City - Rockjaw City sits on a smooth stone base in a massive cavern within the mountain, surrounded on three sides by a deep, treacherous cliffs.
Mines - the mines are a network of winding tunnels underneath Rockjaw City leading to mineral deposits
Undercity - The undercity sits about one day's travel beneath Rockjaw City. What started as a midpoint for mining operations developed over time into a city of its own, carved out of rough caverns deep beneath the earth. During Rockjaw's prime, the Undercity was full time home to most of the mountain's laborers and lower-class citizens.
Mighty Forge - The pride of Undercity is the Mighty Forge. When tunneling for gold, miners uncovered a massive magma pocket. Recognizing a source of great heat, Clan Rockjaw used that magma to build a great forge - said to be the hottest and steadiest in all of Arvor. It started as a purely functional forge, but over time became something of a temple to Moradin, chief Dwarven god. It's said that a weapon crafted on this forge is blessed by Moradain himself, but can be wielded only by a righteous dwarf. When building the Mighty Forge, the craftsmen found ruins of an ancient civilization resembling a temple nearby.

Alternative Name(s)

The Granite Citadel

Type

City