Five Kings Mountains
Dwarves first emerged onto Golarion’s surface from the depths of the Five Kings Mountains. Looking out from those craggy peaks at an endless alien sky, their leaders understood for the first time just how tenuous and vulnerable their people would be in this strange land. Thus they built Highhelm, the first and greatest of their Sky Citadels, finding safety and familiarity in its stone halls and clever fortifications. From here, the kingdom of Tar Taargadth spread across the surface of Avistan, growing powerful and fruitful during the Age of Anguish. Yet it was not to last: in the millennia that followed, many subsequent Sky Citadels were lost or conquered, their territories increasingly invaded by orcs and humans, until in 1551 AR the kingdom finally collapsed. In its place rose the five fractious, smaller kingdoms that gave the mountain range its current name. These in turn fell to civil war and invasion, their communities growing small and insular. Today, the region still lacks a single central government, and while High King Borogrim the Hale convenes the Gathering Council among the region’s leaders, and many dwarves across the Inner Sea region view the mountain range as an ancestral homeland, it’s been over 250 years since the dwarves of these mountains could be said to be a single people.
Despite this, the dwarves’ longstanding traditions have given their society tremendous stability. In addition to resisting invasion from without, they’ve weathered their own struggles from within, most notably the societal decline following the eruption of Droskar’s Crag in 3980 AR, during which much craft and culture was lost as the dwarves of the region turned to the worship of Droskar under Ordrik Talhrik. Since Ordrik’s fall 250 years ago, the dwarves of the region have revived many of their ancient ways. Today, the Five Kings Mountains are the center of a growing dwarven renaissance, as Five Kings dwarves begin to reestablish contact with other dwarven nations isolated by the fall of Tar Taargadth, or adopt ancient dwarven magical practices such as those of the shamanic Rivethun. This newfound confidence in dwarven culture has also led to increased traffic with the neighboring elven realm of Kyonin, and the ensuing surge of collaboration between artisans continues to produce works of unparalleled beauty and function.
The major settlements of Larrad, Highhelm, Kovlar, Taggoret, Rolgrimmdur, and Tar-Kazmukh have remained relatively safe and stable despite recent upheavals in nearby nations. Tradition and stability don’t translate to ignorance or naiveté, though. The dwarves keep a wary eye on Tar-Baphon, the increased tensions between Cheliax and Andoran, the Ironfang hobgoblins, and even the newly established realm of New Thassilon. The cities here have maintained strong trade relations with neighboring nations, particularly mercantile Druma but also Andoran, Isger, and Taldor. Trade with Galt has largely ceased with that nation’s fall into chaos, though some merchants have no qualms about selling equipment to the Gray Gardeners or resistance fighters.
Much of society in the Five Kings Mountains involves the worship of the traditional dwarven gods. While Torag is generally recognized as the foremost dwarven god, he is but one of a larger dwarven pantheon: Magrim and Angradd watch over battles, with many mentor-mentee relationships holding these two up as a model, though Trudd is popular among more impulsive youths. Folgrit represents mothers, wives, daughters, and those who provide emotional labor, while dwarves look to Bolka for aid in matters of the heart—which, like emotional labor, is seen as a challenge and vocation comparable to battle and forge-work. Those dwarves who facilitate relationships and serve as diplomats and ambassadors to other nations look to Grundinnar for guidance and support. Kols is the subject of much respect and is invoked in formal oaths, such as the common phrase “Kols witness these words.” Of the larger dwarven pantheon, only Dranngvit and Droskar are rarely worshipped, though they are still recognized as necessary—albeit unsavory—parts of lived experience, and therefore the pantheon.
Despite this, the dwarves’ longstanding traditions have given their society tremendous stability. In addition to resisting invasion from without, they’ve weathered their own struggles from within, most notably the societal decline following the eruption of Droskar’s Crag in 3980 AR, during which much craft and culture was lost as the dwarves of the region turned to the worship of Droskar under Ordrik Talhrik. Since Ordrik’s fall 250 years ago, the dwarves of the region have revived many of their ancient ways. Today, the Five Kings Mountains are the center of a growing dwarven renaissance, as Five Kings dwarves begin to reestablish contact with other dwarven nations isolated by the fall of Tar Taargadth, or adopt ancient dwarven magical practices such as those of the shamanic Rivethun. This newfound confidence in dwarven culture has also led to increased traffic with the neighboring elven realm of Kyonin, and the ensuing surge of collaboration between artisans continues to produce works of unparalleled beauty and function.
The major settlements of Larrad, Highhelm, Kovlar, Taggoret, Rolgrimmdur, and Tar-Kazmukh have remained relatively safe and stable despite recent upheavals in nearby nations. Tradition and stability don’t translate to ignorance or naiveté, though. The dwarves keep a wary eye on Tar-Baphon, the increased tensions between Cheliax and Andoran, the Ironfang hobgoblins, and even the newly established realm of New Thassilon. The cities here have maintained strong trade relations with neighboring nations, particularly mercantile Druma but also Andoran, Isger, and Taldor. Trade with Galt has largely ceased with that nation’s fall into chaos, though some merchants have no qualms about selling equipment to the Gray Gardeners or resistance fighters.
Much of society in the Five Kings Mountains involves the worship of the traditional dwarven gods. While Torag is generally recognized as the foremost dwarven god, he is but one of a larger dwarven pantheon: Magrim and Angradd watch over battles, with many mentor-mentee relationships holding these two up as a model, though Trudd is popular among more impulsive youths. Folgrit represents mothers, wives, daughters, and those who provide emotional labor, while dwarves look to Bolka for aid in matters of the heart—which, like emotional labor, is seen as a challenge and vocation comparable to battle and forge-work. Those dwarves who facilitate relationships and serve as diplomats and ambassadors to other nations look to Grundinnar for guidance and support. Kols is the subject of much respect and is invoked in formal oaths, such as the common phrase “Kols witness these words.” Of the larger dwarven pantheon, only Dranngvit and Droskar are rarely worshipped, though they are still recognized as necessary—albeit unsavory—parts of lived experience, and therefore the pantheon.
Type
Alliance, Generic
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
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