Anvil

"Forge of the East..."

On the southwestern shore of Golthien lies a city half above ground, half under (similar to Lentokk). It is the only major city in, and the defacto capitol of, the "free lands" of the Hopehold region. As it's name suggests, the city is home to a large faction of humans and subterranean "night dwarves," all with strong smithy and metallurgy talents.
Along with the dwarves and humans resides a rather large contingent of dragonborn, many of which are of red dragon stock. Pretty much anyone with skills in metallurgy (or really any industry related to metals of all sorts) is welcome within Anvil's walls. It's not quite a "melting pot," but it certainly doesn't discriminate. If you pull your weight, you have a home.
Anvil is one of the few cities boasting several mines not set into the side of a mountain range or other raised lands. Because of the dwarven forges of the Midnight City below Anvil's surface, temperatures can reach levels almost inhospitable to all but the most hardy. Thankfully, the residents of Anvil are of a rugged stock.

Demographics

Of the surface dwellers, 70% are human, 20% are dwarven, 5% are dragonborn, and the remaining 5% are mixed other.

Government

Government in Anvil is a meritocracy, consisting of a council comprised of the most renown members amongst the different guilds represented in the city. Currently the council consists of seven "Lord Artisans" who preside over the day-to-day governance of the city and its peoples.

Defences

The surface of Anvil is patrolled, policed, and defended by a small citizen army known as the "Black Shields." There are typically 200 Black Shields in service at any particular time, and every able-bodied adult citizen of Anvil serves for a time within its ranks. Because of this, a full citizen army of roughly 2,000 can be mustered with minimal notice to stand against any external threat to the city.
Below ground, the night dwarves maintain their own army of 150 "Gold Hammers," battle-tested dwarven warriors committed to the defense of the Midnight City. Though they operate nearly autonomically, the surface and subterranean forces can be combined if the situation calls for it. Further, most night dwarves have at least some degree of combat training, and practically the entire population can be mustered for battle, if necessary.

Industry & Trade

Armor, arms, coinage from the mint. Anvil supplies the majority of Golthein with both weapons and coins, including the nation of Lentokk, of which it is not a member state.

Infrastructure

The city appears fairly standard until you notice all the conduits leading below ground. Connected to its sewer system is a network of shafts and declinations that lead to the lair of the night dwarves, sometimes called "Midnight City."

Assets

If it's cast in metal, it can be found in Anvil.

Guilds and Factions

There is a guild for practically every form of metal work within the walls of Anvil. From their ranks are drawn the members of the city's ruling council.

History

Anvil is a rather old city, and predates the Lentokki incursion from the west. It is venerable, but not weak, and few have tried to conquer it during even its lowest eras of power. It was formed roughly 500 years before The Sundering, by a coalition of dwarven and human miners originally from the north of Golthein. Those who set out to make a name for themselves in what was then a great frontier. Anvil began as a small town with several pits dug to reach the rich veins of ore beneath it. Once the magnitude of the ore was discovered, it quickly became a boom town of sorts. It's population doubled, then tripled, nearly overnight.
There was a brief period, after the lands of Old Lentokk were conquered by the newly minted The Lentokki God Kings, when it looked as if Anvil might have fallen to the burgeoning "empire." However, the Lentokki soon determined how destructive any attempts to take the city by force would be. This, coupled with the fact that the Anvilites continue to always provide the nation with all its metallic needs (without question or judgement), led the God Kings to take the city off its agenda.

Architecture

Most of the structures within the tall city walls (30') are master crafted stonework. The city is built up, as well as out, with the average building having at least three stories.

Geography

Anvil straddles the decently verdant lands near the coat, along with the blasted lands devastated by Lentokki Blood Magic. The subterranean portions of the city tend to fall along the eastern edge, where the land is more rocky and conducive to digging and delving.

Natural Resources

The region known as Hopehold maintains reasonable farmland, allowing the citizens of Anvil to farm the majority of their own food. The "delve" that leads to the Midnight City also includes mines rich in several varieties of metal ore, some even precious.

Alternative Name(s)

Metal City, Midnight City (subterranean portion)

Type

City

Population

9,000 on the surface; 3,500 underground

Inhabitant Demonym

Anvilites

Location under

Golthien

Owning Organization

Guilds & Factions of the West