Undermountain Kingdom
The Undermountain kingdom is inside the dragon spine mountains, having only a few outposts on the outside. Once in ages past, the kingdom had the great stone gates left open with everyone welcomed to come and go as they pleased. After the humans started to take lands for their own, the Undermountain Kingdom closed all gates to the outside world. The affairs of the outside world had nothing to do with them and they would not get involved in the expanding empire.
The Dwarven kingdom being the most well-known under the mountain, it is not the only one. Depending on where you are or how deep you are underground meaning different territories. As goblins, kobolds, myconids, minotaurs and more live inside the mountain and deep underground. Some even say there is more territories under the mountain then on the surface. Rumors say that if you ever go deep enough that you will find a cave so big that you cannot see the other side, filled with plant life and some unknown race that has never been to the surface. The vast size of the underground alone is reason enough not to enter, getting lost and never being seen again is the most common fate here for outsiders.
Dwarfs have always been the gate holders as far as history goes back, always the ones guarding the mountain from the outside surface world. There are only a few of these gates that can be seen with the naked eye, massive in size, thick of stone and almost indestructible. If one can convince the gate keepers of having good enough reason to enter, you can still gain access, but Dwarfs are known for being distrusting of all the races. There is still trading between the underground and the surface world, but it is now very heavily monitored by both sides.
You shall find no better craftsmanship in the known world when it comes to dwarven metal work. The best weapons and strongest shield are always dwarven made with the special ores that only come from deep underground where others do not venture. They also will charge you incredibly high amounts for any of their work and been known to flat out refuse trade to some for any reason. If you should be lucky enough to be allowed to visit the Dwarven kingdom, one should always remember that stealing is a crime punishable by removal of both hands. Here justice can be much different than that of the outside world, so cation is always advised.
New rumors come every day of the Undermountain Kingdom, from strange monsters waking up from the depths to house size gems to even war breaking out inside of the mountain. It's not easy to tell what's true and what is just tavern gossip, but one thing is for sure, something is changing inside of the ancient mountain.
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