Ironspur
Population 1,100
Ironspur is a dwarven city located in the Galena Mountains, north of the Damaran Duchy of Brandiar. The Ironspur mines run deep, producing iron, copper and silver, but little Bloodstone comes from Ironspur.
The road to Ironspur wends north through a narrow fissure in the Galena Mountains from the Duchy of Brandiar. Tall cliff faces flank the road, which is perpetually shadowed. After a few miles, the Ironspur Road opens into a larger open valley, known as the Ironspur Trade Center. The Trade Center has many temporary merchant stalls and areas, and a few permanent wooden structures as well. No stone structures are permitted in the Trade Center. Because this deep valley only gets sunlight for a few hours near highsun, most stalls are lit by lanterns.
Demographics
Most citizens of Ironspur are dwarven, with an overwhelming majority of shield dwarves. Only about 5% of the Ironspur population consists of non-dwarves. That 5% mostly includes Hin (halflings), Humans, Rageborn, and Gnomes with only a one or two individuals each of other races. The six major clans rule the Hold through the Council of Thanes, overseen by the Iron Lord.
In addition to the six major clans, there are a little more than a dozen minor clans. The minor clans each generally pledge service to the major clans whose interests align with their own. Smithing clans pledge to Paradur, military clans pledge to Gundarsun, etc. This pledge is not binding, but if Clan Hammerfall has an issue that needs to go to Council, they pass that through Paradur, and the Paradur's are obligated to speak for the Hammerfalls.
In addition, Ironspur is open to any dwarf who wishes to settle under the mountain, so there are many individual dwarves and small families that live under the mountain. While not "Clanless" which would imply banishment from a clan, these dwarves have yet to establish their own clans or possibly had their clans wiped out.
Government
Ironspur is ruled by Iron Lord Murnaros Dolvak, Thane of the Dolvak Clan. Six major clans sit on the Council of Thanes, with Clan Dolvak being considered the preeminent clan at this time. The Six Clans are listed below in order of influence: Clan Dolvak, Clan Gundarsun, Clan Rolthar, Clan Dourstone, Clan Paradur, and Clan Ardridson. In addition, a representative of the priesthood, generally a Cleric of Moradin, sits on the Council of Thanes. The Council of Thanes elect a new Iron Lord from their number on the passing of the previous Iron Lord. The Iron Lord rules Ironspur, but his (or rarely, her) edicts may be overruled by a vote of 4 members of the Council.
The ascendance of Clan Dourstone in replacing Clan Hedelstone on the Council has been the surprise of the decade. After several incredibly lucrative finds, Clan Dourstone was able to take over the prospecting and mining functions of Clan Hedelstone, who they had pledged service to. The talk now is how much influence the Dourstones will have with Iron Lord Murnaros.
The Six Major Clans
Minor Clans
- Clan Dourstone (now disbanded)
Defences
The dwarves of Ironspur are born to fight, from the most elderly matron to the greenest adolescent. Hard times have bred hard people. A standing army of over 300 dwarves (almost 1/3 of the population) serve inside Ironspur, with but 3-days' notice over 600 will be able to fight.
Approximately 200 troops belong to the Iron Guard. The Iron Guard is the backbone of the Ironspur Army. The Iron Guard contains members of every clan and family, and it is considered an honorable profession for second or third sons and daughters, who don't stand in the line of clan succession.
Iron Guards who have shown exceptional loyalty and skill are eligible for promotion into the Stone Guard. The Stone Guard is roughly 100 strong, and take only the best of the Iron Guard. Being accepted into the Stone Guards brings prestige to the entire clan. These veteran fighters serve as the backup to the Iron Guard, the Guardsmen often acting as officers for the less experienced dwarves.
The Iron Lord's personal bodyguards are known as the Shield Arms. Shield Arms are drawn from a wide range of classes and backgrounds, and all are given their position as a reward for especially brave or resourceful service to Ironspur. Numbering 50 dwarves, the Shield Arms receive the best quarters, provisions, weapons, and armor, and dwarven healers give them top priority in combat.
When the entire nation is called up, another 300 combatants join the battle as irregulars, ranging from retired warriors to simple dwarven laborers fighting with improvised weapons. Despite this, even irregular dwarf soldiers make a good accounting of themselves in combat.
See Defenders of Ironspur for more information
Industry & Trade
Ironspur sells not only the products they manufacture from iron, but substantial quantities of iron ingots and bars which are resold to weaponsmiths, armor makers and blacksmiths throughout the Bloodstone Lands and in parts of Impiltur and the Great Dale. All raw iron and all iron products not sold in the local trade center are marketed exclusively through the Greysmere Merchants League.
There are some bloodstone veins within the areas mined by the dwarves, although they are small in comparison to those worked in the Bloodstone Mines or Justin's Mine in Soravia. All bloodstone mined by the Ironspur clan is made into bloodstone bars with the clan's symbol. These are sold by Greysmere exclusively to the Damaran Merchants League. The clan also receives bloodstone taken by the league from Justin's Mine in Soravia, and under contract, makes it into bloodstone bars with the league's symbol embossed into it. This system is economically advantageous for the league, because the bloodstone from Justin's Mine must be transported past Ironspur anyway, and the knowledge that Ironspur manufactures the bloodstone bars is a guarantee to the outside world of their purity.
The dwarves also bring considerable copper out of the depths. Most of it is sold to the Impilturian crown for use in the mint in Hlammach, to make new copper bites.
Some subterranean gold veins have been found. All of the gold is sold to clan artisans inside of the mountain who manufacture products, jewelry and art works with it.
The Ironspur clan talks little about these things, but in its westernmost explorations deep under the mountains, the clan is discovering new veins and deposits of precious gemstones and mithral silver. These riches and treasures go exclusively to the Ironspur artisans within the clan halls for processing.
A smaller but important business in the depths is the distillery. It makes dwarven spirits for local consumption and for export sale in Palishchuk and in parts of Soravia. The Rageborn (half-orcs) of Palishchuk buy barrels of the spirits and transport them home themselves. The Damaran Merchants League buys and resells the dwarven spirits in Soravia.
Guilds and Factions
Authority Figures
Council of Thanes
- Iron Lord Murnaros Dolvak
- Thane Halthad Gundarsun
- Thane Melian Rolthar
- Thane Borl Hedelstone
- Thane Helmaer Paradur
- Thane Graith Ardridson
Important People
- Kirin Hammerfall (Head of Clan Hammerfall)
- First Shield Urnar Gundarsun
- High Priest Dildur of Moradin
- Angar Mastefell of Clangeddin
Geography
LOCATIONS
Dwarven Delves always start as mines, usually run by one clan. As the mines grow, other clans are brought in, and clanholds are carved out in the former mine tunnels. As the hold grows, the number of clanholds increases. Dwarven law generally prohibits delving a clanhold within 100 yards of another clanhold depending on the strength of the local stone, to avoid undermining the structural integrity of the delve. The initial delve is always called the First Rise, as the delve ascends, the dwarves call the new levels "Second Rise", "Third Rise", etc. The level below "First Rise" is called "First Deep" then "Second Deep", etc. A clanhold delve doesn't just consist of the clan's living areas, in the tunnels nearby shopfronts and workspaces are carved based on the clan's specialty. At natural juncture points, the dwarves will carve out a few blocks for a Daernak (lit: familiar meeting place) or "Gather". A gather is a place where the clans mix and trade. Every Gather has at least one tavern, maybe two. Inns for visiting dwarves are carved out of a Gather and guildhalls, stores, and trading areas complete the Gather, which are about the size of a few blocks in a human town or city.Districts of Ironspur
The road to Ironspur wends north through a narrow fissure in the Galena Mountains from the Duchy of Brandiar. Tall cliff faces flank the road, which is perpetually shadowed. After a few miles, the Ironspur Road opens into a larger open valley, known as the Ironspur Trade Center.Outer Ironspur
Ironspur Trade Center
The Trade Center has many temporary merchant stalls and areas, and a few permanent wooden structures as well. No stone structures are permitted in the Trade Center. Because this deep valley only gets sunlight for a few hours near highsun, most stalls are lit by lanterns.The Terrace
To the north of the Trade Center, a ramp slopes up the Ironspur Terrace. Three citadels, bristling with ballistae and catapults sit on the terrace, behind which opens a large fissure into the mountain. The north walls of the terrace have been hollowed out to make shops and homes for many dwarven families.Inner Ironspur
First Rise
First Rise is usually the limit of any foreign (i.e. non-dwarf) visitation into the mountain. Zunderak (also known as the Throat) is the "adventurer's district" and Gather to conduct "outside" business. Clans Hammerfall, Paradur, Dourstone and Ardidson all have built their clanhalls on First Rise. Silverwar Gather (a merchant's Gather), Runedak Gather (an upscale Gather, home of the runemages) and Stonehammer Gather (a dwarven old-money Gather) are also found on First Rise. Passages from Zunderak connect to the First Deep and two fortified areas bar unauthorized passage up to the Second Rise.Second Rise
Second Rise is contains some of the wealthier families and also the temples. Clans Gundarsun and Hedelstone have both built their clanhalls on Second Rise. Nine Bells Gathers (a temple Gather) and High Hall Gather (a government center) rest on Second Rise as well as Ironspur's main temple complex of Spirit's Forge, which gives Nine Bells its name. High Hall Gather has a fortified passage leading up to Third Rise.Third Rise
Third Rise is completely dedicated to the rule and defense of Ironspur. The Dolvak Clan of Iron Lord Murnaros has a clanhall on Third Rise which includes balconies overlooking the Galena Mountains. Caer Overlook faces south, looking out at the Ironspur Valley and pass leading to the Trade Center. Caer Overlook is the seat of government for Ironspur. Further into the mountain is the Ministry of War complex, which has control of all military and guardsmen of Ironspur.First Deep
From Zunderak, a separate passage leads down to the First Deep. First Deep is still an active mining level, although the mines of First Deep are finally being depleted, leading the dwarves down to the beginnings of a Second Deep. The Forgeworks Gather (a crafting center) rest not too far from Zunderak. Arflarmak Gather, which is surrounded by slaughterhouses, tanners, and other noisome trades is further from the entrance. Also, nearly hidden in the First Deep is the Gather of Glanvak, which is a center for dwarven outcasts and the poor or clanless.Ironspur Mines
The lower mines are still active, and smelters and forges sing with activity. The lower mines also connect with the local Underdark. Experienced dwarven guides know the paths (called the Dark Roads) that lead to the Bloodstone Mines, Orothiar Hall, and even Hillsafar Hall. The dwarves have contact with the local svirfneblin, and occasional conflict with local drow, duergar and derro. Iron ore mining, smelting and the production of metal products made from iron are at the core of the Ironspur clan's economy, but the dwarves in truth have many economic legs upon which they stand, although not all are immediately apparent to outsiders
Type
Town
Population
1,100 dwarves (though that number is suspiciously low)
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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