Iron Grasp

Basic Info

Region: Redridge Mountains

Motto: Blood and Mithril

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Capital: Maker’s Maw

Cities: Magmablood Acropolis, Mathom’s Tears, Obsidian Descent, and Necril Morage

Ruler(Race): Queen Surga Strongaxe (Coalheart Dwarf)

Government Type: Plutocracy (Recently overthrown Monarchy)

Languages: Dwarven, Half-Orc, Halfling

Religion: Limited worship only to Droskar, and any sign of worship to Torag is killed on sight.

Qualities: Industry Primary Focus. Military, Commercial, and Trade Secondary Focus. Religion, Farming, and Fishing Minor Focus.

Racial Breakdown: Coalheart Dwarves, Shadowstitched Halfling and Deep Dweller Half-Orcs. About 30% of the population are slaves, primarily halfling, but of all races.

Common Classes: Champion and Slayer common, Wizard and Barbarian less common, Cleric and Witch uncommon.

Quick Description

Monstrous, soulless, evil. These perspectives are the droll viewpoint of the unenlightened, who cannot see that the Iron Grasp keeps the world above ground from crumbling. The Iron Grasp, unknown to most outside that wish to learn as little about it as possible, is in a stage of metamorphosis. As Deep Dwellers depart, Shadowstitched have rebelled against the King, and Surga Strongaxe has taken control pushing much of what was bedrock crumbling to talc. What has not changed is the Iron Grasp are slavers and miners seeking greater riches in the hidden deep of the volcanoes of the Redridge Mountains. They have deeper tendrils in most nations than commonfolk realize and they can cause economies to crumble by exerting the right pressure.

History(Coming Soon)

Government

The Monarchy that built the Coalhearts to power and influence died thirty seven years ago, along with King Trumoth Blackfist when he was ripped apart by the savage Shadowstitched Halflings that were his proud eugenics project. In the power vacuum over the next few years the entire Blackfist clan was dismantled and the former master of coin, Surga Stoneaxe, personally chopped the head from the last three members of their lineage. Since she has reigned as Queen, but that title is only ceremonial now. Surga has no interest in lineage or Dynasty but brutal efficiency. She has created the first diverse council that she refers to as her brain trust, to address the needs of the Grasp. After a gap of production and a series of slave revolts she has given slaves a new form of hope. Whomever produces the most gross product each month goes free with a diamond in their hand on the next cart to High Table. She has created elaborate ceremonies and selects winners carefully, rewarding the coldhearted with their freedom. This shift has increased productivity up significantly, and taken slaves from despondent and treacherous to the Coalhearts, to desperate to please and once again striving to work for freedom. Surga has been met with mixed feelings by her people but no one can say she hasn’t made profit go up rather than be obsessed with increasingly perverse fetishes as the Blackfist family had become. She is shrewd and cruel. Any that seeks to up end the table on her has found themselves in a dark hole, crushed by the weight of her progress. Also, a shit ton of boulders.

Laws

Laws in the past were clearly strict toward any outsider or slave, but lax towards the ruling class. For a time that changed, as Surga rooted out the last remnants of those that wanted to return to the old order. In the last ten years they have become lax again, as Surga is nearly sure all that would rise against her have been crushed. The Shadowstitched that remained loyal to their Queen have become her sheriffs, efficient at infiltration and careful to serve Surga’s goals with guile. The judgement of most is done through a set of jurors selected by Surga’s brain trust. They are selected for devotion to the bottom line, and most often rule monetary funds be paid for crimes. For outsiders, anything considered a crime is usually punished with a number of years of hard labor that multiplies over time until there is no chance to escape but through Surga’s ceremony.

Attitude

After the uprisings settled Surga has worked on part of their public image and invited envoys from major nations to show them that the eugenics and debauchery they had indulged in had existed and been halted. The horrors of the old king were done and in this new age product would be moved faster. Most at High Table were shocked by the monstrous nature of the king, but respected Surga for laying his crimes bare to them. Surga also asked for donation of trading partners who lived in lands of great farmlands. Slaves would enjoy better food and working conditions if they cared enough to send food back after the carts had delivered their valuable ore. To general shock exploiting the soft nation with the idea of donations worked, and Surga appears to have honored that promise and granted the donated food to the slaves. The Iron Grasp is changing, ever so slightly, but the rumors of abductions has not stopped. No outsider wants to visit their land for pleasure, though there is pleasure to be found there. Just not for outsiders.