Castle Ironforge

Castle Ironforge is the central location of power in the Dwarven Kingdom, where the King of the Dwarves and the Prime Minister reside. It is also the home to some of the greatest forges in the Kingdom, attracting the best blacksmiths to forge here for the King's recognition.

Exterior

Castle Ironforge is a fortress, made of near impenetrable stone. It is said to be a more sturdy structure than any other in the world, which could withstand even the strongest of spells.

Harbek by Jarhed

There is a large staircase at the very front of the castle, with large stairs that are designed to be difficult for Dwarves to climb. This is to stop any angry mobs or militias from easily invading the castle, though what it also does is give ease of access to some of the taller peoples of Totania, like Elves. However, that is by design.

Portcullis

Once someone climbs the staircase, they will find three things waiting for them. The first: a portcullis designed with some important specifications. It is dropped down over the doors to the Castle when intruders are at the gates. 5 feet off of the ground, so high enough that most Dwarves are shorter than it, there are spikes that stick out. These would stab or cut through anyone who is taller than a Dwarf, and therefore is the first line of defense against non-Dwarves in Castle Ironforge.

The Iron Forges

The other two things are forges, two of the greatest forges in the world, filled with enough forges to fit 300 people each, which people travel from all over to use. There is no cost to using them, as the tax dollars of the Dwarven people pay for them.
Of course, these places are not just for making weapons. They are for meeting people: the best and the brightest of Dwarven territory, or the new rising stars.
On the left is a forge for new smiths. It is often a place for one of two things:

• Blacksmiths who are just starting out and need a place to train in their craft for free.
• Young Blacksmiths who are looking to be scouted and noticed by older, more experienced Blacksmiths and get training.

On the right, then, is a forge for the most experienced of blacksmiths. This is not a forge that one can simply walk into: instead, the government will invite some of the best blacksmiths. Often, it is the General of the Golden Automatons who is in charge of this, as they will be familiar with the best blacksmiths.
Once you are invited to the forge on the right, you can never be denied access to it unless an accident happens that causes you to lose your ability to forge. Therefore, these smiths are smiths for life, and can charge higher rates for better quality items, as everyone will know they are the best of the best. This has spawned a common saying among those who wish to commission a blacksmith, as they say they are:

"Looking for the right blacksmith."

Interior

When one enters through the gates of Castle Ironforge, they would find themselves in a very tall hallway that stretches near endlessly.

Museum of Dwarven Heroes

The first hallway of Castle Ironforge is a museum decorated with the weapons and armor of every Dwarven hero, like Dhurnas Blackmane of the Divine Heroes, Ragadin the Wanderer, Corporal Ironforge, Archibald Forvian V, or Ogonn Ha. The weapons hang on the walls, while the armor are placed on stands, each with plaques describing the hero and the weapon/armor itself.
However, these are not just the traditional heroes. After all, this is not necessarily just honoring those that fight. Dwarven culture honors even more than that the true heroes: the Blacksmiths. Those that make the great weapons or armor. Those that stand behind the public figures are the ones worshipped more than anyone else in the eyes of the Dwarves. Blacksmiths like Harbek and Bhelgrum of the Golden Automatons, and their great weapons like the Helmet of Moradin, Ogonn, and the pair of STNK World Forged Stinky and Stunky.
It is often a tossup when one goes into the Museum of Dwarven Heroes, also known as MoDH. Some of the weapons and armor shown in the hallway is real, while others are replicas. There are many reasons for this:

1. The items were lost as the body was never recovered.
2. The items are still in use in the field.
3. The real items were not as impressive as the stories say.

No matter the reason, things like Corporal Ironforges shield and hammer being fakes or Dhurnas Blackmanes axes and hammer being exact replicas are not known by the general public.

Sleeping Quarters

Throughout the hallway that houses the Museum of Dwarven Heroes, one will find bedrooms. This is where the soldiers who guard the King of the Dwarves stay: a mixture of Silver Angels and Golden Automatons.

Ogonn by RovaRed

Going further into the castle, there are rooms for the King, the Queen, any princes or princesses, and any other member of the King's or Prime Minister's family to stay in. This means, due to the average size of Dwarven families, that there are about fifty rooms for the royals, not including guest bedrooms, of which there are ten.

Kitchen and Washroom

There is a kitchen connected to the bedrooms of the servants. Here, all food for the residents of the castle is made. They have a list of the favorite foods of all residents, and any guests who stay are immediately surveyed by the servants so their favorite food can be categorized as well. Soup is a common dish, especially that made from mountain goat meat. It is common and easy to make.
Alongside this, there is a washroom for the other servants to clean dishes, as well as clothes, rags, and sheets. Most cleaning supplies are found here.

Meeting Rooms

There are also rooms where the Prime Minister meets with any visiting guests. While the King only does so in the Throne Room, the Prime Minister will instead bring people to a room with a table, so they can sit together.
The round table here has fifteen seats, one specifically made for the Prime Minister to sit in. It is slightly raised to give the subtle message that the Prime Minister holds the power in the room.

The Pit

The Pit is a catchall term for everything beneath the stairs. The large stairs of Castle Ironforge hide the large pit beneath it.
The most notable part of the Pit is the storerooms, where raw materials, animals ready to be slaughtered for food or other resources, ale, and extra upkeep supplies are kept. A large vat of ale is kept, large enough to house a full family of Dwarves in it, is kept in the storeroom in the Pit. It is filled regularly with extra ale, as it is often also tapped into for parties.
There is also a forge beneath here, where only the General of the Golden Automatons and the King themselves can use it. It is of the same quality as the Iron Forges, but is private rather than public. It is a personal workshop more than a public forum.
The final known thing in the pit is a prison. The Dwarves do not like to keep people in prisons, after all they prefer to just execute them. Therefore, this place is a formality. A holding cell before someone is killed. Where they are allowed to pray to Moradin, get a final meal, and choose the weapon that will kill them. That is the mercy granted to Dwarven prisoners: a choice of death and a final meal (which often comes with a final drink).

Throne Room

The Throne Room is a daunting place. When entering it, one would find themselves on a path hanging over the pit. The pit seems to fall so far beneath the Throne Room that it is a void, pitch black. One would find falling down it to be fatal almost 100% of the time, unless they wear good enough armor or could use magic to slow the fall.
Across the pits from the central path, on either side, are balconies with pillars looming above them, holding up the ceiling. The balconies are illuminated by indents in the fences on them, which are lit hourly to keep them bright.
For court, the higher-ups of Dwarven society, blacksmiths associated with the Golden Automatons, Students and Professors of Ironforge University, or nobles affiliated with the Violet Vipers, will stand on the balconies and watch the King's decisions and meetings.
There are also families that come to watch. Particularly affluent ones are granted great seats, as there is a family discount on them that is affordable for many, but especially affordable with wealth to spare.
Then, there is the throne itself: a mess of a throne. It is stony and rough, angular. One could sit on many parts of it, as there is no coherent seat to be seen. Instead, the stones jot out and about, in whatever fashion the architect wanted. The King will often choose a different stone to sit on, and it is said there is a stone for every King, as each King has a different preference.
If a King is sitting on the throne, however, one thing is sure: they mean business. It is not considered good manners to keep a King waiting when they are atop their throne.