Pokhrazad

Pokhrazad is one of the oldest Dwarf kingdoms in the world. It is a vast underground complex carved out of stone and mineral. Its maze-like construction is confusing for the uninitiated, but the Dwarrow who live here maneuver through Pokrazad's halls nimbly, easily, and quickly. Pictured to the side are the Bearded Falls, which exemplify the beauty of Akzadian style Dwarrow architecture.

Construction

Pokrazad is many-layered and massive beyond belief. It is not so much a city as it is a kingdom in itself. It is said that the history of the Dwarrow is found in these halls. If one walks from the oldest section of the city to the newest, you will see and experience the Dwarrow mind and its history.

But because of its immense size and the relative decline of this city to its southern counterparts many other creatures have also taken up residence here. While the 21^st Hall and its surrounding regions are quite safe, most of the deeper halls and layers of Pokhrazad are filled with pale-skinned Orcs and Goblins. Other, more deadly monsters have also taken up residence here. There have been a few attempts to retake the deeper echelons of Pokhrazad, but there have been no successes. For now, there is a constant skirmish between the Dwarrow of Pokhrazad and the Orcs.

A Troubled Past

For much of its written history, the mines of Pokhrazad were filled with unending riches. The magical metals, such as adamant and mithril, were found in abundance in the Hile Dwarf Lands. These riches allowed a greater and greater number of Dwarrow to live and thrive here. In time though, these riches attracted assault. Monsters attacked the Dwarrow of Pokhrazad. Famously, Scatha, the Champion of the Chromatics, assaulted and lived in the 21st Hall for a year. Not only monsters but also Men have tried to plunder the Dwarrow. While most of these assaults were pushed back and the Dwarrow continued with their business without much disturbance, eventually the attacks grew more fearsome and bloody, turning into all-out wars.

Due to lack of manpower many mining stations have been shut down. The kingdom has drawn inwards and shrinks as assaults continue.

Calm Before the Storm

There is a comparable peace, today. While Orcs are still assaulting the Dwarrow of Pokhrazad, and many belligerent nobles still try to break into Pokhrazad itself, there are fewer attacks than before. The Dwarrow are a hardy people, and the Pokhrazadi are among the hardiest. They will defend their home to the last man.