Dwarven Holds

Dwarven Holds
Capital	Kazenrock
Government	Confederated Oligarchic Council
Population	12 million
Language(s)	Elvic, ratori, human
Currency	Essence Gems
Founded	124:Discord

The Dwarven Holds are a collection of five underground Dwarven kingdoms, united towards a common goal, with the founding kingdoms being Kazenrock, Snowstone, and Valogihr. The capital, Kazenrock, has connections to virtually all metal or stone-related trade routes, even in kingdoms that are not friendly towards the Dwarven Holds in general. The crafting guilds found throughout the Holds are renowned for their forged equipment and essence enchantments. While each hold is competent in a variety of metallurgy and mining, they are specialized in different areas that allow them to continue to trade with each other and the rest of the world.

Dwarven food is often stale and bitter tasting, but they are known for their strong ales and liquor. Clothing is generally tough and heavy leather, often obtained through trade with Elori. Children in the Holds start out mining fairly young - their earliest toys often involve a chisel and hammer.

The Dwarven Holds are incredibly close to Elori and more specifically to the elves. Trade with Orsia has grown, however the government is wary of orcs following the Mage-Rupture event. There have been recent efforts to trade with Trog'cent, but the atpians have shown little interest in dwarven goods. There is regular trade with Alkland, Pirtair, and the Serpent Theocracy but dwarven guilds have begun to regulate what goods or enchantments can be sold to Alkland and Pirtair out of respect for Elori.

Dwarven Legal System

Government Structure

At the head of the Dwarven Holds is the High Council: Representatives from each Hold who decide on the fate of the entire underground nation. They handle trade agreements, defense, expansion, and other high-level matters impacting the entire kingdom. Each Hold has a Council of Elders made up of the chiefs of the clans from each Hold. The Council of Elders runs the day-to-day activities and maintains the traditions and cultures of each Hold. Finally, each clan has a dedicated lawsmith, legal experts who advise the clan chiefs and Council of Elders when it comes to passing new laws or regulations. Each Hold also has Codex of Stone, a living document carved into a wall in which the laws of the Hold are written. When a law needs to be added, modified, or removed, the Council of Elders often spends months debating before coming to an agreement. Once carved into the Codex of Stone, there is often a speech and an ale-heavy celebration.

Law Enforcement

The Wardens of the Deep are the primary law enforcement across the Holds and are often called to break up bar fights and stop the smuggling of illegal ale. Clan chiefs often handle the actual punishment or dispute once a warden gets involved. The clan chief may call a trial by forge, where the accused must prove their character in their crafts. For more serious matters, the entire Hold observes the Rite of Witness, part courtroom trial and part theater. The idea is that with everyone watching, justice will be served without bias.

Dwarven Locations

• Goramkor
• Kazenrock
• Kaznew
• Snowstone
• Valogihr