Ironhold - The Mountain Fortress

Distance from Khemset: 6 days north through mountain passes
Population: ~1,800 (40% Dwarf, 30% Goliath, 20% Human, 8% Minotaur, 2% Other)
Government: Council of Forge-Masters led by the Iron Thane

Overview

Ironhold is a militaristic mining society built into a mountain face with multiple defensive levels. The Great Forge burns continuously, visible for miles, and the city produces the finest weapons and armor in the known world. A small but significant population of minotaurs work the deepest mines.

Culture & Society

Strength and craftsmanship determine status in Ironhold. The Council of Forge-Masters governs through demonstrated skill, and every citizen contributes to the city's defensive capabilities. Military discipline pervades daily life, but strong clan traditions provide social bonds.

Notable Features

• The Great Forge: Massive smithy that burns continuously, powered by underground vents
• The Deep Mines: Extensive tunnel system where minotaurs extract rare metals
• The Iron Gates: Massive defensive entrance carved from living rock
• The Weapon Halls: Arsenal containing the city's legendary armaments

Trade Specialties

• Superior Weapons: Masterwork blades and axes that never dull
• Heavy Armor: Plate mail that can turn aside dragon claws
• Raw Metals: Iron, steel, and rare alloys from deep mines
• Defensive Fortifications: Engineering expertise for walls and gates

Key NPCs

Iron Thane Thorgar Mountainbreaker

Race: Dwarf | Role: Military leader and city ruler

Veteran of countless battles with scars covering his arms and face. Commands absolute respect through proven leadership and personal combat prowess. His war hammer has never known defeat.

Wants: To forge an alliance of mountain cities against desert raiders.

Forge-Master Gilda Truetemper

Race: Dwarf | Role: Master weaponsmith and council member

Perfectionist who creates legendary weapons, demanding absolute precision from apprentices. Her forge produces items that become family heirlooms for generations.

Wants: To create the perfect blade using metal from the deepest mines.

Minotaur Chief Asterion Ironhorn

Race: Minotaur | Role: Leader of the mining crews

Speaks little but commands absolute respect from both minotaurs and other races. His knowledge of the deep tunnels is unmatched, and miners follow his lead without question.

Wants: To find the legendary Deepsteel veins that his ancestors spoke of in ancient songs.

Tavern Tales from The Hammer & Anvil

The Singing Sword (Direct Lead)

A legendary blade called Dawnbreaker was lost in the Screaming Caverns. Thorgar Mountainbreaker offers his own masterwork axe to whoever retrieves it.

Lead: The sword is guarded by a banshee in the deepest part of the caverns, accessible only during the full moon.

The Cold Forge (Direct Lead)

Gilda Truetemper's masterwork forge has gone cold and won't relight. She suspects sabotage and offers a custom weapon to whoever solves it.

Lead: A frost salamander has made its nest in the forge's heart, drawn by the magical flames.

The Minotaur Rebellion (Clue)

Some minotaurs in the deep mines have stopped working and are gathering in secret. Asterion Ironhorn seems worried but won't explain why.

Clue: The minotaurs have discovered something ancient in the deepest shafts that's calling to them.

Adventure Opportunities

• Retrieve the legendary Dawnbreaker sword from the Screaming Caverns
• Investigate the frost salamander in Gilda's forge
• Discover what the minotaurs found in the deep mines
• Escort valuable metal shipments through dangerous mountain passes
• Negotiate mining rights with rival mountain settlements