Glorfaern

Glorfaern is a large hill dwarf city at the northwestern edge of Balconia. The name, dwarvish for "Lakehome", would lead one to believe that it was a settlement built around a lake, but as dwarves are not overly fond of water, the mere fact that they are near the lakes of Balconia makes them think that they have an affinity to the water. They survive by trading quartz and topaz, as well as iron, for important goods.

Trade - topaz, quartz, wooden crafts, iron for foodstuffs, clothes. The surrounding farmlands provide most of the food for the town. Dwarven ale is also popular and exported around the continent. Torvoss (wild hills) is the local variant, a heavily hopped pale ale. Ale brewed by the Hopmaster is exclusively for citizens of Glorfærn at holy festivals.

Political structure - representatives on the council come from the main groups of power. The predominance of clerics gives it the appearance of a theocracy. 23 seats in all. Decisions and laws are passed with a simple majority, though decisions of war have to be made with a 2/3rds majority. Laws are etched in stone, in a cavern in the Main Hall known as the Dor-Caurak. Phrase about laws - “so it is carved in the Dor-Caurak”


 * 5 seats, one for each of the main clans of Glorfaern
 * 2 seats for the high priests of the Couple.
 * 1 seat for the priest of Hanseath, the Hopmaster.
 * 1 seat for the Quartzmaster, the high priest of Dumathoin.
 * 2 seats for the two warmasters.
 * 1 seat for the Chief ambassador, the Mistress of Trails.
 * 1 seat for the Dorhamar, high priest of the Hall of Coin
 * 1 seat for the high priestess of Sharindlar, head of the Hall of Life (hospital)
 * 1 seat for the Dor-Xothor, the Chief Librarian and High Priest of Dugmaren.
 * 1 seat for the Oldor, high wizard of the academy
 * 1 seat for the Dor-Barakor, captain of the guards
 * 5 seats for the Builders’ Guild.
 * 1 seat for the Chief Bureaucrat.

Five Main Clans of Glorfaern -

Kegforged - Nuldar Kegforged was a Warmaster who fell in the last orc war.

Goldbrewer - many intellectuals in this family. The famous writer Mandock Goldbrewer added much prestige to the family name. The Dor-Xothor and Chief Librarian, Thakhamli Goldbrewer, has also written some popular histories of Balconia and Glorfaern.

Deephelm - family tracing back to the founding couple of the city

Flatgranite - a peasant family that rose to prominence through their resourcefulness. Their name probably has local origins, whereas most of the other clans have deeper roots. Strong matriarchy.

Lavahand - an old family that is a bit in decline. Throwhilde is the high priestess of Muamman Duathal and her brother, Thothud, is the treasurer of the Builders' Guild.

Districts of Glorfaern -

The city has three main districts: The Forges (near the two entrances and the location of the Builder’s Guild), the New District (so called due to being razed in the last Orc-Dwarf war - was previously the Topaz District), and the Temple District.

Temples -

Main temple to The Couple (Moradin & Berronar), gods of Mining, Smithcraft, Stonework, Guardians, Hearth, Home, Families - Clerics are known as Sonnlinor and Faenor (“those of the home”)

Beer Hall of Hanseath - A large beer hall where many public gatherings are held (there is a large outdoor clearing, the Ultok, just outside as well. There is an annex for the study of music, which is also part of Hanseath’s sphere of influence. The primary instruments studied here are voice and the vrudenia. Elvish and Sveltish musics are looked upon as inferior, and the music of the morikar is completely foreign. Clerics known as Brewmasters. The high priest is the Hopmaster.

Temple to Dumathoin, God of Mining, Gems, The Underground - Clerics known as talhund “hidden gifts”. The high priests’ title is Quartzmaster. Located just outside the main mine of Glorfaern.

Hall of the Warmasters, Temple to Clangeddin Silverbeard, god of war and valor - Clerics are known as alaghor ("Those who demonstrate valor in battle"). There is an annex temple to Haela Brightaxe, goddess of luck and battle. Her clerics are known as kaxanar "bloodmaidens".

Ambassadorial Temple to Muamman Duathal - God of Storms, Travel - clerics known as volamtar ("blazers of fresh trails"). High Priestess is known as the Mistress of Trails.

Next to Embassy is the Hall of Coin, Temple of Vergadain, god of trade, merchants, wealth and luck. Clerics are known as hurndor, or "those who trade". High Priest is known as the Dorhamar, “the Hammer Lord”.

The Life Hall is the hospital and temple to Sharindlar, goddess of love, healing, fertility, midwives. Clerics are known as thalornor, of "those who are merciful".

The Halls of Knowledge house the Academy of Magic and the library of Dugmaren Brightmantle, god Scholarship, Invention and Discovery. Dugmaren’s clerics are known as xothor, "those who seek knowledge". The high priest is the Dor-Xothor. Thautam is the patron god of the Academy, but there isn’t a temple to him in Glorfaern. The head wizard is known as the Oldor, “Lord of Magic”.

No temple to Gorm Gulthyn, but the guards are followers and there is a small chapel to him in the inner gate. The leaders of the guards are clerics to Gorm Gulthyn, known as barakor, “those who shield”. The Captain of the Guards is the Dor-Barakor.

Other main buildings -


 * The Builders’ Guild - a powerful guild in charge of all maintenance, waste-removal, renovation and building of the city.
 * The Main Hall - housed in the hill known as Grohtglorrin, “Lake of Stone”. Here the laws are written and the bureaucrats do their work. The Council meets here for their weekly meets. The jail is also located here.
 * Thoduk’s Forge - weapon shop, run by Thoduk Longbow.
 * Market - open market with food and goods from all of Elendar. Many non-dwarves are to be found here. Run by Loniwynn Deephelm (female).
 * Thikkestr’s Shop  - shop for supplies and some foodstuffs, run by Thikkestr Bottlebrow (female).
 * Rastrela’s Armory - shop for heavy armor run by Rastrela Warmjaw (female).
 * The Bindery - bookbinding shop in the Temple District run by Kranmir Orefury

Festivals -

The most important festival in Glorfaern is the Festival of the Detestation of Gruumsh, held during the 2nd asildtharm of Levex. It celebrates the anniversary of the conquest of the orc city of Nagrand which occupied the space where Glorfaern stands today. The festival lasts a week and culminates in the melting of a silver statue of Gruumsh into a toilet. In the week of the festival, adults dressed as orcs wander through the city, frightening children. Children celebrate the festival by staging mock-battles where they defeat orcs.

History

401 - The Foundation War - Glorfaern was previously an orc town, Nagrand. Dwarves from the mountains of Lon on a pilgrimage led by Duril and Damolyn Deephelm went to war and defeated the orcs, settling the town of Glorfaern.

2613 - Beholder-Goblin War - miners broke through to discover a deep vein of iron, but also uncovered a goblin city in the Karstlands. A war broke out, which the dwarves of Glorfaern won. It turned out that the goblins were ruled by a beholder named Xao Yotl, who was eventually slain by the dwarves, led by Dalozir Minebrow, who was disintegrated by Xao Yotl as he killed him.

2837 - Last Orc-Dwarf War - The most recent all-out war against the orcs of the Kazaht Wastes.

2849 - Thotud Minebrow becomes the new Oldor of Glorfaern, rather than Dusseas Wraithmane. Minebrow and his brother were rivals of the were Wraithmane trained his son, Godroir Wraithmane, to become a powerful necromancer and get revenge.

Famous citizens of Glorfaern -


 * Mandock Goldbrewer (1954 - 2330) - Famous novelist and poet. Famous works include The Trials of Thalmear Twilighthelm, a series of novels about a (fictional) dwarven hero of Dzad-Gar in the Old Order, and The Hornfels and Magmatic Matrix, two poem cycles.
 * Hamror Longheart (1632-1987) - famous historian of the Dragon Wars. Best known for his Dragon Chronicles, an account of the wars from a dwarven perspective.
 * Flint Shatterback (2005-2314), Famous axe builder, built the famous axe Brane, used by Dalozir Minebrow to kill Xao Yotl.
 * Dalozir Minebrow (2386 - 2613) Warrior who led the Glorfaernian army in the war against the goblin army of Xao Yotl. Died by a disintegration ray as he sliced him through the eye with Brane. One of the statues at the entrance to Glorfaern is a statue of Dalozir with Brane.
 * Nuldrar Kegforged (2603-2837) - was a the warmaster in the last Orc-Dwarf war, killed leading a charge out of the main gate in the final battle where the orcs were hemmed in on all sides. There is a statue to him in the the Forges.
 * Duril (245-595) and Damolyn (226-578) Deephelm, city founders. On a religious pilgrimage.

Important NPCs


 * Lossem Jaderock, a common soldier traveling with the Embassy. The nephew of Skoval Jaderock, a member of the Ruling Council and a prominent member of the Builders' Guild.
 * Bakrin Lavahand, Head of the Fourth Column of the Traveling Embassy. His grandmother is the Mistress of Trails, Throwhilde Lavahand, the high priestess of Muamman Duathal. Innocent of his grandmother's intentions, he has been tasked with finding the basilisk.
 * Astik Alebelly, another common soldier traveling with the Embassy. Somewhat unintelligent and cruel
 * Throwhilde Lavahand, the high priestess of Muamman Duathal and ambassador. She was actually murdered months ago and replaced by Nasira Gicathesh, a Farrakian morikar from Saras-Kal warlock working to destabilize the region.
 * Skoval Jaderock, a down to earth working-class politician and leader, he sits on the Ruling Council as a representative of the Builders' Guild. He isn't as religious as others and is suspicious of magic and religion. Not an ally of either the Lavahands or the Minebrows.
 * Godroir Wraithmane, (pronounced Go-drawer) a necromancer who has a pariah role at the Academy. His father, Dusseas Wraithmane, was passed over as Oldor of the Academy in favor of Thothud Minebrow. There has been a family rivalry ever since. Thothud may have intentionally burned up the basilisk who turned Godroir to stone to prevent his being brought back. Throwhilde Lavahand had his petrified body returned to her and has been trying to recruit people to hunt a basilisk to help restore Godroir.
 * Thadron Grumblegrip, young mage assistant to Godroir Wraithmane. Can use the basilisk oil to restore Godroir. Pointy beard.
 * Hamror Kegforged, Jailkeeper
 * Hefram Deepmail, guard at jail
 * Thamdat Grimbow, guard at jail
 * Bharnig Bronzebraid, bartender at the Hall of Hanseath

Population ca. 12632