Stoneforge Cavern

Barely remembered legends of early mannkind refer to the Stoneforge as the founding stones of the modern Hrothi, created out of the rock itself. Deep within the caverns, a calming and peaceful aura surrounds a natural boulder set under a shaft of crystal-light, where the founding is believed to have taken place.

Nowadays, the boulder is little more than a backdrop to the blacksmiths plying their crafting, hammers pinging on steel slabs shaping all manner of items, with once shiny polished and now worn and forgotten statues watching down protectively surrounding the great chamber. Vast stone-built columns rise through the main caverns, with long tunnels carved through the stone where once ancient rivers flowed through the motherstone both to prop up the ceiling, as well as convenient trunks for smaller buildings to twist round and cling to.

The Kypiq, although disliked and mistrusted, have been given a small quarter to make their own. Regular patrols pass through, eyeing their little neighbours with suspicion, scanning their belts and pouches expecting to see things that do not belong. Only the Hrothi, and their trusted Brudvir and Neran friends are permitted to carry weapons within the city-delve proper.

The Neran and Brudvir are regularly seen walking through the markets, and into the Inns; despite the guard’s encouragement to keep the Brudvir out of the various drinking holes, they seem to have both a desire to consume alcohol, yet a very low resistance to its intoxicating effect. The drunk tanks are nearly always seen with several Brudvir stretched out sleeping off the effects of the night before. All other visitors having to hand over their sidearms and other items of an obvious hostile nature to the guardhouse. Smells wafting through the city tunnels provide both sweet temptations from the numerous bakeries, converting the hill grains into cakes and pastries contrasting against the sooty forges and sweat beading off the blacksmiths and crafters – residents quickly learning to appreciate the more pleasant odours but not breathing too deep as the tunnel breeze can change fast; a smile of delight often quickly becomes a grimace!

Due to the volatility of some industries, there are several relegated to the surface – despite their protestations, the tanners are one of those which stinks beyond reason! The animal stables became a natural home for them, being close by to both the hides, and their essential curing ingredients.

In the early eras, this was the home of the great Laird Earthwarden. Now, the Earthwarden line is much diminished, having forgotten their ancestral heritage, yet should they delve deep enough into the history almost within their view. Shamstone now walks these halls, greeting noble and peasant alike, much beloved of his people; when on the surface outside of the protection of the delve, his eyes never straying too far from the southern horizon. Rumours of a new power rising in the lesserlands carry on the lips of the skinny twisted traders that travel up selling their cheap inferior wares.

The odd Dras and Waerd that travel up with goods set up their pitches outside the cavern entrances as they are usually declined access inside – a lower sprawling cluster of buildings sit above the land. These homes are typically filled with the Neran and Brudvir, and a handful of traveling merchants that cannot adapt to the darkness of the caves, and long for sunlight. The occasional half-Hrothi scampers about; these crossbreeds are treated with great contempt, and may take many years before they are accepted in society, let alone given positions of influence and control – they are even more poorly considered than the Kypiq who have been visiting Stoneforge Caverns for many generations.

Work has already started to erect a new level of fortifications around The Stoneforge Hills in preparation of what may soon come to pass. Tall and thick stone walls with great towers now stand part-built throughout the hillscape, with a mass of workers striving to push these up as fast as is safe to do. The odd artillery piece sits nearby, waiting for predetermined wall sections to be inspected before they can be installed.

A short distance in front of the building fortifications, several Brudvir are swinging their axes at the pine trees opening up swathes of land for both farming and improving the distance that approaching mann can be spotted.

A glowing banner is now fluttering from a new gatehouse – that of Vaizer, our Emperor. For this is a loyal delve!