Dwarven Kingdom · Mountain Realm · Forge Heartland
The Gilded Halls of Durumbar
A grand dwarven kingdom spanning the Ironhold Mountains and Stonehelm Peaks — where forge-fire never dies, clan honor is law, and the deep halls echo with hammers that have rung for a thousand years.
Ruler
King Barim Ironshield
Capital
Ironhold
Faith
Moradin the All-Father
Ranges
Ironhold Mtns · Stonehelm Peaks
Key Port
Port Stonehaven
Economy
Mining · Smithing · Gems
Kingdom of the Mountain King
The Gilded Halls of Durumbar sprawl across two vast mountain ranges on the continent of Morgath, upriver from the Fort Valiance region on the far side of the continent. Founded in an age when the first dwarven prospectors struck mithral in the Ironhold deeps, Durumbar has grown into a civilization of interconnected underground cities, fortified tunnels, and surface trade posts that together form one of Morgath's most formidable kingdoms.
Society revolves around the clan system — each clan controlling specific mines, forges, or crafting halls, functioning as both family and political unit. King Barim Ironshield rules from the obsidian throne of Ironhold, supported by the Council of Elders and a web of guilds whose standards ensure that “Durumbar-made” remains the highest praise a craftsman can receive.
But beneath the gilded facades, tensions simmer. Inter-clan rivalries test the king's patience. The richest veins grow thinner. And in the deepest shafts, miners report sounds that shouldn't be there — collapsed tunnels reopening, strange growths on the walls, and patrols that simply vanish.
The Ironhold Mountains — Heart of Durumbar
Two Mountain Ranges
Durumbar's domain stretches across two ranges, connected by fortified tunnel networks that serve as highways, trade routes, and defensive chokepoints.
The Ironhold Mountains
Western Range · Heartland
The older, deeper range — home to Ironhold, Deepdelve, and the kingdom's richest mineral deposits. Ancient volcanic activity left veins of mithral, adamantine, and gems threaded through granite and basalt. The mountains rise sharp and dark, their peaks often lost in cloud.
The Stonehelm Peaks
Eastern Range · Trade Frontier
Younger mountains with gentler slopes toward the river valleys. Port Stonehaven sits where the Stonehelm foothills meet navigable water. Stoneforge, Forgefire, and Boulderbrew cluster along the eastern flanks, closer to surface trade and the wider world of Morgath.
The Great Anvil of Stoneforge
The Hall of Ancestors — Ironhold
Key Settlements
Eight interconnected holds and cities form the beating heart of Durumbar.
Capital Citadel (Pop. ~25,000)
Ironhold
The seat of King Barim Ironshield, carved deep into the heart of the Ironhold Mountains. The Throne of the Mountain King sits in a vaulted chamber of obsidian and gold, lit by ever-burning forge-braziers. A city of tiered galleries, rune-lit avenues, and the legendary Great Forge where the kingdom’s finest arms are shaped.
Trade City (Pop. ~12,000)
Port Stonehaven
Where the Stonehelm Peaks meet the river, hill dwarves have built a cosmopolitan gateway open to all races. The Trade Council headquarters governs commerce that flows upriver to Fort Valiance and beyond. Warehouses, counting-houses, and taverns crowd the wharves.
Forge-City (Pop. ~8,000)
Stoneforge
Built around the Great Anvil, blessed by Moradin himself. The sound of hammers rings day and night as shifts of smiths produce the enchanted weapons and masterwork armor that make Durumbar’s name a byword for quality across Morgath.
Gem-City (Pop. ~5,000)
Glimmerhall
Founded where miners cracked open a geode the size of a great hall. Crystal-studded walls catch torchlight in a thousand colors. Lady Mira Gemcutter presides over artisans whose jewelry adorns nobles across the continent.
Military Fortress (Pop. ~7,000)
Shieldpoint
A fortress that has never fallen, commanding the main mountain pass into Durumbar. General Tharik Ironshield trains the kingdom’s elite warriors in its terraced drill-yards and siege-tested walls.
Mining Hold (Pop. ~6,000)
Deepdelve
The deepest shafts in Morgath, where adamantine and mithral veins thread through ancient stone. The Council of Elder Miners governs operations — and keeps a wary eye on what stirs in the lightless depths below.
Brewing Town (Pop. ~4,000)
Boulderbrew
Mayor Kelda Strongale’s domain, where underground hot springs feed the brewing vats that produce the finest ales in Morgath. The annual Brewfest draws visitors from across the continent.
Research Hold (Pop. ~3,500)
Forgefire
Built near volcanic vents and a natural coal seam, Forge Master Ulnar Flamesmith’s experimental metallurgy lab produces alloys that conventional forges cannot match — sometimes spectacularly.
Explore Durumbar
Delve deeper into the kingdom's settlements, politics, military might, and cultural traditions.
Major Settlements
Cities & Holds
Eight interconnected cities from the capital Ironhold to the experimental forges of Forgefire — each a fortress, each a marvel of dwarven engineering.
IronholdPort StonehavenStoneforgeDeepdelve
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Clans & Governance
Politics & Power
The clan system that binds Durumbar together — from King Barim’s throne to the Council of Elders, the Guild Masters, and the rivalries that simmer beneath the surface.
8 Great ClansCouncil of EldersKing BarimGuild System
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Military & Defense
Fortress Kingdom
Every hold is a fortress, every dwarf a potential warrior. The Iron Vanguard, Tunnel Runners, Forge Guard, and the unconquerable Shieldpoint.
6 Military OrdersShieldpointFortificationsThe Deep Seal
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Culture & Trade
Craft & Commerce
The Forging Festival, Brewfest, master-apprentice traditions, runecrafting, stone-singing — and the trade routes that carry dwarven goods across Morgath.
FestivalsTrade RoutesCraftsmanshipReligion
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King Barim Ironshield
King Barim Ironshield
Mountain King · Wielder of Earthbreaker · Shield of the Deep Halls
Tall for a dwarf, with a broad muscular build and a silver beard braided with mithral rings, King Barim commands respect through strategic brilliance and an iron sense of fairness. His piercing emerald-green eyes miss nothing in the council chamber or on the battlefield.
He wears a crown of mithral and gold atop masterfully crafted plate armor, a dark green cloak clasped with the Ironshield sigil at his shoulder. At his side hangs Earthbreaker, a legendary warhammer whose impacts can crack stone walls, paired with a reinforced adamantine shield said to have turned a dragon's breath.
Temperament
Strategic, fair, loyal, and innovative — balances tradition with progress
Known For
Master craftsman in his own right — personally forged his crown
Factions & Powers
The Crown of Ironshield
King Barim and the Royal Court — balancing tradition with progress, holding the clans together through force of will, strategic marriage, and the weight of the mountain throne.
Council of Elders
Eight clan representatives who advise on defense, economy, and law. Consensus is preferred, but when clans disagree, the council chambers echo with arguments that shake dust from the rafters.
The Guild Masters
Smiths, miners, jewelers, brewers, and runesmiths — the guilds ensure quality, set prices, and quietly wield more economic power than any single clan.
Trade Council of Port Stonehaven
A multi-racial governing body overseeing commerce: dwarven merchants, human factors, gnome engineers, and halfling innkeepers negotiating tariffs and trade routes.
The Forge Guard
The king’s personal elite — the finest warriors in Durumbar, wielding enchanted weapons and wearing runic mithral plate. They answer only to the throne.
Where mountain meets sky — the outer gates of the Gilded Halls
Core Challenges
The pressures testing Durumbar's unity — each one a campaign arc waiting to ignite.
Resource Exhaustion
The richest veins grow thinner with each generation. Deepdelve’s miners push ever deeper, and the Council of Elder Miners warns that some shafts have breached into territories best left sealed. Balancing extraction with sustainability tests the kingdom’s patience.
Inter-Clan Rivalries
Clan Flamesmith’s innovations threaten traditional methods. Clan Goldvein’s growing trade wealth challenges the old mining clans’ political dominance. Honor feuds, trade disputes, and simmering grudges stretch back centuries.
The Deep Threat
Something stirs in the lowest mining levels — collapsed tunnels reopen, patrols go missing, and strange fungal growths appear on the walls. Deepdelve has sealed three shafts this year alone. The Underdark presses upward.
Surface Tensions
Port Stonehaven’s cosmopolitan character clashes with mountain dwarf isolationism. Human traders demand more access to the interior holds. Elven diplomats raise uncomfortable questions about mining in ancient forest watersheds.
Adventure Seeds
Session-ready hooks for your campaign.
1
The Lost Vein
A legendary mithral seam rediscovered in a sealed-off tunnel — but the tunnel was sealed for a reason.
2
Brewfest Sabotage
Someone is poisoning Boulderbrew’s prize kegs before the festival. Follow the trail from tavern to trade war.
3
The Forge Champion’s Challenge
Enter the Forging Festival as outsiders. Survive guild politics, sabotage attempts, and forge a masterwork worthy of the title.
4
Deep Seal Breach
Shieldpoint’s sentries report sounds from behind the Deep Seal — a defensive collapse meant to be permanent. Something is digging through.
5
The Goldvein Ledger
Clan Goldvein’s trade records hide evidence of smuggling to surface enemies. Steal the ledger before the evidence disappears.
6
Stonehaven Strangers
A delegation of elven scholars arrives at Port Stonehaven requesting access to Ironhold’s deepest archives. Their real agenda is far more dangerous.
7
The Earthbreaker Prophecy
King Barim’s legendary warhammer begins resonating with an unknown frequency. The Stonekeepers say the last time it did this, a mountain fell.
8
Dragon on the Peak
A young red dragon has claimed a roost above Forgefire’s volcanic vents. Negotiate, fight, or trick it — before it discovers the coal seam.
Cartography & Table Use
Style & Palette
Warm stone greys, forge-fire oranges, deep earth browns, mithral silver highlights. Gold leaf accents on important structures.
Scale
1 hex = 10 miles surface, 2 miles underground. Ironhold to Port Stonehaven spans 4–5 hexes through the tunnel highway.
Map Symbols
Crossed hammers = forge settlement. Pickaxe = active mine. Shield = military post. Tankard = Boulderbrew. Gem = Glimmerhall.
Navigation DCs
Main tunnels DC 10, secondary shafts DC 14, abandoned works DC 17, Deep levels DC 20+ (disadvantage without a Durumbari guide).