Post by DM on Jun 15, 2018 11:43:54 GMT
Iltkazar's Situation and Azral's position.
So you have the right information I'll share some important facts, theres a lot here unfortnately but I know you ike reading!!
DEEP SHANATAR (Upper Old Shanatar)
Founded in –8100 DR by the eight sons of Taark Shanat the Crusader, Deep Shanatar is to dwarves what Cormanthor is to surface elves.
ILTKAZAR, THE MITHRAL KINGDOM
the last dwarf kingdom of Shanatar.
King Mith Barak (LG male great wyrm silver dragon) rules the Mithral Kingdom in the illusory guise of a shield dwarf.
An ancient library in Iltkazar preserves much lore from the lost kingdoms of High Shanatar and Deep Shanatar.
The Reclamation of Shanatar began in the Year of the Gauntlet (1369 DR) when gold dwarves from the Great Rift and gray dwarves from Dunspeirrin marched separately on the caverns of Shanatar, intent on restoring Shanatar to its former glory.
Both the Army of Steel and the Army of Gold claim to have initiated the “crusade,” thereby provoking the other to launch a similar venture.
A powerful and elusive red dragon, a vampire priestess of Beshaba striking from a cahedral to the godess, and the usual greenskins surround Iltkazar on all sides and continuously plot to bring it down.
The gold dwarves have allied themselves with a colony of spellweavers
The gray dwarves have forged an alliance with a small group of beholder outcasts from Ilt’Zokir.
Extending for hundreds of miles beneath Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan, Old Shanatar was once home to the powerful dwarven realm of Deep Shanatar. Only one of Deep Shanatar’s eight kingdoms still stands today; the others have fallen to drow, mind flayers, and duergar.
The mighty realm of Shield Dwarves that lies beneath Calimshan, Tethyr and The Deepwash consisted of eight smaller kingdoms once united by the once lost, now refound Wyrmskull Throne.
Only Iltkazar still stands, evil underdark races have destroyed or plundered the rest. Most of the dwarven realms of the Sword Coast sprang up as colonies from this realm which outlives nearly all of them. They are now part of the "Bringing Home".
Surrounded by hostile neighbours, the shield dwarves of Iltkazar control little more than the city itself and its immediate surroundings under the Omlarandin Mountains in Tethyr.
Unlike other underdark nations, Iltkazar has many tunnels to the surface, most connecting to old and carefully guarded dwarven ruins.
Runecasters, warriors and clerics guard the mithral doors that allow access to their city but this does not stop constant tunnelling efforts of the evil races and skirmishes take place on a regular basis in the cities more remote tunnels.
A shadow of its former self, Iltkazar is a quiet city-state of scholars defended by an army of elite soldiers.
The dwarves that travel from the remnants of the 8 other realms to see the reclaimed throne are deep in furious debate about the resettling of Shanatar and the "Bringing Home" a movement to recall the old settlements back to behind the mithril doors.
Azral has stopped many fights during these heated arguments.
All the dwarven leaders are constantly arguing about how and when and who gets what. Most move to replace King Mith who still sleeps, now decades overdue.
The dark races know of the dwarves rebuilding their kingdom, and move to stop it.
Attacks have trippled, beholders help tunnel the caves to allow forces of duergar to infiltrate. The black dragon Esalder had replaced one of the high council and had been impersonating him for months until he mysteriously vanished one day.
It is still unclear to what extent his spying influenced the council.
ILTKAZARAN ATTITUDES
Iltkazarn society respect one’s elders, adhere to tradition, revere for the wonders of ancient Shanatar, and an abiding suspicion of all things external.
Iltkazar’s residents hide their xenophobic tendencies beneath a mantle of respectful interaction.
The pervasive belief is that the world of the past was better than the present, and that progress masks a slide into decadence.
Fully 80% of the population of the Mithral Kingdom is shield dwarves, drawn mainly from Iltkazar’s traditional clans.
Iltkazar’s shield dwarves are generally well educated, literate, and well spoken.
Most are skilled engineers and dedicated preservationists.
DEFENDERS
Iltkazar’s standing army numbers fourteen hundred troops and another one hundred twenty officers.
The ranking Lord Protector serves as the city’s war leader.
As the city is essentially a fortified redoubt, 360 troops and fifty-four priests of Gorm guard the gates, with 120 soldiers and eighteen officers on duty at all times.
An additional 108 troops and twenty-seven priests of Gorm guard the city’s waterways, with thirtysix soldiers and nine officers on duty at all times.
Bands of thirty soldiers and three officers (at least one of which is a priest of Gorm) patrol the tunnels of the Kazardaern.
Six such patrols scour the Underdark at any given time.
The remaining troops serve as city militia. This duty is considered easy, given that crime is nearly nonexistent.
On rare occasions when a merchant caravan heads out into the Underdark or to the surface, a patrol of sixty or more dwarven warriors and six or more officers (at least two of which are priests of Gorm) escorts the caravan.
CLAIMANT TO THE THRONE
Clan Ghalmrin, who found the throne, offered the Wyrmskull Throne to the first dwarf who proves he is worthy to rule and promises to restore the ancient kingdom of Shanatar.
Dozens of hopeful aspirants from gold, shield, and even gray dwarf clans have flocked to meet the current throne-keeper, Bapar Ghalmrin and prove their worthiness—usually through impressive displays of gold, military might, and physical prowess.
Bapar holds most of the cards at the various debates because of his clan's finding of the throne and subsequent ownership of it.
Some beleive they cannot own it and that it belongs to all dwarves, others recognise their claim.
Clan Ghalmrin’s bold call to action may just be powerful enough to bring about a great change for all dwarves in the South.
It was these dwarves who were your contact upon reaching the surface and it was them who provided you with knowledge about the old Shantar that rests beneath the Cloudspire Mountains.
They told you of the bard Coren Lyrefast and his palace and the portal used by Coren’s visitors leading to Gottenhall which is a remnant of the Southern Reaches of the old dwarven empire of Old Shanatar, the Xothaerin Holds.
It was Azral's efforts that brought the throne back to Iltkazar and it sits empty and now only missing two sceptres - see below for the throne's history.
THE SLEEPING KING
In the thirteen centuries since his coronation, the Mithral Shield has reigned justly and mercifully, although not without interruption.
For seventy-five years out of every hundred, the Mithral Shield sits upon his throne and appears to become a solid statue of mithral, unmoving for a period known as the Great Sleep.
All attempts to contact him during this time fail. Yet, as regularly as a Neverwintan water clock, King Mith awakens after exactly seventy-five years to reassume rulership for twenty-five more years before his next Great Sleep.
In the interim, the Regency Council of Iltkazar firmly maintains the status quo. Composed of clan elders, high-ranking priests, and other recognized city authorities, including Azral and the vassals of the other dwarfclans.
Since that time, the Regency Council has become institutionalized. Councilors convene at the beginning of each Great Sleep, to shepherd the city until the king reawakens. The Council does not undertake new ventures, instead carefully interpreting and strictly obeying King Mith’s edicts until his next awakening.
This pattern of rulership and regency has led to centuries of stagnation, despite King Mith’s wise rule during his years of wakefulness.
Mith spends most those years revitalizing Iltkazar to its level before the last Great Sleep. As such, Iltkazar remains largely as it was thirteen centuries ago, concerned more with preserving the past than building the future. Its ties to the outside world slowly wither.
The Mithral Shield was due to have emerged from his most recent Great Sleep on Midwinter’s Eve in the Year of the Shield (1367 DR).
Members of the Regency Council, faithful stewards of their king’s edicts, are paralyzed with indecision; the kingdom’s orderly traditions are unraveling in the relative power vacuum.
Speculation as to the reason behind the Sleeping King’s extended hibernation ranges from the chaos of the Time of Troubles to an Alimir Hive trick to Guallidurth poisons.
The regular folk of Iltkazar do not know that their slumbering monarch is in fact a great silver wyrm, they might be shocked.
REGENT COUNCIL
Deep Shanavant Bettargh Riftsong (NG male dwarf P13 of Dugmaren)
High Omlar Turbaern Ghalmrin (LN male dwarf P10 of Dumathoin)
Bronze Bulwark Dunnabar Stoneshoulder (LG male dwarf P14 of Gorm)
Sacred Truesilver Miira Diamondblade (LG female dwarf P9 of Berronar)
High Soulsmith Anthan Diamondblade (LG male dwarf P9 of Moradin)
In addition, there are about a dozen vassals from the colonies.
Azral certainly has his hands full.
Turbaern has recently brought up the "Cauldron" a lost Deep Spawn breeding ground of the Duergar. Deep Spawn can constantly create monsters that added to the duergar's armies during the Clan Wars nearly giving them victory.
Azral remembers his fight with the Spawn Balor and the soulless eyes of those duergar soldiers spawned by the Cauldron.
THE SCEPTRES & THRONE
The Barakuir/Holorarar Scepter – Laduguer – King Olorn Ridaugaur of The Underspires.
This is the most difficult to handle as it belongs to the grey dwarves who were once part of Shanatar and they still have it.
The Drakkalor Sceptor – Abbathor - Charvekannathor the Scarlet, a venerable red dragon in the Kuldin peaks.
A quest in underway to recover it.
Recovered Scepters
The Korolnor Scepter – Diinkarazan (An imprisoned Derro God) - The sceptre in the Iron Lord's keeping recovered by the Fated Heart
The Sondarr Scepter – Vergadain
The Torglor Scepter – Diirinka (Diinkarazan’s brother and banished dwarven god of magic)
The Ultoksamrin Scepter – Dumathoin
The Xothaerin Scepter – Sharindlar
The Scepter of High Shanatar – Thard Harr
The Iltkazar Scepter – Clangeddin Silverbeard
AIDING EARTHFAST
At least seven hundred soldiers would be needed to bolster the defences and drive back the invaders.
This would leave some areas of Iltkazar thinly defended.
It would take months to march there and back.
Another force would be needed to track down the greenskin's lairs and leaders, perhaps adventurers.
Depending on how much Esalder knew, a reduction in Iltkazar's army and thinner defences would leave Iltkazar in a precarious position whilst they were in the Earthfasts.
So you have the right information I'll share some important facts, theres a lot here unfortnately but I know you ike reading!!
DEEP SHANATAR (Upper Old Shanatar)
Founded in –8100 DR by the eight sons of Taark Shanat the Crusader, Deep Shanatar is to dwarves what Cormanthor is to surface elves.
ILTKAZAR, THE MITHRAL KINGDOM
the last dwarf kingdom of Shanatar.
King Mith Barak (LG male great wyrm silver dragon) rules the Mithral Kingdom in the illusory guise of a shield dwarf.
An ancient library in Iltkazar preserves much lore from the lost kingdoms of High Shanatar and Deep Shanatar.
The Reclamation of Shanatar began in the Year of the Gauntlet (1369 DR) when gold dwarves from the Great Rift and gray dwarves from Dunspeirrin marched separately on the caverns of Shanatar, intent on restoring Shanatar to its former glory.
Both the Army of Steel and the Army of Gold claim to have initiated the “crusade,” thereby provoking the other to launch a similar venture.
A powerful and elusive red dragon, a vampire priestess of Beshaba striking from a cahedral to the godess, and the usual greenskins surround Iltkazar on all sides and continuously plot to bring it down.
The gold dwarves have allied themselves with a colony of spellweavers
The gray dwarves have forged an alliance with a small group of beholder outcasts from Ilt’Zokir.
Extending for hundreds of miles beneath Amn, Tethyr, and Calimshan, Old Shanatar was once home to the powerful dwarven realm of Deep Shanatar. Only one of Deep Shanatar’s eight kingdoms still stands today; the others have fallen to drow, mind flayers, and duergar.
The mighty realm of Shield Dwarves that lies beneath Calimshan, Tethyr and The Deepwash consisted of eight smaller kingdoms once united by the once lost, now refound Wyrmskull Throne.
Only Iltkazar still stands, evil underdark races have destroyed or plundered the rest. Most of the dwarven realms of the Sword Coast sprang up as colonies from this realm which outlives nearly all of them. They are now part of the "Bringing Home".
Surrounded by hostile neighbours, the shield dwarves of Iltkazar control little more than the city itself and its immediate surroundings under the Omlarandin Mountains in Tethyr.
Unlike other underdark nations, Iltkazar has many tunnels to the surface, most connecting to old and carefully guarded dwarven ruins.
Runecasters, warriors and clerics guard the mithral doors that allow access to their city but this does not stop constant tunnelling efforts of the evil races and skirmishes take place on a regular basis in the cities more remote tunnels.
A shadow of its former self, Iltkazar is a quiet city-state of scholars defended by an army of elite soldiers.
The dwarves that travel from the remnants of the 8 other realms to see the reclaimed throne are deep in furious debate about the resettling of Shanatar and the "Bringing Home" a movement to recall the old settlements back to behind the mithril doors.
Azral has stopped many fights during these heated arguments.
All the dwarven leaders are constantly arguing about how and when and who gets what. Most move to replace King Mith who still sleeps, now decades overdue.
The dark races know of the dwarves rebuilding their kingdom, and move to stop it.
Attacks have trippled, beholders help tunnel the caves to allow forces of duergar to infiltrate. The black dragon Esalder had replaced one of the high council and had been impersonating him for months until he mysteriously vanished one day.
It is still unclear to what extent his spying influenced the council.
ILTKAZARAN ATTITUDES
Iltkazarn society respect one’s elders, adhere to tradition, revere for the wonders of ancient Shanatar, and an abiding suspicion of all things external.
Iltkazar’s residents hide their xenophobic tendencies beneath a mantle of respectful interaction.
The pervasive belief is that the world of the past was better than the present, and that progress masks a slide into decadence.
Fully 80% of the population of the Mithral Kingdom is shield dwarves, drawn mainly from Iltkazar’s traditional clans.
Iltkazar’s shield dwarves are generally well educated, literate, and well spoken.
Most are skilled engineers and dedicated preservationists.
DEFENDERS
Iltkazar’s standing army numbers fourteen hundred troops and another one hundred twenty officers.
The ranking Lord Protector serves as the city’s war leader.
As the city is essentially a fortified redoubt, 360 troops and fifty-four priests of Gorm guard the gates, with 120 soldiers and eighteen officers on duty at all times.
An additional 108 troops and twenty-seven priests of Gorm guard the city’s waterways, with thirtysix soldiers and nine officers on duty at all times.
Bands of thirty soldiers and three officers (at least one of which is a priest of Gorm) patrol the tunnels of the Kazardaern.
Six such patrols scour the Underdark at any given time.
The remaining troops serve as city militia. This duty is considered easy, given that crime is nearly nonexistent.
On rare occasions when a merchant caravan heads out into the Underdark or to the surface, a patrol of sixty or more dwarven warriors and six or more officers (at least two of which are priests of Gorm) escorts the caravan.
CLAIMANT TO THE THRONE
Clan Ghalmrin, who found the throne, offered the Wyrmskull Throne to the first dwarf who proves he is worthy to rule and promises to restore the ancient kingdom of Shanatar.
Dozens of hopeful aspirants from gold, shield, and even gray dwarf clans have flocked to meet the current throne-keeper, Bapar Ghalmrin and prove their worthiness—usually through impressive displays of gold, military might, and physical prowess.
Bapar holds most of the cards at the various debates because of his clan's finding of the throne and subsequent ownership of it.
Some beleive they cannot own it and that it belongs to all dwarves, others recognise their claim.
Clan Ghalmrin’s bold call to action may just be powerful enough to bring about a great change for all dwarves in the South.
It was these dwarves who were your contact upon reaching the surface and it was them who provided you with knowledge about the old Shantar that rests beneath the Cloudspire Mountains.
They told you of the bard Coren Lyrefast and his palace and the portal used by Coren’s visitors leading to Gottenhall which is a remnant of the Southern Reaches of the old dwarven empire of Old Shanatar, the Xothaerin Holds.
It was Azral's efforts that brought the throne back to Iltkazar and it sits empty and now only missing two sceptres - see below for the throne's history.
THE SLEEPING KING
In the thirteen centuries since his coronation, the Mithral Shield has reigned justly and mercifully, although not without interruption.
For seventy-five years out of every hundred, the Mithral Shield sits upon his throne and appears to become a solid statue of mithral, unmoving for a period known as the Great Sleep.
All attempts to contact him during this time fail. Yet, as regularly as a Neverwintan water clock, King Mith awakens after exactly seventy-five years to reassume rulership for twenty-five more years before his next Great Sleep.
In the interim, the Regency Council of Iltkazar firmly maintains the status quo. Composed of clan elders, high-ranking priests, and other recognized city authorities, including Azral and the vassals of the other dwarfclans.
Since that time, the Regency Council has become institutionalized. Councilors convene at the beginning of each Great Sleep, to shepherd the city until the king reawakens. The Council does not undertake new ventures, instead carefully interpreting and strictly obeying King Mith’s edicts until his next awakening.
This pattern of rulership and regency has led to centuries of stagnation, despite King Mith’s wise rule during his years of wakefulness.
Mith spends most those years revitalizing Iltkazar to its level before the last Great Sleep. As such, Iltkazar remains largely as it was thirteen centuries ago, concerned more with preserving the past than building the future. Its ties to the outside world slowly wither.
The Mithral Shield was due to have emerged from his most recent Great Sleep on Midwinter’s Eve in the Year of the Shield (1367 DR).
Members of the Regency Council, faithful stewards of their king’s edicts, are paralyzed with indecision; the kingdom’s orderly traditions are unraveling in the relative power vacuum.
Speculation as to the reason behind the Sleeping King’s extended hibernation ranges from the chaos of the Time of Troubles to an Alimir Hive trick to Guallidurth poisons.
The regular folk of Iltkazar do not know that their slumbering monarch is in fact a great silver wyrm, they might be shocked.
REGENT COUNCIL
Deep Shanavant Bettargh Riftsong (NG male dwarf P13 of Dugmaren)
High Omlar Turbaern Ghalmrin (LN male dwarf P10 of Dumathoin)
Bronze Bulwark Dunnabar Stoneshoulder (LG male dwarf P14 of Gorm)
Sacred Truesilver Miira Diamondblade (LG female dwarf P9 of Berronar)
High Soulsmith Anthan Diamondblade (LG male dwarf P9 of Moradin)
In addition, there are about a dozen vassals from the colonies.
Azral certainly has his hands full.
Turbaern has recently brought up the "Cauldron" a lost Deep Spawn breeding ground of the Duergar. Deep Spawn can constantly create monsters that added to the duergar's armies during the Clan Wars nearly giving them victory.
Azral remembers his fight with the Spawn Balor and the soulless eyes of those duergar soldiers spawned by the Cauldron.
THE SCEPTRES & THRONE
The Barakuir/Holorarar Scepter – Laduguer – King Olorn Ridaugaur of The Underspires.
This is the most difficult to handle as it belongs to the grey dwarves who were once part of Shanatar and they still have it.
The Drakkalor Sceptor – Abbathor - Charvekannathor the Scarlet, a venerable red dragon in the Kuldin peaks.
A quest in underway to recover it.
Recovered Scepters
The Korolnor Scepter – Diinkarazan (An imprisoned Derro God) - The sceptre in the Iron Lord's keeping recovered by the Fated Heart
The Sondarr Scepter – Vergadain
The Torglor Scepter – Diirinka (Diinkarazan’s brother and banished dwarven god of magic)
The Ultoksamrin Scepter – Dumathoin
The Xothaerin Scepter – Sharindlar
The Scepter of High Shanatar – Thard Harr
The Iltkazar Scepter – Clangeddin Silverbeard
AIDING EARTHFAST
At least seven hundred soldiers would be needed to bolster the defences and drive back the invaders.
This would leave some areas of Iltkazar thinly defended.
It would take months to march there and back.
Another force would be needed to track down the greenskin's lairs and leaders, perhaps adventurers.
Depending on how much Esalder knew, a reduction in Iltkazar's army and thinner defences would leave Iltkazar in a precarious position whilst they were in the Earthfasts.