Khundrukar

In the centuries before the Last War, the dwarven clans of Khundrukar were locked in endless feuds. This division kept the clans from uniting, and the dwarves were forced to swear fealty to The Verdant Realm. Over the centuries, they turned their energies to harnessing the astonishing natural resources of their mountain home. The dwarves were then reborn as merchant lords.

In the early days of the Last War, Khundrukin miners made an astonishing discovery: the ruins of an ancient dwarven empire, vast halls deep within the Dragonridge Mountains. Explorers uncovered mines still brimming with jewels and precious ores and vaults filled with riches and powerful artifacts. The Khundrukin restored these ancient fortresses and worked to reclaim the secrets of their ancestors. Seeing the untapped potential of the Realm Below and the broken Kingdom of The Verdant Realm, the clan lords joined together to form the Iron Council and to declare the independence and sovereignty of Khundrukar.

One question remained: What had become of the ancient dwarves? The answer soon became apparent. As the Khundrukin delved deeper into the Realm Below, they woke an ancient evil: Dyrrn the Corruptor, a daelkyr lord of madness. Hordes of aberrations and derro rose from the depths to challenge the explorers. For decades, the lords of Khundrukar have been fighting a battle in the depths, struggling to drive the darkness from their ancestral halls. Many dwarves revile anything to do with the daelkyr. Others believe that the daelkyr can grant the Khundrukin the power to overcome any enemy. Some clans have taken up symbionts and living weapons recovered from the depths, and cabals of warlocks draw on the power of the Plane of Xoriat.

Khundrukar consists of a loose confederation. Twelve noble clans each govern a hold and have a representative on the Iron Council, which resolves disputes and issues affecting the entire nation. Each hold includes a number of lesser clans, who owe fealty to the noble line. Those who occupy land above have the right to claim the halls that lie below if they can.

The Sovereign Host is the dominant faith of Khundrukar. Moradin is the most beloved of the Dwarf deities, but the dwarves also revere Boldrei, Doi Dorn, Olladra, and Onatar.

Khundrukar contains deep reserves of gold, silver, and other rare and precious metals, along with iron and other ores.  The Khundrukin are skilled miners and artisans.

An Orc clan known as the Jhorash'tar live among the Dragonridge Mountains.  They have been slowly crowded into the least hospitable regions of the mountains.  A few dwaren clans seek to incorporate the Jhorash'tar into Khundrukar society, but others wish to drive them out once and for all.

The dwarves have recovered artifacts and arcane secrets from the Realm Below.  Dwarf artificers are still working to master the techniques of their ancestors, while warlocks strive to harness the powers of the daelkyr.  Khundrukar communities are shaped by the artifacts they possess or by their interactions with the Daelkyr.  A Khundrukar lord might serve guests from a bottomless cauldron of wine, while another studies strangers using a crown of eyes, claiming that this living artifact reveals all evil intent.

The dwarf clan is the heart of culture in Khundrukar.  Some are known for mercantile power or martial skill; some are nobles, possibly a few steps removed from power; some are guild artisans or soldiers.  Most Khundrukin have embraced modern martial techniques, but a few minor clans still cling to barbarian traditions of the past.  Some leave the expansive territory, some serving their clan and honing their skills while others may have been forced into exile.

Some Khundrukin oppose the foul forces that infest their ancestral halls while others see them as a source of power.  Dwarven paladins may be sworn to oppose the horrors that dwell in the deep; warlocks may forge pacts with a Great Old One patron, one of the dark powers in the depths.

From the wealthiest clan lord to the humblest miner, the Khundrukin take great pride in their possessions.  Quality is more important than appearance, and they are interested in the history of the items they carry.  They want to know the battles a magical item has seen and the warriors who have wielded it before them.  This is especially true of the relics recovered from the Realm Below.

Khundrukar spreads across the Dragonridge Mountains and encompasses much of the lands to the north as well.  Most communities are at least partially subterranean, extending down into the mountains.  The Realm Below is deep beneath the surface, and not every town has a passage to it.

It has been 70 years since the Iron Council declared Khundrukar's independence from the Verdant Realm, and many feel that they have embraced foul powers since then.  Lord Malus Soldorak was recently seen in Korth for trade negotiations wearing a breastplate forged from chitin and muscle which seemed to pulse with its own heartbeat.  His axe allegedly moaned as if it hungered for Human blood. Many Azinthians call upon Regent Moranna to unleash the full might of the kingdom's power to cleanse the horror from Khundrukar by whatever means necessary.

Khundrukar declared independence during the Last War.  Many nations depend on the resources there, and the Treaty of Thronehold affirmed its sovereignty.

To the casual observer, the star of the Khundrukin appears to be rising. Their mines seem to offer limitless resources. The realm’s artificers make amazing strides as they study the relics of their ancestors. The dwarves are proud of their ancient past and are optimistic about the future. Most Khundrukin are generous and courageous, eager to show off their wealth and accomplishments.

Those who dig deeper realize that this prosperity is built on an unstable foundation. The Last War may be over, but the war against the daelkyr has barely begun. The clan lords hold their reclaimed halls in the Realm Below, but no one knows the full extent of the power of the daelkyr. A renewed assault could come at any time, whether it's a force of monsters boiling up from below or a creeping madness that infects the weak-willed.

The dwarves are also divided by their attitude toward the aberrations. Some of the clans-notably Soldorak embrace symbionts and other daelkyr gifts; some even experiment with flesh-warping techniques and create their own monsters. Others, notably Clan Mroranon, avoid contact with the aberrations. Such dwarves treasure the relics of their ancestors but despise those who use symbionts or form pacts with the darkness.

Long ago, the dwarves engaged in vicious feuds that kept them from uniting as a nation. This new divide could reignite those rivalries, leading to a civil war on the surface even as evil gains strength in the depths.