Khaz Thorimeft

Khaz Thorimeft, dwarven for the "Clan Fort of the High King's Castle", is the clanhold capital for Clan Ermsson of the Clans of Magnus. The metropolis is storied, and has a highly insular population, mostly of Dwarves (and mostly of its own clan). The fortress was established after Erim Magnusson had completed his mission as the first High King of the Dwarves and sealed the city of Khaz Urdim, in order to provide a stronghold for his followers and descendants. The city is therefore strongly associated in dwarven culture with nobility and governance. It is known for its location as being the Guardian of the Valley of Giants, barring the only overland route into the territory. It is also well known for being the rallying point where dwarves gather to elect their high king in times of crisis.

Geography

Khaz Thorimeft has an impressively large surface fortification, which fully gates off a narrow cut in the Pass of the Tall Folk that would otherwise connect to the Valley of Giants. Thorimeft's gatehouse is this fortification, which allows access on both the pass and valley sides, while much the rest of the city itself is underground, built into the cliffs to either side of the fort or deep beneath the fort.

The city has all the usual dwarven amenities of industry, housing, and storage, as well as many temples, not only to Erim Magnusson but also to Magnus Allfather. Of these, the most critical is the Hall of Convocation, where the Kings (or their Thane represenatives) of the Dwarves gather in times of crisis, electing one of their own to the post of High King. This structure is said to house a gateway or magical trod that connects to Khaz Urdim which opens only in such a circumstance, allowing them to quickly occupy their new holding.

Khaz Thorimeft is also a repository city. Records of all the geneologies of all dwarves who claim membership in the Clans of Magnus are kept in this city, and the city spends an enormous sum sending runners to the other dwarven strongholds to collect updated records of this data.

Economy

Dwarven economies tend to be highly static. Dwarves do not birth often and take long to mature, and apart from war and disease, suffer few pressures to shrink their cities. Thorimeft is, like all great dwarven fortresses, heavily reliant on imported foodstuffs, as well as other products of agriculture and forestry. As much of this comes from the clanhold's other settlements, including surface settlements, in the Valley of Giants. That said, the immediate area to its south, a region the dwarves call Valleyside, is lush and well-farmed, making the fortress somewhat resistant to siege from the pass side.

The dwarves of Khaz Thorimeft have delved deep beneath their city and their mines here are exhausted. Industry in the city focuses around the working of already-refined metals sourced from other mining settlements within the clanhold.

These factors combine to make a materially-wealthy city which is rich in gold but poor in its own upkeep, meaning much of that gold goes out of the gates as quickly as it flows in.

Thorimeft's position on the Pass of the Tall Folk makes it accessible to Atarlie and Bastonian trade, but the haughtiness of the clan means it is not often travelled for such a purpose; much more likely, goods from Thorimeft are first sold to other dwarven holdings before ultimately being sold on to foreigners.

Politics

Thorimeft is the seat of power for Clan Ermsson, who are a powerful clan by virtue of their strategic position and their association with the ancient high kings of old. While sometimes seen as overbearing, the dwarves of Thorimeft are also known for their honourable conduct. Patrols from (or at least funded by) Thorimeft keep much of the busy central sections of the shallower parts of the Deeps safe and secure, and by this generosity reinforce the idea of Ermsson primacy.