Khaz Belgirn

Khaz Belgirn, dwarven for the "Clan Fort of the First Mountainhold", is the clanhold capital for Clan Bofgansson of the Clans of Magnus. The large city is storied, and has a highly insular population, mostly of Dwarves (and mostly of its own clan). The fortress was established after Bofgan Magnussun was gifted the Belgirn High Anvil, and this common history makes it the oldest clanhold or dwarven stronghold in all the history of the Clans - older than Khaz Urdim and preceeded only by Khaz Urheim. The city is therefore strongly associated in dwarven culture with the pratices of masonry, architecture, and most especially the working of metals. This association has made it wealthy (and contributed to the human association with dwarves and fine craftsmanship) as it is located near the Pass of the Tall Folk.

Geography

Khaz Belgirn is unique among the dwarven clan forts as it does not actually possess a surface gatehouse; it is instead accessed via subsurface gatehouses in caves scattered around the holding, or through gatehouses in the Deeps. Critically, it is connected by a road in the Roots of the Mountains to the village of Maerg, which is in the Pass of the Tall Folk and a common waypoint on the trade road along it. Otherwise, this city marks the notional boarder between the pass and Northreach, and is the southernmost holding in the clanhold (apart from Maerg).

Like all clan forts it is constructed in a tiered design. This multi-level city is entered through basal or medial levels, with the second highest level known as the Vault of the Highborn, a prestigious neighbourhood, and the level above that being known as the Hall of the High Anvil, both a center of industry and home of the Belgrin High Anvil, around which is constructed the chief of all temples to Bofgan Magnusson

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. Bofgan 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, and the clanhold is in Northreach, this food supply can be somewhat unreliable due to Carcolie raiding.

The dwarves of Khaz Belgirn 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. It is something of a hub on the roads under the mountain as a result, and has a rich market with surprising access to goods otherwise considered exotic by the dwarves.

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.

Khaz Belgirn is thought to be the origin point of the technique needed to work Adamantium, a metal long thought to be entirely unalterable. For centuries, the smithies of the High Anvil were the only places to get material goods made from Adamantium. In recent years, the technique has been seen elsewhere. The dwarves claim this technique was stolen from them.

Politics

Belgirn is the seat of power for Clan Bofgansson, who are a powerful clan by virtue of their size and their economic prowess. Bastonia in particular have inordinate respect for dwarven craftspeople in working stone or metal, and send for the dwarves often for their expertise. Some wealthy merchants even send the sons and daughters of their employed smiths and stonecutters to train with the dwarves at great expense, which the dwarves view with a mixture of swelled pride and laughable respect, as human lifespans are too short to make the best effort of proper dwarven training techniques.

Belgirn is one of only three dwarven cities to adhere to the surface practice of sending emissaries to other nations in peacetime, with diplomatic missions in Tripolis and Estmarch.