open design - zobeck gazatteer - dwarves of the ironcrags

7/25/2019 Open Design - Zobeck Gazatteer - Dwarves of the Ironcrags

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warvesDwarvesof theof the

IroncragsIroncrags

by Wolfgang Baur Adam Daigle Michael Furlanetto Brandon Hodgeby Wolfgang Baur, Adam Daigle, Michael Furlanetto, Brandon HodgeJoshua Stevens Dan Voyce andJoshua Stevens, Dan Voyce, and OPENDESIGNOPENDESIGNPatronsPatrons

g a z e t t e e r

TM

Volume 2

TM


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Dwarvesof the

Ironcrags

by Wolfgang Baurwith Adam Daigle, Michael Furlanetto, Brandon HodgJoshua Stevens, Dan Voyce, and O D Patrons

o go in the dark with a light is to know the lighto know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,

and nd that the dark, too, blooms and sings,and is traveled by dark eet and dark wings.

Wendell Berry, fom To Know the Dar


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DESIGNERS

Wolfgang Baur, Michael Furlanetto, Brandon Hodge, Joshua Stevens

ADDITIONALDESIGN

Ben McFarland, Jaye Sonia, revor Stamper, Russ aylor, Dan Voyce

EDITOR

Mike McArtor

LAYOUTARTIST

Stephen Wark

COVERARTIST

David Wenzel

INTERIORARTISTS

Gustav Dor, Pat Loboyko, Piranesi, Arthur Rackham, Jonathan Roberts, Elmer Boyd Smith, andHugo Solis

CARTOGRAPHER

Jonathan Roberts

Z G V 2: D I is 2009Open Design LLC. All rights reserved.

Open Design, Zobeck and all proper names and their associated logos are trademarks of Open Design LLC.

Te following content is Open: stat blocks for creatures and the elements labelled New Monster, New emplate,or New Item. All other text not designated as Open under the Open Game License, especially Zobeck, placenames and character names, is designated as Product Identity.

www.koboldquarterly.com


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iiiwarves of the IroncragsDwarves of the Ironcrags

P

TRONS

OF

THEPATRONSOFTHEIRONCR GMOUNT INSIRONCRAGMOUNTAINS

Jason AlexanderMike AlkemaSara Ashbaugh

Andrew BaggottMichael BakerChris BanksJohn BaxterStefan BeateGlenn BednarekMark BiblerRobert BiskupRichard Blair

Alain BourgeoisSean BradleyDaniel BrummeSimon BullJesse ButlerDavid CampbellJames CarlsonThomas Carpenter Jr.Charles CarrierJohn Carrington

Scott CarterJohn ChastainJeremy CheeOrville ClarkJez ClementJesse Cole-GoldbergBill CollinsBrad ColverTim ConnorsLiz CourtsBrian Cross

Adam CrossinghamChristopher CummingPatrick CurtinMatthew Cutter

Adam DaigleMark DaymudeMichael DeanDavid DeRochaJames DezomitsRobert DoranRandy DormanMatthias Drexler

Andrew EakettPatrick EndersDuncan EshelmanMark Evers

Jarrod Farquhar-NicolGuild FetridgeJohn FetridgeMatthew FillaPatrick FitzgeraldClay FleischerGary FranciscoDale FriesenSteven FurlanettoMichael FurlanettoJames Alan GardnerMark GedakGeorg-Simon Gerleigner

Alex GershThilo GrafJames GrahamRichard GreenJames GrovesBrian GutePatrick HalversonGnther HamprechtDustin Harbuck

Geoffrey HartKristian HartmannMorgan HazelChristopher HillBrandon HodgeLutz HofmannJohn HoglandRonald HopkinsKraig HoriganBrandon HornEric HortopGraeme InnesPhillip IvesLaurent Jeanmeure

Anthony Jones

Christopher JonesJay Joyner

Alex KanousJoshua KaufmanEd KearnsPhillip Kendall

Alan KohlerBrian KoonceJason KramerDavid LaiJames LandryTroy Larson

DeWitt LatimerKevin Lawrence

Adam LeckieJohn LeonasDavid LevenstamChristian LindkeJohn LingIgnacio Blasco LpezEric LudySean MacdonaldDonald MacLeanBenjamin Madden

Alex ManduleyWill MarantoEmiliano MarchettiGary McBrideRobert McCrearySilas McDermottBenjamin McFarlandKen McKinneyB.T. McTeerJon Michaels

Brett MichalsonFrancois MichelNicholas MilasichTony MiliciOlivier MirallesPaul MollardSean MolleyMatthew MonteiroJoff MorganMatthew MorrisChris MortikaPaul MunsonPaul MunsonCharles MyersJuan Natera

Scott NolanAndrew NuxollBritian OatesZachary OConnorRonald OlszewskiMats OndinJohn OverathJeff OylerJeff OylerKevin PattersonJames PattersonDaniel Petersen

Roy PettittOtto PfefferkornTom PhillipsGavin PhillipsMarkus PlatePatrick PlouffeGregory PopeCharles PowellChris PramasDaniel Gago PrietoCallum PriorEric PullenStefan Radermacher

Andreas ReimerMathew RepaskyTrent RevisKevin ReynoldsJohn ReystJan Cornelius RodewaldJan Cornelius RodewaldToby RogersKelley Rogers

Steve RussellStephan SaraidarianAngelo SargentiniRowdy ScarlettChris SchletterRobert SchmahlErich SchmidtEddy SchmidtSteven SchuttBenjamin SennittPatrick SeymourJohn SharpChris SharpRichard ShattoFrank Shea

Andrew ShielDave ShlaferWilliam ShusterSean Silva-MiramonWarren SistromJustin SluderRobert SmithBret SmithHugo SolisJason SoniaJeffrey SpencerChristian Spies

Trevor StamperRobert StehwienErik SteinePhillip SteppJoshua StevensBenjamin StowellStefen StyrskyPaul SudlowShannon SullivanSloan SummerfeltBrian SuskindJohn TanziniRussell TaylorConstantin TertonKarl ThieboltSoren ThustrupEric TillemansDon TuckerKeith UngerMachiel van der WalEltjo VeentjerGiorgio Vergani

Oliver von SpreckelsenDaniel VoyceJani WaaraMark WadlingtonMichael WaiteSean WaltersPhil WardStephen WarkOliver WeigelMichael WelhamSteve WestonLiam WhalenDaniel WhiteRobert WhitneyMatthew Widman

Andrew WildMark WilkinsGeorge WilliamsMichael Wilson

Adam WindsorGillian WisemanEd WithersPaul WoodsJonathan YeungCraig Youn


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Dwarves are the most powerul, ancient, andwidespread bit o antasy in the worldbecausethey are not, afer all, really antasy, but are in

act human beings who live right alongsidetall people, and have as long as humanity hasbeen around. As a result, its not surprising thatdwarves appear in the myths and legends oevery culture rom England to Japan and romthe Incans to the Egyptians.

Dwarves rst appear in Egyptian burials in theBadarian predynastic period around 4500 BCE. In theOld Kingdom, among the Pharaohs around 2700 to

2200 BCE, they were honored by being depicted intomb art, where they served as dancers, entertainers,jewelers, and members o great households. Some wereburied near the pyramids. It seems their size was nohindrance, and indeed the god Ptah was depicted as adwar.

Among the Greeks and Romans, dwarves servedHephaetus in orging iron and steel into weapons o

war. Dwarves were also creatures o un and rolic in theColiseum.

In later times, such as the Dark Ages and the Medievalperiod in Europe, dwarves were seen as more dangerous.Tey served the Norse gods as smiths and tricksters,more aligned with Loki than Odin. Tey orged goldenhair or the goddess Si, Tors bride. Teir king,Alberich, made the ring o the Niebelungen, which hasthe power to rule the world, and the dwarves guardedthat treasure against Seigried. Indeed, Alberichs curse

on the ring sounds pretty amiliar to those who knowonly olkiens dwarves, but Alberichs story came rst.Dwarves are perect PCs because they spit at the gods,

they hold tight to their treasure, and damned be he whodares take a dwarven PCs treasure rom his grasp.

And thats all beore John Ronald Ruel showed up andgave dwarves a new spin as gritty engineers capable ohollowing out pretty much an entire world in the stonydeeps.

Dwarves are the perect antasy race because dwarvesreally do live among us, because they have a longhistory o magic, and because they are so very human.Tey drink beer, they get at, they quarrel and uss and

work hard. Tey are outsized versions o ourselves,exaggerating our virtues and our aults as Sleepy, Dopey,Happy, and Bashul did. Dwarves make us happybecause we recognize them.

Dwarves are bigger than lie. Tey are not weirdlymystical, or reptilian, or inhumanly cute. Teyre notmore than human, but humans turned up to the max.And they grow a killer beard.

For all these reasons and more, I love dwarves. I hopeyou do as well, as theD I

takes a decided turn into the mysteries o the dwarves,and the dangers o their metallic obsessions. I hope yound this trip into the ery heart o the dwarven soul asexciting as I have.

Wolgang BaurKirkland, Washington

April 15, 2009

W

HY

D

WARVES

ARE

THE

WHYDWARVESARETHEPERECTPC RACEPERECTPC RACE


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vwarves of the IroncragsDwarves of the Ironcrags

C

ONTENTSCONTENTS1. HISTORY, LOREANDCULTURE

RISEOFTHEREAVERDWARVES 1FLIGHTFROMTHENORTH 1THEFREEDWARVENCANTONSOFTHEIRONCRAGS 2

THELOSTHALLS 7NORTHERNCLANS 8DWARVESOFZOBECK 9DWARVENSOCIETYINTHECANTONS 9

Dwarven Law and Justice 10Clan Feuds and Raiding 11Thralls and Slavery 11Cloistered Dwarves and Free Dwarves 12Courtship, Marriage, and Children 12Mining, Forgework, and Trade 13

GODSANDFAITH 14WAR, DEATH, ANDBURIAL 15

2.THEILLUMINATEDBROTHERHOODLODGES 17DRESSANDCEREMONIALATTIRE 18PROCEEDINGS 18SYMBOLISM 19RANK, ORDER, ANDDEGREE 20ILLUMINATEDBROTHERHOODPRESTIGECLASSES 20

Illuminated Brother 20Silent Master 23BROTHERHOODITEMS 25

3. THEKARIVCHILDRENOFTHEWANDERCURSE 27CLANSTRUCTURE 28

Shrives 29Bloodkin and Dwarves 29

The Fallen 30RELIGION 31KARIVMAGIC 32

Divinations 32Hexes 33

KARIVASPLAYERCHARACTERS 34KARIVFEATS 36

4. DWARVENMAGICSPELLLISTS 38

NEWSPELLS 39MAGICITEMSANDDWARVENTECHNOLOGY43DERROEQUIPMENT 46DERROINSANITYTECH 47

5. MONSTERSCAVELIGHTMOSS 49CRAGDRAKE 51DARAKHUL(TEMPLATE) 52DERROFETALSAVANTS 55DOGMOLE 56

DOGMOLEJUGGERNAUT 57FELLFORGED 58GILDEDDEVIL 59GOLDVEINED(TEMPLATE) 60STONE-DEADDWARF(TEMPLATE) 62

OGL 65


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H

ISTORY

L

ORE

AND

HISTORY, LORE, ANDC

ULTURECULTURE

CHAPTERONE

Dwarves of the IroncragsDwarves of the Ironcrags

The dwarves are a race of makers, warriors, and miners who have prided themselves on their craftand their toughness for long generations. Although their origins are in the frozen northlands and

the glacial peaks, a significant group of dwarven settlers came across the northern ice and thepiney forests to settle in the Ironcrags. This is their history and a recounting of their traditions.

RISEOFTHEREAVERDWARVES

No one knows when the rst dwarves were raised romthe earth. Teir patron gods, Volund the Smith andPerun the Tunderer, both gave them gifs to help themmake their way in the world: Perun gave a hammer,

Volund an anvil. And some say the dwarves hammeredthemselves a silver rattle beore they learned to walk.

What is known is that they lived rst in the north,near rollheim and Jotunheim, and their way was the

way o war. Tey ought or the shield maidens andat the command o trickster gods, slaying trolls andgiants and ogres in great numbers, and raiding into theshivering birch orests o the Alar elves and plunderingthe southern coasts as ar as Torn, Varshava, and theRiver Court. Teir magic made them powerul: Tey

were the rst to learn the runes rom Wotan One-Eye,they were the rst to ght in the shield-wall ranks withheavy spear and helm, and they were the rst to teariron rom the womb o the earth. Tey took slaves,

livestock, sacks o grain, and chunks o amber in tributeor by orce. Either way, wealth owed to the north.

In time, they turned their efforts into great armiesthat marched each summer, as well as reaving ships.Teir iron they worked into greater weapons to drivethe elves south, into the orests o Roatgard and theSeven Cities, and into the Rothenian plains, until ew othe ey dared remain in the north.

Despite their many successes, there was a limitbeyond which the dwarves raided but never settled. Tedwarves grew nervous in the warm plains without theirmountain halls.

Mithral was not their discovery, but as soon as theysaw it they lusted or it in their hearts. At rst, theygained it rom the elves in tribute; later in trade.

FLIGHTFROMTHENORTHTe Reavers Age passed quietly into a time o trade, andthen into a decline, as the great reaver clans turned theirattentions to mining and the smithing o things beyondever greater instruments o war. A ew o the dwarvesgrew to love the rhythm o trade almost as much as therhythm o the orge and hammeror the rhythm omarching boots. Tey traded gold and iron or greatcasks o ale, or wondrous spun silk or their cloistered

women, or ner alchemy or the ree dwarven womenand their own growing wisdom. Te dwarves learned

peace, and their gods cursed them or it.

Te rst great crack in dwarven strength was theall o Nordheim, rst and greatest o the dwarvenkingdoms. Creatures did not conquer the NordheimHall rom without, say the sages, but rom withinsome demon or ghoul or monstrosity o the depthsquenched the hearths and orgeres o the dwarves.Others say the Tunderer grew so disappointed with

what his children became that he punished them. With


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History Lore and CultureHistory, Lore, and Culture

deic ury, he drove them rom their homes under theearth, stripping away the gifs o divine re he once gavethem to shape the earth and master dragons, elementals,and demons.

In time, these homeless, banished dwarves ounded

the rst dwarven cantons, restoring to a large extentbruised dwarven pride.

THEFREEDWARVENCANTONSOFTHEIRONCRAGSDwarves think o their canton rst, their race or clansecond. Te canton is home and hearth, amily and

wealth, and saety rom an uncaring world. Tesetraits, however, do not guarantee greater harmony

or joy among cantonal dwarves than among otherraces. Indeed, cantonal dwarves are notoriously dour,ractious, and opinionated about everything. Cantonaldwarves uniy only in the presence o some externalthreat, which gives their elders and the leaders otheir Free Companies an excuse to go on about theimportance o the Free Dwarven Cantons to the

younger generation.

Te Ironcrag Cantons currently number 14, eachdened by a settlement existing at least 100 years thatcontains both ree and cloistered dwarves and thatencompasses a set o hallsnot just mines and simpleshelter. Proper halls include a set o orges or smelters, abrewery, a set o clan homes, and at least one temple orshrine. Te total population o the cantons is diffi cult todetermine (dwarves are reticent to count their numbers,or at least to share those numbers with anyone outsidetheir own canton). Te best guesses say the cantonshold as many as 150,000 dwarves and perhaps 25,000slavesmost o whom are human.

Te 14 settled cantons are Bareicks, Bundhausen

(Liadmura), Grisal, Gunnacks, Hammerell (Mazzot),Juralt, Kubourg (Friunsgorla), Nordmansch, St. Mishau,empleorge (Favgia Baselgia), ijino, Vursalis, and

Wintersheim (Inviernusa). Some o the cantons havetwo or three names: one in Common, one in Dwarven,and one in the southern speech.

Other cantons besides the 14 constantly rise andall and are not counted among the active settlements.Most notably, the small settlements o Roglett andMynnasgard have been inhabited or about 50 and 80

years, respectively. While they are not yet established

enough to merit mention among the cantons, they arecertainly on their way to that status. Te ormer cantono Citadel (Friundor) lies mostly abandoned. Althoughgold has been ound there recently, drawing prospectors,

priests, and the curious back to its halls. Also abandonedare the Fallen Halls o Sargau, Villershall, and VolundsBeard.

Te dwarven cantons all lie in the Ironcrags, althoughvarying altitudes and passes make some much moreaccessible than others, and a ew are separated romthe main cantons by lowlands and rivers inhabited byhumans. Te two outliers are Wintersheim to the north,and the dark canton o Grisal, which stands across theRiver Argent, near the Morgau and Doresh border.

BAREICKS

POPULATION2,500Tis is the smallest o the cantons, known mostly orthe poverty o its mines and the wealth o its sheep andcattle herds, such that dwarven herders are generallyassumed to hail rom Bareicks. Te canton also

possesses several dense orested lowlands. In addition,the most dangerous mercenaries in the Ironcrags hailrom Bareicks. With nothing to lose and no interestin going home unless wealthy or dead, the Bareicksberserkers earn their earsome reputation. Te death

o a Bareicks berserker is usually reason enough or hiscanton companions to break camp and carry him homethe next day.


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Dwarves of the IroncragsDwarves of the Ironcrags3

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BUNDHAUSEN(LIADMURA)POPULATION24,000

Tis is the central canton, located above Lake Soizalaplace that once served as an elven mountain retreatin ages long past. Te dwarves built hal their city onthe surace, and that section serves as both a powerulhub o trade and market airs and as the home o theCantons yearly Dwarmoot.

Cantons gather or the annual Dwarmoot to air

grievances, make new laws, administer justice betweencantons by common vote, and (at times) declare waror negotiate peace with outsiders rom the lowlands(which is everything outside the Ironcrags).

skeletons by the score during daylight and attempting toreturn across running water beore nightall. Tose whoail to return are sometimes seen again as black-armoredservants o the Red Goddess.

GRISALPOPULATION22,000

Te Black Canton lies on the northern or easternbank o the River Argent, not ar rom the undead-ruled Principality o Morgau and Doresh. Te olko Grisal are among the most pious o the cantonaldwarves, with special emphasis in worship placed on

Volund and his son, the solar god Khors, as well as theGrajava Shield Maiden and both Wotan and Perun.Fully one-tenth o the cantons dwarves are clerics,

paladins, or servants o the temples in some ashion.

Grisals priests are kept busy, as its halls stand abovethe Zombie Wood o Zwargau and within sight o theGreat emple o the Red Goddess, where the deadare brought to serve the living. For the most part, theBlack Canton strives merely to keep the undead at bay.From time to time, though, its younger warriors mountraids against the principality, slaughtering zombies and

GUNNACKSPOPULATION27,000

One o the ew cantons to have kept a king until airlyrecent times, Gunnacks is the hearth and home o theexceedingly numerous Gunnacksen clan, merchants andcaravaneers o note who travel rom Woleim to Siwaland Rothenia. Tey are travelers unlike any others, with

young dwarves learning to drive mule teams beore theyully grow their beards. Te Gunnacks canton (somestill reer to it as a clanhold or kingdom out o habit)is traditional in all other ways, but or some reason, its

people were among the rst to strike out or the southrom the old halls in the north. As a result, their newhalls possess the nest locations in the Ironcrags, withupper halls looking out over three beautiul valleysbelow; ne rivers and easy passes to both north and east;

and plentiul orests and iron, limestone, and mineraldeposits. Te Gunnacks have it so good, quip the othercantons, they have no reason to leave home. But leavehome they do.

Te Gunnacks leave their idyllic home to trade andbarter and see the world, and then (when they are

wealthy enough) to settle down and have enormousnumbers o children. Te worth o a Gunnacks cantondwar is measured in some degree by his offspring, andso (despite its great wealth) the Gunnacks canton isnumerous but also demanding o ood, clothing, andgoods o all sorts to raise an ever-increasing number oGunnacksmen and Gunnackswomen. Some even speako splitting the canton in two, although nothing hascome o it so ar.


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HAMMERFELL(MAZZOT)POPULATION14,000

One o the great iron working halls, Hammerellrecently withdrew into itsel, sealing the hall doors oran entire summer. Tis is ofen a sign among the cantonsthat the withdrawn canton ghts a war against creaturesrom the depths, although sometimes it merely signalsthat work is at a critical phase in some new eat oorgecraf, engineering, or item enchantment. Dwarvesoutside o Hammerell do not yet know the cause or its

withdrawal.

raditionally, Hammerell is a place o greatarmorers and weaponsmiths, and many suits o thenest dwarven plate armor comes rom here. Someo its shields bear magic runes, while others displaymagic blazons, such as heraldic animals that can besummoned to serve. Tese magic shields are ofencalled Hammershields and their creation is both a longtradition and entirely a secret o the canton.

every other year. Tis has not endeared them to theirneighbors or trading partners. Despite the greatreputation as mercenaries enjoyed by the Juralt dwarves,they are considered a bit o a reckless and greedy bunch,more interested in plunder than in proper mining and

smithwork. Still, the armorsmiths at Hammerell taketheir coin in exchange or new armor and resh pikeseach year.

Priests o Ninkash in Juralt supervise the brewing overy potent rethroat ales or sale in the lowlands, toboth command high prices or it and to incapacitatenon-dwarves ofen and thoroughly. Human drunkards

who spend their time inebriated thanks to rethroat aresometimes reerred to as thralls o Juralt.

JURALTPOPULATION8,000

Te warm lowlands o the Juralt Valley are surroundedby a ring o peaks that cut off some o the nest pasturein the Ironcrags. Te canton is deended by swarms o

hal-tamed griffons (ed by the dwarves, but not riddeninto battle) and by mountain troops who depend onboth their powerul pike walls and a system o battle

wagons used as mobile strongpoints within the pikesquare ormations or which the canton is known.

While the land seems peaceul, the dwarves arenot. Tey are among the most warlike o the cantons,seemingly nding an enemy among the lowlands

KUBOURG(FRIUNSGORLA)POPULATION9,000

Te Kubourg is a great castle on the surace, built atop asmall hill and surrounded by verdant elds. Unlike theBareicks or Vursalis olk, the Kubourgers are not justherders or the sheep and cows, but also the Ironcrags

butchers, cheesemakers, and leatherworkers. Teyalso breed ne donkeys, mules, and dogmoles and are

purveyors o jewel-toned inks and black powder. TeKobourgers settled rich valley bottomland rather thanore-bearing land, and have earned their gold throughtrade or generations. In addition, they have more-or-less cornered the hops supply, making themselvescritical to the brewing o stout dwarven beer. All othese actors make them one o the wealthier cantons.

Outsiders sometimes ask why their neighbors do not

overrun the shepherds, merchants, and cheesemakerso Kubourg. While the dwarves o Kubourg might notmine much ore, their arquebus and heavy crossbowskeep greedy neighbors at bay, and their money buysthem many riends. Tat the Dwarmoot halls stand justacross the lake also might discourage the wilder clansrom raiding Kubourg too ofen.


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NORDMANSCHPOPULATION7,500

Te dark black pine orests o Nordmansch are hometo not one, but two settled halls: Upper Nordmanschunder the peak called the Sentinel and LowerNordmansch in the heart o the orested hills. Te twosettlements get along as riendly rivals. Teir tradesinclude silver, iron, and mithral mines; the makingo enchanted steel; and the orging o magical rings.Stories say the Nordmansch have kept alive more o

the dwarven traditions o rune magic and lithomancythan any other canton, and certainly, many believe theOrdenn Forest is a place o enchantments.

Te lands o Nordmansch are among the best orestsor pine, yew, and ash in the Ironcrags, and many o thetimbers bracing dwarven mines hail rom those black

woods. Te dwarves o Nordmansch are believed tomake the best axes in the cantons, both or lumbering

work and or war.

Oddly, Nordmansch is the only canton that does nottake and hold slaves among its people. Te dwarves oNordmansch accept weregeld or blood euds readily,and take token ransoms rom hostages who can affordno real price (a boot, a shirt, even a piece o soap mightbe accepted as a ransom). Tis seems to be related to theteachings o their version o the Golden Goddess Lada,

whose healing arts they revere almost as much as thesterner words o Wotan and Volund.

ST. MISHAUPOPULATION4,000

Te strange little canton o St. Mishau is one that leaveseven its neighbors scratching their beards in wonder.All emale dwarves within the canton are entirelycloisterednone are ree at all to make war or servein the great crafing orges. Most cantonal dwarvesconsider this restriction at least slightly bizarre, perhapseven a bit sinister. Te male dwarves o St. Mishau speak

with a strange accent (or they keep to themselves and

barter but rarely), and they serve in Free Companiesonly every ve or six years. Te rest o the time, theymine adamantine, cartloads o coal, a ew enormousgems, and a large quantity o quicksilver and otheralchemical materials rom a dozen hidden little minesaround their canton.

Rumors circulate that the dwarves o St. Mishau aretruly servants o Mammon, o St. Charon, or o somedark goddess o the ey, but these are likely nothingmore than tales spread by jealousy and envy. What is

known is that the dwarves o St. Mishau trade withkobold merchants rom Zobeck, which other dwarvesconsider dishonorable at best, and they maintain

peculiar customs or their women and their dead (seepages 15 and 16).

TEMPLEFORGE(FAVGIABASELGIA)POPULATION5,000Te holy ground o empleorge is also the home o thedwarven airship, as the maker o the rst such ships wasa priest o Volund living here. Lifgas is still mined hereand new ships are built every 20 years or so to replace lostones, but the industry remains a tiny one: almost no onecan afford the sums required to keep an airship ying.


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Te canton makes its reputation as a place opilgrimage, as Volunds Hammer rests within the templehere. Te god used this sacred hammer to make the rstgearorged and imbue it with lie. As a result, pilgrimsrom Zobeck are a common sight, and dwarven smiths

o all kinds make a point to visit empleorge or ablessing at least once a decade or so.

and grains rom its elds and ruit rom its orchards aresent to nearby cantons or stored away against utureneed, as the dwarves decide each year.

Te cantons elders ensure that the young learn thetraditional ways o mining, worship, and the history

o the canton by a law preventing them rom leavingthe eldwork or the mines, merchant caravans, ormercenary companies until the young dwarves pass atest o knowledge and dwarven deportment. Te youngdwarves resent this law, but it does ensure the elds are

well-tended and the lessons well-learned.

TIJINOPOPULATION11,000

Te southernmost o the cantons is ijino, not ar northo the human cities o Melano and riolo. It is knownor ironwork and weapons sold to humans, gnomes, andanyone else with money to pay, and also as a source ogood wood or spears, ax hafs, and crossbows. Te greathall o ijino is a springtime gathering point or FreeCompanies, who sell their services to Fiorna, Remulus,riolo, and the euding cities o the south. When wecross ijino Pass is roughly equivalent to When we goraiding in the argot o the Ironcrags.

VURSALISPOPULATION6,000

Te purest and snowiest o the cantons, boasting thepeaks o Mount Mergansar, the Kronhorn, and thePeshvai Glaciers in its crown, Vursalis is also a bit

o a breadbasket. Although it has great deposits ocopper and salt, the Vursalis elds o barley, wheat, andpotatoes are well-tended enough to eed some o itsneighbors. Te work itsel is not considered especiallynoble or pleasing to the dwarven ancestors, and so mosto the planting and harvest is done by slaves captured in

war by the Juralt canton (and bought as thralls) and alsoby the youngest o the Vursalis canton dwarves. Fodder

WINTERSHEIM(INVIERNUSA)POPULATION18,000

Northernmost o the cantons, Wintersheim keeps closeties with Stannasgard and the clan-centricor (as theIroncrags sometimes call them) the kingly cantonso the lands beyond the Ironcrags. Te Wintersheimdwarves are amous or the ranger society they ormed(the Order o the White Wol ) as well as or the qualityo their jewelry and runecarving. Much o the ancientlore o the north is kept alive in their records and thesagas are aithully copied or temples and the librarieso the wealthy.

Beyond that, though, Winterheim is amous or itsdragon, Hrothvengr, a white dragon o middle yearstamed by the Wintersheim dwarves. He guards theentrance to their hall on an enormous bed o coppercoins and odd little pebbles, and seems to be a bit dim-

witted (even or a white dragon), as he is convinced hishoard is worth a great deal. Other cantons try magic,

various drugs and poisons, and even simple briberyto convince other dragons to take similar positionsguarding their halls, but thus ar none have succeeded.

Hrothvengr is treated with respect by theWintersheim dwarves. Visitors who mock the dragonare punished soon enough, as Hrothvengr can castcharm personon those he eels are insuffi ciently awed


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1by his wealth and status. Some o these charmed thrallsstay or years, helpully shining copper coins to a warm,reddish glow.

THE

LOST

HALLS

Not all cantons thrive. In particular, the Lost Hallso the Golden Citadel (Friundor), Krongard, Sargau,

Villershall, and Volunds Beard were abandoned or onereason or another.

THEGOLDENCITADEL(FRIUNDOR)Tis abandoned canton is high enough to includealpine meadows and lakes, but it is not centrally located.

At one time, it was the wealthiest o all the cantons,with mines that produced a steady stream o gold oreand with a reputation or hard work and silent votes(meaning, ew complaints when it came time to go toBundhausen or the settlement o grievances). Te place

was abandoned under snow more than a hundred yearsago, ever since the mines ran out. Most o the othercantons all lie west o it; Zobeck lies 200 miles to theeast, over hills and a river plain and through a orest.

SARGAUDestroyed rom below by ghouls and derro, the halls oSargau are celebrated by the other cantons in song andstory. Te halls were built on a rich deposit o mithral(like others in the eastern Ironcrags) as well as the valueo its woodlands. Te people there sought to dominatethe lowlands to the east, toward Zobeck, Srevresta,and the Magdar territories. Teir early assaults werequite successul, ensuring that the lowlands and hillsremained riendly to dwarven interests and offered

good terms to the caravans and mule trains that camedown rom the mountains each spring.

In time, though, Sargau grew a little too bold anddemanded too much. Te men o Zobeck and Srevrestadid not come to Sargaus aid when tired, red-eyedmessengers came telling tales o the assault rom thedarkness. Other halls have moderated their claims onthe trade airs, the noble houses o the lowlands, and theorebearance o human and other merchants. Sargausempty halls remain a testament to the riendless house,

and a byword or a canton that seeks too much glory.

KRONGARDTis enormous castle guarded the western approachesto the Ironcrags or years and was the most militant othe cantons, raiding requently into the magocracy oAllain, the Kingdom of Burgoyne, and the orest landso the west. Tis lasted right until the moment themages o Allain decided it should end. In retributionto decades o raids, the mages razed the castle at the

pass and threatened to raze any urther orticationbuilt on the ruins. As one o the ew serious deeats thecantons suffered, Krongard remains a site o shame andembarrassment to the dwarves.

VILLERSHALLVillershall was undone by a Free Company o Ironcragmercenaries (although its members were all o theGunnacks canton). Tis makes Villershall the only

hall destroyed by ellow dwarves. Villershall was acompetitor to the Gunnacksen mule caravans andcharged tolls on goods travelling down the River Road.Every ew years, the taxes increased, ofen exponentially,until nally it proved too much.

Afer a summer and winter siege, a nal Gunnacksenassault took down one o the gates into the lower halls,


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and those who would not surrender and become thrallso Gunnacks were slain or exiled rom the lands. TeGunnacksen masons set explosive runesto destroy thegreat pillars o the main halls, and nothing but rubbleremains. Occasional attempts to revive the canton all ail.

TANNASGARDannasgard is the lorekeepers hall and the most anciento all dwarven halls, where legends say Volund and

Wotan created the dwarven race rom stone and iron.Te deepest and most sacred hall there is called theCradle, where dwarven creation myths claim the rstdwarves were carved with the knowledge o the runesand given the breath o lie. As holy ground, only

pilgrims and priests are permitted to see it, and non-dwarves are orbidden rom annasgard almost entirely.

WOLFHEIMWoleim is another o the great northern halls. Itspecializes in breeding winter wolves, which some othe younger dwarves use to keep great herds o reindeer

and caribou. Te Woleim hall is also amous or itswild winter revels, when enormous brewing barrelso ale are drained in a single night, when re-magic is

presented by the orge-priests and rune-magic by theone-eyed priests o Wotan. Woleim attracts many

young warriors who dream o the reaver days and whoght gladly against the giants, ogres, and trolls in therollheim hills.

RELATIONSWITHTHECANTONS

Te three great northern halls exert a remarkableinuence over the southern halls. Teir priests, theirways, and their wisdom are revered as more pure andmore dwarven than the culture o the Ironcrags,although to most humans and others, the Ironcragsseem plenty dwarven. Still, the sagas, the myths, and themagic o the north ofen pull the Ironcrag dwarves toundertake a pilgrimage there, to see the bones o even-more-ancient ancestors, and to somehow gather upsome o the sanctity and strength o the icebound hills

where the dwarves were born.

All their achievements and their vastly greater successin living with and among humans, elves, and koboldsdoes not give the dwarves o the Ironcrags quite asmuch condence, even in maturity, as the wol-wrestlingNortherners seem to have at birth. A ew Northerndwarves take advantage o this insecurity by hiringthemselves out as bodyguards or priests to the cantonalcaptains and clan leaders in the south at usurious rates.

VOLUNDSBEARDOnce a great temple-hall and orging hall, VolundsBeard was abandoned when the iron ore ran out and thesurrounding meadows were no longer attractive as a site

o settlement. Te halls are still visited by a ew pilgrimsand priests every spring, but it is always empty comewinter.

NORTHERNCLANSAlthough the most important clans are now those othe Ironcrag Cantons, three great holdings remain inthe north: Stannasgard, annasgard, and Woleim.Tese three are all considered homes o the greatest and

most ancient o the dwarves, and many dwarves o thecantons aspire to visit them.

STANNASGARDStannasgard is the riendliest and southernmost o thethree. Just across the straits rom the ruins o Torn, itis home to great temples o Wotan, Perun, Volund, andGrajava the Shield-Maiden. Its priesthood is immense,and much o its wealth is derived rom the crafing oholy items inused with the power o the gods. Te

shields and armor o Stannasgard are considered thenest orged anywhere, and its paladins and deendersare ofen asked or aid by one or another lordling romthe south. Rarely do the dwarves o Stannasgard ride to

war, but when they do, their cause has never ailed.


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1

DWARVESOFZOBECKTe dwarves o Zobeck are, in some senses, the weakest

and least martial o all the dwarven clans and cantons.For a time, they were considered a strange sort oLowland Cantons by their ellows in the Ironcrags,but they rarely gather or war, they do not cloistertheir women but rarely, and they show little interest inthe Old Gods Wotan and Perun, devoting themselvesinstead o the strange cult o Rava the Gear Maidenand her devices, and to the construction o ever-more-sophisticated mechanisms and tools. Tey are master

jewelers and crafsmen, excellent diviners and evenrespectable bards, but they seem to lack the reavers

temperament entirely.Te dwarves o Zobeck live in the Gear District, to

be closer to their work, and some say, to keep one earopen or what the kobolds might be doing to theirorges during the night hours. Teir lives are ones o toiland ofen great wealth; a ew maintain summer villasin the alpine reaches, and a ew are actors or the greatdwarven trade houses, but they show much less passionor the ancient ways than most o their kind. Indeed,

when pressed or their clan, canton, and lineage, some

merely reply that they are children o the city and theGoddess Rava, a ormulation that troubles the moredevout visitors rom Stannasgard or Winterheim. Temost amous among them is Ondli Firedrake, the priesto Volund and First Consul o the city.

DWARVENSOCIETYINTHECANTONSTe Ironcrag cantons are democracies, and each cantonis a small city-state unto itsel. For big decisions, everyadult present in the hall can vote. Tose who are not

present do not vote, which sometimes leads to someinteresting consequences. Most o all, in times o war,amine, or eud, cantonal dwarves tend not to wandertoo ar rom their halls, or ear their canton makessome oolish decision.

Naturally, those voting are limited to the maledwarves and the ree emales. Cloistered dwarven

women do not vote, and neither do children or non-dwarven servants. Dwarven thralls, however, may

votei they are in a canton, they have a say in its

uture. Smart thralls, though, vote as their owners tellthem.

Why do the dwarves o the cantons vote? It is amystery to the northern dwarves, who consider the

practice too human and prooundly disquieting. Tenorthern dwarves eel much more comortable withtheir kings and queens, and a ruling class o wealthynobles. It is one o the great schisms between the twodwarven realms. Te cantonal dwarves come by this

practice rom the earliest days o settlement, when warwith the lowlanders was common, as were wars amongthe dwarves over the upland vales and meadows where

pasturage and elds o ood were grown. Te warsremained popular because they brought home moreslaves.

Te cantons became separate entities allied to ahall or ounders mine, but despite many attempts, nosingle canton could raise up a King o the Dwarves,as existed in the north. Te cantons ought too ofento listen to any singular king. Over time, a ew cantonsset up ederations, leagues, and even small empires with

vassal states in the lowlands, but none could claim theentire Ironcrags. In time, they stopped trying.

Instead, when the cantons went to war, all thedwarves had to agree to that war. Tese ederationsoverthrew the lowland principalities i those rulersailed to trade avorably with the dwarves, and theyset up client or puppet states more avorable to theirown interests. And most o all, they took prisonersand enslaved them to a decades labor or daring tooppose the dwarves. When dwarves go to war, afer

all, someone must continue to mine iron and gold andmithral, and someone must pump the bellows and shearthe sheep. Te dirty work o keeping the cantons on a

war ooting is a burden always borne by the slaves, andyet the dwarven democracy grew out o the reedomthat raiding brought. Oddly enough, slavery gave thecantons the condence to set aside their kings, and rulethemselves.


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DWARVENLAWANDJUSTICE

In the cantons, the concepts o Law and Justice areamiliar to every dwar, but they are bounded andlimited in their scope. Tat is, Law and Justice exist or

dwarveseveryone else should mind their mannerswhile visiting.

PILLARSOFTHELAWTe main elements o the law or each canton arespelled out clearly to every visitor to a dwarven hall, asthey are carved runes set into great pillars anking thehalls main entrance. All those who walk through arebelieved to be aware o the cantons laws and to agree tothe laws o that hall.

Te laws themselves are written in an ancient and

convoluted orm o Dwarven not easily puzzled out bynon-dwarves (and even some dwarves!). Te language iscalled Law Dwarven or (rarely) Anvil Dwarven, or thecourts themselves used to be held in the smithies or at aorge, where oaths could be orged and reinorced withmagic. A Knowledge (local) check reveals the details oa particular holds laws, most o which concern propertyrights over ore, wood, coal, ingots, and sheep, but otherelements discuss the rights o married dwarves, reedwarves, and slaves.

Married DwarvesMarried dwarves enjoy the widest and most extensive

privileges, and include

rights to speech and calling votes,reedom to travel,right to property,the right to vote or war or peace,and the right to challenge other ree dwarves tosingle combat.

Free DwarvesTe rights o ree but unmarried dwarves are alsosubstantial, and include

the right to property,the right to vote or war,the right to challenge unmarried dwarves to singlecombat,the right to enlist in mercenary companies and ashare o plunder,

the right to leave the canton with the permissiono an elder, priest, or other dwar,and the right to marry as they please.

SLAVESMost limited o all are the rights o slaves, but they

nonetheless do exist. Tese rights are

the right to complain against a master who ails toprovide nourishmentand the right to accuse a dwar who kills a slave.

Te details are more complex and extensive, but theseare the basics in every canton. In some cantons, moredetails might exist on herding; mining; guarantees orredress or shoddy goods; standards o weights andmeasures; standards o toil or slaves or miners; andrequirements or priests, warriors, and captains o the

mercenary companies. Most o these laws bind only thecantonal dwarves and their slaves, o course. Visitorsessentially possess no rights but the right o hospitality.I visitors should break that hospitality by attacking or(worse) killing a dwar, they are ofen slain on the wordo two reliable witnesses. No court is convened, nor isany challenge permitted to non-dwarves.

Te great gray area in cantonal law is the status onon-cantonal dwarves. Some treat these dwarves withmuch the same status as a ree-but-unmarried dwar.

Some treat them as a separate category that allows themno voting or shares in plunder, but acknowledges their

property rights and compels them to uphold contracts.

COURTSANDPUNISHMENTTose who break an oath, violate the terms o anagreed and witnessed contract, or break the Law itselare subject to justice at the hands o the cantonalauthorities. In most cases, the reeve and bailiff oversee

violations within a canton. A prisoner is brought in bythe cantons soldiers or by bounty hunters and is given

over to the reeve or sentencing and the bailiff to be keptin prison or in shackles as a slave or as long as the reevesays. Dwarves are not great believers in prison, or themost part. Tey preer criminals pay off their crimes,deep under the earth in heavy shackles.


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Dwarves of the IroncragsDwarves of the Ironcrags 11

1CLANFEUDSANDRAIDING

Te Ironcrag dwarves have a reputation as staunchlyindependent, isolated except in matters o trade, andquite willing to declare themselves superior to all

lowlanders o any race or kind. Te oes they respectmost are dragons and their ellow dwarves. As a result,many o the conicts the cantons get involved in areeuds within a clan or canton: a broken engagement, aconicting mining claim, or a simple insult in a t odrunken oolishness can all be enough to stir dwarvenblood to battle.

Most such euds end with the death o one or more(typically male) dwarves. A rare ew grow to involveentire houses, with cantons raiding one another, buteven those rarely last more than a single year. Whenthe Dwarmoot happens at the spring equinox atBundhausen, under the stones o Loccishtal, eachrecognized eud is brought orward to be weighed bythe cantons as a whole. o continue the eud, eachside must pay a eudgeld. I both sides pay, the eudcontinues. I neither pays, the eud ends. I only oneside chooses to pay, the money is held in trust until thenext Dwarmoot. In that case, the side that is attackedreceives the eudgeld at the next Dwarmoot. I insteadboth sides abandon the eud, the trust returns the

money afer a year. Tis system o eudgeld conusesoutsiders, but dwarves seem to nd it congenial.

Compared to the rarity o long-term euds, raidshappen requently. wo kinds o raids exist.

Raids between cantons occur to establish braggingrights (although stealing some prime cattle is alwaysnice as well). Tey are not struggles to the death,although younger and more enthusiastic dwarves dosometimes wind up killing someone, thus sparking ablood eud.

Te second orm o raiding targets the lowlands,usually the Seven Cities, Zobeck, Morgau, BourgundMagdar or even Allain. Tese raids aim to take prisonersor lay siege to rival cities, and are deadly earnest affairs,

with real losses in prisoners, deaths, and dwarven honor.Most such raids happen in the spring and summermonths, beore the harvest. Reciprocal raids againstthe dwarves in their mountains are universal ailures,

with the notable exception o the Mages Raid againstKronburg.

THRALLSANDSLAVERY

en years under the mountain is a common complaint

among those who visited the Ironcrags against their willand survive their period o enslavement. Te dwarveshostage other dwarves or a ee in gold, but all othersare held or 10 years o captivity; not long or a dwar,

perhaps, but an age or a human or haling.

Why do they do it? Te dwarves take their thralls inwar, they say, as a way o discouraging their enemies. Asthey see it, each slave is a hostage o sorts, and each isreturned to his home, someday, i the gods will it, to tellothers not to ght against the Ironcrags. Better still, the

threat o being taken and orced into picking throughthe dust o a salt mine or crushing rock or a smelteris enough to make many mercenaries think twicebeore agreeing to ght the dwarves. Some mercenarycompanies simply reuse to take such work at all, whichin turn gives dwarven companies more opportunitiesor work.

In practice, the work is grueling and some do die,although the dwarves are not nearly such harshtaskmasters as goblins, ogres, or giants o the north. Te

dwarves do mark their thralls with a brand or tattooon the shoulder, but otherwise the thralls are generallygiven adequate ood and rest, so long as they cause notrouble. Tose who rise up against their captors, whomalinger, or who conspire to escape are put in the stocksor a ew days, where dwarven children taunt them andthe slaves starve unless someone takes pity on them.

Te rhythm o slavery and thralldom (the two termsare interchangeable among dwarves) is one o long

years. In the spring, 10 years afer a great war, thedwarves might release hundreds o slaves at the topo a pass, and send home the thralls with a warningnever to take up arms against the dwarves again. Mostormer slaves heed this advice, but a ew carry rageand bitterness all their lives, becoming erce oeso the dwarves, plundering mule trains and chasingairships. Tese ew know what they ace, and they want

vengeance at any price.

Any soldier caught taking up arms against the


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dwarves a second time is put to death as soon as hisbrand or tattoo is ound.

CLOISTEREDDWARVESANDFREEDWARVES

Cantonal dwarven women live in one o two socialclasses: the ree women and the cloistered women. Asar as humans, kobolds, and elves are concerned, the ree

women are the only ones that exist, which makes somehuman sages and scholars conclude (incorrectly) thatar more dwarven men exist than dwarven women.

In act, the ree women are a minority. Tey have allthe rights o ree male dwarves and are treated as anyother adult in law, contracts, warare, and the widersociety. Free women are ofen adventurers. Tey may

lead a merchant house or join the priesthood, and nodwarven male cares (or dares) to say no. Tey marry

whomever they please, although the wise ree womenlisten to their clan elders and matrons beore takingsuch a step. Te ree women are widely considered morehonest and compassionate leaders than the menolk,and more liable to drive a hard bargain and a secure

peace. Teir leadership is less valued in times o warare,when male dwarves tend to step to the ore, but reewomen mark the runes on most peace deals.

Cloistered women, by contrast, are invisible tooutsiders. Tey never leave the canton and they ormthe power behind dwarven crafsmen, rom brewers tocoppersmiths to armorers and gemcutters. Male andree emale dwarves alike revere the cloistered women,but their rights are extremely limited. Tey cannot voteor choose who they marry, but they may vote amongtheir ellow cloistered women on matters that concernonly themselves.

Cloistered women can leave the cloisters at any

time, but by doing so, they lose status and the cloistersprotection. Tose who leave the cloisters are variouslycalled allen rom the mountain or lef the halls,even i they choose to remain in the same canton. Teloss o protection is more serious. For while cloistered

women are perectly capable ghters (and somegenerally specialize in deense o the cloisters), they alsohave golems, shield guardians, tame griffons, or other

powerul, nondwarven guards to ensure those oolswho seek to violate the sanctity o the cloisters are slainquickly and quietlyand without creating a eud.

COURTSHIP, MARRIAGE, AND

CHILDRENVolund is the god o marriage as well as the god ohorses, mules, and the orge, and dwarves are great anso the practice o marriage, at least or older, settleddwarves. Dwarven courtship typically begins whena dwar has gone and made a sizeable ortune in themines or in the lowlands, enough to afford a bride-

price. When he reaches the age o 50, it is expected odwarven men to at least court one ree or cloistereddwarven woman. Tose who do not marry by 125 or

so are considered bachelors and ollowers o the RavenRoadmen who wander or trade or war.

Courtship is the more common path o dwarven menin most cantons. Courting a ree dwarven woman is nomore or less honorable than courting a cloistered one,but the arrangements are quite different. For cloistered

women, the visits o a dwarven man are occasions omuch concern, uss, and gossip. Such visits ollow a

pattern proscribed by tradition: three visits beore thesuitor may hold a cloistered-dwar-maidens hand, three

more visits beore they may embrace, and three morestill beore they kiss. At each stage, the suitor is expectedto bring rst copper, wood, and pewterwork; then silver,glass, and iron; and nally, gold, mithral, and gems.Tere are exceptions or the poor, and not all dwarveshold to the nine visits o a courtship precisely, but mostdo.

I a dwar does not make a proposal o marriageon or beore the ninth visit, the thing is done andthe courtship ended. I he does make such an offer,the haggling over a bride-price begins. Only dwarves

understand the ull details o this process. Te relativestanding o the two cantons is ofen involved, i thecourtship crosses borders, or amily and clan rivalriescan interere, i the courting is done within a single hall(the more common case or less wealthy dwarves).

Once the suitor settles with the maidens amily orclan, he does not pay until the bride is delivered on the


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1wedding day, and at that time, the groom displays thegold prominently. Tis is considered genteel amongdwarves, rather than insulting as it might be amonghumans or elves. A brides price shows how much hergroom values her, and male dwarves make every effort

to pay in a large volume o coin (gold layered over silverlayered over copper, or instance). I the bride-price islow, the shame adheres to both the groom (or beingcheap or poor) and to the bride (whose amily ailedto nd her a wealthier groom or to bargain hard).Married without a price is a dwarven expressionmeaning roughly eloped or living in sin.

Te guests put on marriage easts in the Ironcragsthey pay or the beer, boar, and brandy, which areconsidered the nest wedding are. Gifs to the young

couple are only given by their immediate amiliesparents and siblings. Te musicians are traditionallygnomes or human gypsies: travelers are considered goodluck, so long as their command o Dwarven song is

passable. Once the last dance is done and the weddingsongs are sung, the newlyweds travel to another cantonor even to rollheim or at least a month.

Dwarven women take their husbands clan-name inaddition to their own i they marry outside the clan, buttheir children always take the males clan-name. Tus,

Eiga Fradomir, marrying the priest Gunnar Milosal,becomes Eiga Fradomir o Milosal. Her children are oclan Milosal.

MINING, FORGEWORK, ANDTRADEDwarves are, more than any other race o civilized

people, born to trade. Teir work as miners and smithsdemands it. Teir wealth makes it easier or them to

purchase ood than to try to survive on what the hillsand mountains provide, as the elds o some cantonsare ofen just enough to grow odder or their mules and

some hops or their beer.

The Bride-Price and Grooms Road

The practice of a bride-price in the Ironcrags

carries with it a number of practical

complications long ago woven into saga and

legend. In particular, cross-cantonal weddings

are the wellspring of dozens of great love

storiesand almost as many war stories. This

stems from the practice of the groom bringing

the bride-price with him when he goes to claim

his bride. Weddings might be sacred to Volund,

but many dwarven bandits are tempted by the

sight of a heavily-laden wagon moving slowly,

slowly up the pass to a widely-rumored wedding.

Not all bandits resist the temptation.

Even if the groom and his treasure-chests

arrive safely for the wedding, the danger is

not yet over. While free brides may settle

anywhere, cloistered brides always return totheir husbands hall to start their household. On

the way back, bandits see the same treasures

pass by them, plus all the brides gowns, armor,

weavings, and household goods. Many a feud

lingers, even after centuries, because of actions

of bandits along the grooms road. Dwarven

bards often sing a bride-price saga when they

truly want to move a crowd to tears.

TRADEDwarven goods come in three main categories: Rawmetals and gems; worked metals and gems; andspecialty items, such as rune magic, clockwork devices,engineering services, and masonry.

Tese items are carried down to the lowlands bytheir caravans and by their allies in human houses.

Tree main groups among the dwarves themselvesvie to control trade: the great merchant houses; thecantonal monopolies; and the independent caravan andairship companies, who specialize not in goods, but inshipment.

Te Merchant Houses: Te individual merchanthouses exist by the hundreds, involved in salt mining,ironwork, logging, charcoal making, coal mining,leatherworking, gold and silver mining, and the creationo arms and armor. Most o these were or are amily-

based or clan-based efforts, using a amily network tospread the work around and to connect the chain osupplies rom raw to rened materials to worked goods.

Te Cantonal Monopolies: A ew goods comerom monopolies created by the charters and lawso the cantons, and are enorced within the Ironcragconederation. Tese monopolies provide one o twobenets: most are meant to affi rm the status o certain


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clans, while a ew help the smaller and weaker cantonsretain enough trade that they can afford ood in lesshospitable terrain. Te seven public monopolies are theHammerkeep monopoly on armor sold to non-dwarves,the Kybourg monopoly on hops and barley, the Vursalis

monopoly on salt mining, the St. Mischau monopolyon coal, the empleorge monopoly on airships andcertain religious items and rituals, the ijino monopolyon ash and yew wood (or spears and crossbows), andthe Bareicks monopoly on parchment and vellum.

Te Drovers and Carriers: Drayage and hauling, thedirty work o moving materials rom point A to pointB, are dwarven specialties. Dwarven mule skinners,carters, and drovers are very skilled, and even theKariv gypsies tend to step aside when wagons romthe mountains roll down the roadalthough thatmight be due to the reputation o mule train guards asoverzealous against thieves.

Te drovers and carters trade across the passes romnorth to south and east to west, but because snow andice close many passes rom all to spring, geographydictates that a ew cantons control most o the trade.Te Gunnacksen canton houses control goods movingeast and north, while Kybourg controls many o theroutes to the west, and the southern routes all under

Juralts jurisdiction. empleorge, with its airships,

controls the richest cargos in all directions, but it alsoruns riskier routes. Fortunately, as the saying goes,Volund smiles on the empleorge, and the angelso Grajava do seem to watch over the small handul oactive airships.

MININGTe most traditional o all dwarven occupations is theone perhaps least noteworthy to outsidersdwarvesmine deeper, aster, and better than any other race. Teyuse Archimedean screws and lifgas to draw water out omines; special digging hammers and devices to tunnelthrough rock and carve galleries miles long; and magicand sheer doggedness to crush ore and extract the raresto metals and minerals, such as mithral, adamantine,lifgas, and orichalcum, rom the earth. Tey overcomemore problems than merely magma, poison gas, andooding: they ght and deend their wealth rom thecreatures o the deep, dark places o the earth.

Tese successes make dwarves very successul in trade(or ew other races devote such passion to matters ogeology and engineering). Elves prize mithral dearly,but do not stoop to tearing it rom stone with tools.Humans and kobolds mine as well, but with less skill

in engineering and less ortitude to survive at crushingdepths.

FORGEWORKIn some respects, where trade brings ood and miningbrings wealth, orgecraf o all kinds is the artisticexpression o the dwarves (stonemasons would differ,o course). A talented jeweler or ironmonger is held inhigh regard, and a talented swordsmith or goldsmitheven more so. Working metal is an act o dwarvencreation. Working weapons and shields is an expression

o love or ones canton and ones amily, making tools todeend and protect.

Tere is no such thing as mass production, althoughdwarves know well the value o simple nails, simple

wire, simple tin and pewter tankards cast in molds. Teysell some such goods cheap to lowlanders who do notknow enough to make them or themselves, and whoconsider dwarven goods the nest. Tat might be, butthe truly nest works o the dwarven orges are neversold and rarely bartered or given as gifs. Tey are passed

down through generations, each o which adds anewto their enchantments: rings, blades, and armor are thetraditional orms, although helms and shields are also

popular.

In general, even items a dwar might consider ineriorare masterwork quality, and priced accordingly. Nodwar allows shoddy work to leave his smithy. o do sois a reection on the worth o the smith who let bad

work out into the world, thus tarnishing his own nameand the names o his hearth-hall and canton.

GODSANDFAITHTe dwarven pantheon is much like the human

pantheon, although dwarves number Volund as thegreatest o the gods and grant him many names: Forge-Father, Master o the Roads, Creator o Mules, and


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1First Ancestor, among others. Te priests o Volund,the Many-Bearded and the Wise, are organized around

various temples and smithies in the cantons, where theydo their work. Tey are the stable rock o dwarven aith,and blessings rom Volund are the most important to

any canton.Tat said, the dwarves hold to some o their other

ancient gods o the north: Wotan the Rune Father,Perun the Tunderer, and even the trickster Loki havesometimes ound avor among some cantons or a time.For the most part, though, the great gods begin and end

with those. Teir ceremonies are grand at solstices andequinoxes, at the blessing o blades and armies, at theopening o a new mine, and at the launch o a raid.

Te lesser gods are another matter, and all are quite

popular in their own way. Te dwarves revere St.Mischau, patron saint o gems and gold; Ice-GoldHilda, Maiden o the Snows; Grajava the Shield-Maiden, Angel o the High Peaks; and Ninkash,Matron Goddess o Beer. Te rst two are believed to begods o the Ironcrags, and are not worshiped elsewhere.Te last o them is a gif o the Kariv, a goddess broughtrom the south and immediately given a hearth andhome by Volunds side. Some say she is the goddess whotold the dwarves to speak and vote and throw down

Wotan and his kings (who is still held as the greatest

god o the northern dwarves). Others say she is a gypsytrick to keep dwarves drunk and happy, to keep themrom raiding the lowlands too ofen. In the canton o St.Mishau, the cloistered dwar women worship Ninkashapart rom all males (even the priests who lead them in

worship are emale), and their rituals include immersionin aleale that is subsequently consumed in rituals bythe males o the canton.

Te last portion o the dwarven aith is in many waysthe most personal and most important. Each household

among the dwarves has a set o household gods, whowatch over and protect the hearth and children. Volundis always the ather o these household gods, called thehearth gods or hrdgudar. Kept as a set o gurines,the other hearth gods themselves are the ancestors othe clan, the grandathers and grandmothers, the great

warriors o a lineage. Tese gurines are sometimesmade o gold and sometimes clay, but all are valued by

the descendants. Tey are brought out on holy daysand or major amily occasions such as a birth, comingo age, marriage, or death, to witness the event. Alldwarves pray and sacrice to these ancestors, offeringthem crumbs o coal and ood, lighting weekly candles,

and keeping them near the hearthres. Te gurinesare sometimes haunted or enchanted to speak with thedwarves they represent. Other times they are simplysymbols o the long history o the dwarven people,going back to the northlands and the making o thedwarves.

In all cases, the elders o a clan hold take thehousehold gods with them when they depart, oroccasionally give some o the gurines to a avoredelder daughter who moves away to another canton. Tehousehold gods are passed down through the years,each tiny god with his own story repeated through thegenerations. When the elders say, Go pack up the gods,and prepare to march, the children and amilies o ahold know they are truly homeless and without shelter.

Where the dwarves go, their gods go with them.

WAR, DEATH, ANDBURIALWhen the dwarves o the cantons go to war, they all

go to war: all ree men and women are expected tocontribute, and only elders, cloistered dwarves, andchildren are lef behind. All others march out o theirhalls to bring retribution to those who wronged thecantons. Warare typically begins as soon as the snowsstart to melt in the alpine passes. Caravans o suppliestravel down by sled, with dwarven ski-troops alongside.Te heavier siege weaponry travels while the last snowsstill make travel swifdwarves use mules to haulthem when they must, or airships to position a ewkey trebuchets and bombards near their oes, but they

preer to sled these massive instruments into place.

Once the snow really melts, the dwarves come downrom the mountain or the summer, lay siege to any

place they believe wronged them or their merchants,and sometimes raid neighboring valleys or their goatsand sheep. Dwarves consider raiding more sport thananything; the cantonal dwarves do not murder one


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another over livestock, although they do wound oneanother and ofen takes hostages or ransom.

Death among the dwarves is typically the resulto a mining accident, a lowland raid or mercenary

work, or death by natural causes. In all cases, dwarves

are prone to lengthy wakes and somber mourning:mournul songs are sung, mournul toasts and eulogiesare made to the deceased, and in time, the clans eldersmournully pass on the deceaseds tools.

Tis passing o the tools is the most visible andemotional moment o dwarven mourning. Te toolsare not the weapons buried with a warrior, nor the pickor shovel that a miner takes into the tomb, nor thesmiths hammer he clutches orevermore. Tose belongto the deceased. Te tools passed on to a wie, son, or

daughter (or sometimes a niece, nephew, cousin, oreven a stranger) are those too valuable to bury, but thatdo not necessarily dene the dwar. Tey might be asecond-best chisel, mallet, or locks or a stonemason,or else a jewelers loupe, a brewmatrons copper ladle,or a warriors dagger and quiver o crossbow bolts.Larger tools used by multiple dwarves but owned by thedeceased also pass down, such as an anvil that belongedto a master crafsmans shop. In passing on these things,a piece o the spirit o the departed is thought to pass onto his heirs, and the skill and luck o the ormer owner

to pass to another generation. Once the tools are passed(and it may only be one or two whetstones and an ax ina poor amily), the wake ends, and the mourners leave.

Afer the wake, mourning continues among theamily with the ashioning o the ancestors likenessin stone, wood, or metal as a hand-sized gurine that

joins the amilys ancestral pantheon. Periods o ormalmourning can last up to two years. Dwarves sometimescut out a hank o their beard or the death o a spouseor child, and many wear mourning mail on raids (a

orm o chainmail with bearskin underneath rather thanregular cuir bolli). Tis mail is black and somewhaturry, but the wearers are ofen prone to eats o daringand strength believed to stem rom their grie. Tosedwarves who cannot pass through their grie becomereavers, constantly seeking mercenary work. Whennone is available, they go raiding..

Burial itsel is simple: most o the cantons bury theirdead deep within the halls, in a section o cool anddry stone where the bodies become mummied and

where the deeds o the interred are carved in runicstories by the surviving dwarves. A ew cantons (notably

Hammerell and empleorge) practice re burial orcremation; the ashes and bones resulting rom this areburied in tombs similar to those o the other cantons,although o course they take less space and greatimportance is placed on proper stone urns and seals.

Glacier Burial of St. Mischau

and Soul Blades of Grisal

The strangest burial and ancestral customs are

those practised by the dwarves of St. Mischau

and Grisal; both groups neither bury their dead

or leave them atop peaks. Instead, they diga hole in a glacier, place the body and grave

goods within that ice, and then refill the hole with

water, which quickly freezes. This glacier burial

preserves the body perfectly for a long period of

time, and allows descendants to visit ancestors

in good condition.

In St. Mischau, glacier burial is most common

among the well-off. Those who cannot afford to

be buried in a glacier sometimes donate their

bodies, which are pickled in ale and then set

alight on pyres; their ashes are used by the

ale-priests of St. Mishau for drawing holy runes,borders, and warning-messages.

In Grisal, glacier burial is most common among

women. The men largely prefer cremation and a

scattering of ashes or, less commonly, infusion

of the ashes into a soul blade. These weapons

are well-tempered carbon-steel swords and

great axesflexible, sharp and durablethat

are said to contain part of the warrior himself.

In most cases, the runes of the warriors name

are engraved into the tang or even along the

blood runnel near the swords crosspiece or the

greataxes haft.


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2

T

HE

M

OST

H

ONORABLE

AND

R

IGHTEOUS

THEMOSTHONORABLEANDRIGHTEOUSFRATERNALORDEROFILLUMINATEDBROTHERS

FRATERNALORDEROFILLUMINATEDBROTHERS

CHAPTERTWO

Dwarves of the IroncragsDwarves of the Ironcrags

The Most Honorable and Righteous Fraternal Order of Illuminated Brothers, or the IlluminatedBrotherhood as it more often called, is an ancient dwarven secret society that seeks to promote

fellowship, personal enlightenment, and skilled craftmanship among its members.

Originally ormed to protect dwarven tradingsecrets and strengthen moral character amongmembers, the esoteric society is open to

all dwarves who qualiy and seek perection in theirchosen craf, rom magical arts to metalworking to

personal achievement. Te society can be ound in anysettlement with a signicant population o dwarvencrafsmen, and most groups operate under the moralcodes o the Great Founding Fathers while operating

with independent jurisdiction and welcoming memberso other groups openly. Members congregate weekly ingreat meeting halls to share knowledge and study their

unique system o principles, veiled in lessons o moralitytaught through symbolism and allegory, which theycall the Craf. As members learn these lessons and applythem to their livelihoods, the brotherhood awards them

progressions o accomplishment known as degrees, owhich there are 33. Rare indeed are those who attainsuch high standing within the organization, and ewmembers ever reach the 20thdegree, much less the 33rd.

Historically, the order discouraged clerics in thesociety, many o whom look with disdain on the

quasi-religious rituals and initiations the brotherhoodperorms. Some clerical leaders in the past deemedheretical the members pledges o loyalty to othermembers, superceding loyalty even to a deity. In morerecent years, however, the entry o priests into the Riteo Most Worthy Esoterics has increased, and as a resultthe vague pledges to a higher deity are shifing tohonoring specic dwarven gods.

Many high-ranking members o dwarven society,including some kings, count themselves among theranks o the Illuminated Brotherhood. Rumors andlegends o the mysterious society persist, with outsidersofen accusing the order o hiding terrible secrets andnegotiating behind-the-scenes manipulations o crafguilds and government.

LODGESDivided into three orders, members meet in secret

assemblies known as lodges, a name also requentlygiven to the meeting halls themselves. Te centerpieceo dwarven lie in many communities, these great hallsare extravagant and ofen gaudy displays o the richexcesses o the brotherhood. essellated checkerboardtiles typically cover the vast expanse, and massive,intricately embossed pillars burning with continual

amesloom threateningly over the secret proceedings.Great steps lead to carved chairs o heavy stone perchedatop the dais o the council o silent masters who

offi ciate the congregations. Te esoteric symbolismo the secret society is etched into every stone suraceo the chamber, predominantly scenes o moralityor those seeking knowledge and enlightenment.Immense libraries o secret lore contain ancient scrollsand tomes that provide arcane ormulas and diagramsthat illustrate the construction o not only physicalcreations, but also the less tangible lessons that suchartistic pursuits teach the creator.


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The Illuminated BrothersThe Illuminated Brothers

Heavy tapestries or delicately designed mosaics serveas morality stations or members and metaphoricallydepict the 33 degrees on the path to illumination.Such stations reect allegorical scenes o dwarven lie,mythology, and legend, and are lled with symbolic

posturings o the subjects actions within. Te entiredwarven liespan is usually depicted, with each centralprotagonist growing in knowledge, wealth, age, andadornments as the mosaics progress.

DRESSANDCEREMONIALATTIREOutside their lodges, members o the order go to greatlengths to conceal their membership in the brotherhoodto outsiders, especially non-dwarves, and appear asordinary members o their proessions. Only the mostsubtle hints o their involvement might give away theirmembership to other brothers in the society. Ofen,a simple ring embossed with a runic B, a belt ogolden chain, or a spinning ob are the only indicationo membership. In addition, members know certainmarkers, most predominantly secret handshakes andspecic cadences tapped out by the hot hammers o theorge, that broadcast their membership to other initiateso the order.

Within a lodge, however, gaudiness o ceremonialdress pervades, and the allegorical and mythicalelements o a brothers training takes physicalembodiment in his adornments, medals, and uniorms.Many brothers ofen wear rich robes o maroon velvetlined with thick ermine and held tight with belts ogolden chains. White-gloved gauntlets and pure whiteblacksmithing aprons lined in gold trim and estooned

with symbols o the brotherhood display order, degree,and privilege among brothers. Dangling rom theirchain belts hang numerous small ceremonial toolsand implements, such as trowels, small picks, andadamantine hammers. As members rise in degrees, moresashes, medals, and adornments stack upon those o

previous degrees, until high-ranking brothers becomeabsolutely encrusted with gaudy adornments.

PROCEEDINGSMembers congregate weekly in elaborate ceremoniesstaged in the central hall o their local lodge, known asthe Great Hall. Here, new members are initiated withmysterious rites that depict the metaphorical journey

o the ignorant crafsman toward enlightenment,while awards o higher degree and honors are grantedto members or achievements in the Craf. Tebrotherhood elects new offi cers at these gatherings,and also promotes members and recognizes master

works in individual crafs, all under the quiet eyes othe silent masters o ceremony. Tese quasi-religious

proceedings are shrouded in mystery, and ew outsiders


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2can comprehend the strange morality plays, ceremonialtheater, and secret rites that elevate members into ahigher understanding o the lives, their brethren, andtheir crafs.

When important decisions must be made in council,

controversies within the lodge are discussed and votedupon afer vigorous debate and lengthy, weightedargument. Occasionally, charitable events are staged orthe immediate amily o members, and individual orderssometimes use the halls or private committees, crafstudies, and lessons and seminars pertaining to theirspecic interests and pursuits.

SYMBOLISM

Te brotherhood relies on symbols, taken romblacksmithing and stonecutting, to illustrate theattainment o knowledge and the long journey romthe darkness o ignorance toward illumination. While amember might learn numerous symbols as he progressesin degrees, only the most prominent and universalollow, listed in order o decreasing importance.

Flaming Pillar o Knowledge: Te most importantand pervasive o brotherhood symbols, the aming

pillars are signicant in the locking and unlockingo the doors o hidden truth and the key to seekingenlightenment. A lone, unlit pillar represents a singledwar seeking ellowship in the darkness o ignorance,

while aming pillars, typically embossed with a runicB, represent ascendancy toward illuminationa dwarcrowned with the res o enlightenment. Shattered

pillars represent death and nal ascendancy. Te pillarshave their origin in rituals o the distant past, when darkdwarven secrets were orever locked away with their usein orgotten ceremonies.

Codex o Secret Memory: Ofen displayed shroudedin symbolic ames o knowledge, books and codices arethe source o arcane secrets and concealed brotherhoodrites and rituals. Open, the books represent the sharingo knowledge among members o the ellowship.Closed, the books denote mysteries, obscure knowledge,or truths yet to be uncovered.

Te Doors o Hidden ruth: Barred and shut doorsboth symbolically and realistically represent concealedsecrets, ignorance, or close-mindedness. Open doorsare usually depicted as burst asunder with the ameso enlightenment. Steps preceding doors marked

with the runic B symbolically welcome all who seekillumination to simply knock and ask or guidance.

Hammer o Righteousness: Te hammer is viewedas the unyielding guiding orce, divine or otherwise,that shapes the dwarven people and beats the rough,raw ore o the young and ignorant apprentice intosharp, nished blades o master crafsmen. Crossed, twohammers denote ellowship in this ascendant path.

Anvil o Fort: Te anvil is the symbol o thelodge, the oundation o ellowship upon which the

hammer might mold the ignorant apprentice towardenlightenment. Sundered anvils represent ailure,betrayal and jealousy.

Te Golden Chain: Te binding links o ellowshipare symbolized by the chain, which is never shownbroken. A golden chain represents the brotherhood

view o, once a brother, always a brother.

Forge o Illumination: Te tempering ames o aroaring orge represent the cleansing divine guidanceand burning desire or perection o craf inherent in the

dwarven people.Flames o Enlightenment: Flames represent

knowledge, enlightenment, and illumination, pushingback the oppressive darkness o ignorance. Flames are

pervasive in brotherhood symbolism, and usually appearin tandem with other symbols to denote the pursuitand acquisition o knowledge, and the discovery osecret lore. In most instances, a naked hand earlesslythrust into ames represents a dauntless pursuit obrotherhood mysteries.

Te Pick, the rowel, the ongs: Tese toolsrepresent the craf o the miner, the stonecutter, andthe blacksmith, the three primary crafs o the dwarven

people. Tey correspond symbolically with the threeprimary orders o the lodge, who wear the tools asbadges o offi ce. Te pick stands or those most worthyesoterics, who mine the deep mysteries o arcane anddivine knowledge. Te tongs denote inclusion in the


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preceptory o the iron orge, where dwarves seek toattain physical perection in their craf. Lastly, thetrowel (usually paired with a chisel) represents thoseskillul brothers who seek pureness o thought and mindto attain perection in action.

Numerology: Important numbers in the brotherhoodare one (representing the sel, also usually representingignorance or lack o ellowship), three (ellowship, onesorder, and desire to obtain knowledge), and ve (master

works, raternity, lodge, community, and amily).Meetings among peers are ofen reerred to by memberso a congregation as ve and one and also three, whichalso serves as a popular password.

Tere are a total o 33 degrees within thebrotherhood, with 34 representing the nal degree all

must one day obtaindeath. Tis number is usuallydisplayed with a skull and crossbones, a shattered pillar,or a coffi n. Magic squares are also a popular display oimportant symbolic numbers, and such squares whereeach row, column, and diagonal carries the symbolicsum o a signicant degree. Such squares are ofencleverly concealed in brotherhood artiacts.

R

ANK, ORDER, ANDDEGREE

Te pursuits o individual brothers vary widely, andmembers are ree to pursue the path o knowledge andenlightenment as they most see t. In this way, memberscan choose among three orders within the lodge, eachconcentrating on a different path to illumination:Te Rite o Most Worthy Esoterics encourages thedevelopment o arcane and divine enhancement andthe study o the high art o magic, the Preceptory o theIron Forge ocuses on strength o character and body,

while the Lodge o rowel and Chisel seeks to hone

the mental and physical skills o members to becomeexemplars o the dwarven race.

Members o the three orders seek knowledge andwisdom in their own way, unrestricted by the progress oother members. Specic numbered degrees are awardedas members pass through stages o initiations throughdifferent orders and post signicant achievements intheir Craf. In this way, individual progress through

the degrees o the organization is hard to dene bythose not knowledgeable in the esoteric rites o thesociety. Even members are hard pressed to explain thecomplicated rituals that allow a brother to advancerom one degree to the next, as even those taking

similar paths along this journey nd themselvesawarded different degrees and honors. Degrees arealways awarded progressively, so that higher degreesconer more ranks and authority than those lower. Tehighest degree attainable by a normal member o theIlluminated Brotherhood is 30, as the three highestdegrees are reserved or silent masters.

I

LLUMINATEDBROTHERHOODPRESTIGECLASSES

Many, but not all, illuminated brothers belong to one otwo prestige classes that reect the highest ideals o thebrotherhood. Te illuminated brother prestige class isthe more generalized class and is relatively easy to enter.Te silent master prestige class, on the other hand, isboth ar more exacting in its requirements and muchmore restrictive in the abilities it grants.

ILLUMINATEDBROTHERKnown simply as brothers to other members o this

secretive society o skilled crafsmen, members o thisprestige class have shown the moral, ortitude, talentat craf, and strength o character to undergo initiationinto the Fraternal Order o Illuminated Brothers.Te organization osters personal growth throughallegorical lessons and protects the secrets o dwarvencrafsmanship through degreed initiations. Tose

wishing membership must be invited by their peers anddisplay certain personal characteristics while seekingto hone their craf and perect their skills in stone andmetalworking. Members promote respect, admiration,and support to ellow initiates o the order.

Prospective members, once accepted into thebrotherhood, must apply or an order within thelodge. Each order presents different challenges andrewards or its members, and membership is deniedi an applicant is not deemed worthy. Te Rite oMost Worthy Esoterics is reserved or those practicing


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2arcane and divine magic, although non-spellcasting butstudious brothers in good standing could conceivably

pursue this path, although they gain no spellcastingability by doing so. Te Preceptory o the Iron Forgeattracts blacksmiths, smelters and metalworkers, as well

as warriors seeking an edge in martial skill, while theLodge o rowel and Chisel is most apt or stonemasonsand cutters, as well as those seeking to enhance skills obody and mind. It is rom this last order that membersskilled at espionage are developed and put to use by thebrotherhood or the gathering and protection o societysecrets.

Entry into each order is a matter o pursuit,background, and taste, and while characters maymulticlass as they see t, they must begin each order at1stlevel, with the approval o their silent masters.

Hit Die (based on Order)Rite o Most Worthy Esoterics: d4

Preceptory o the Iron Forge: d10

Lodge o rowel and Chisel: d6

Requirementso qualiy to become a Most Honorable and

Righteous Member o the Fraternal Order oIlluminated Brothers, a character must ulll all the

ollowing criteria.AlignmentAny lawul.

SkillsCraf (any two) 8 ranks in each.

FeatsSkill Focus (Knowledge) [any individualKnowledge skill]

RaceDwar

Class SkillsTe Illuminated Brothers class skills (and the

key ability or each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff(Cha), Concentration (Con), Craf (all skills takenindividually) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), GatherInormation (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (allskills taken individually) (Int), Perorm (Cha), Search(Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraf (Int), Use MagicDevice (Cha),

Skill Points at Each LevelRite o Most Worthy Esoterics: 6 + Int modier

Preceptory o the Iron Forge: 4 + Int modier

Lodge o rowel and Chisel: 8 + Int modier

Rite of Most Worthy Esoterics

Lvl BAB Fort Reex Will Special Spells/ Day 1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Sprig o

Acacia, crafo 1stdegree

+1 level oexisting class

2 +0 +0 +0 +3 Craf o 1stdegree


3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Craf o 2nddegree




5 +1 +1 +1 +4 Craf o 3rddegree


Preceptory of the Iron Forge

Lvl BAB Fort Reex Will Special1 +1 +2 +0 +2 Sprig o Acacia,

craf o 1stdegree

2 +2 +3 +0 +3 Craf o 1stdegree



5 +5 +4 +1 +4 Craf o 3rd

degree

Lodge of Trowel and Chisel

Lvl BAB Fort Reex Will Special1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Sprig o Acacia,

craf o 1stdegree



4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Craf o 3rddegree

5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Craf o 3rd degree

Class FeaturesAll o the ollowing are class eatures o the

illuminated brotherhood prestige class. A character mayenter into the worthy orders reely, progressing in eachas personal lessons guide him.


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Sprig o Acacia (Ex)So secretive are the actions oinitiates that i a brother i

open design - zobeck gazatteer - dwarves of the ironcrags

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