The World of Arith

The dwarven kingdom of Angbadur split from their mountain cousins long before the Arvanorans began settling the lands that eventually became the Domain of Hawkmoon. The four cantons of Angbadur lie scattered in the Iron Hills. Unlike Dralgamor in the Whitecrowns, the Iron Hills cantons are connected by a system of above-ground roads. The four cantons are:

Bariduk

Population: 250

The smallest of the dwarven cantons, known mostly for the poverty of its mines and the wealth of its sheep and cattle herds, such that dwarven herders are assumed to hail from Bariduk. The canton also possesses several dense forested lowlands. In addition, the most dangerous mercenaries hail from Bariduk. With nothing to lose, and no interest in going home unless wealthy or dead, the Bariduk battleragers earn a fearsome reputation. The death of a Bariduk berserker is usually reason enough for his canton companions to break camp and carry him home the next day.

Korunnbek

Population: 900

The Korunnbek is a great castle on the surface, built atop a hill and surrounded by verdant fields. Unlike the Bariduk or Vurdalim folk, the Korunnbekkers are not just herders for the sheep or cows, but also the cantons’ butchers, cheesemakers and leatherworkers. They also breed fine donkeys, mules and dogs and are purveyors of jewel-toned inks and black powder. The Korunnbekkers settled rich valley bottomland rather than ore-bearing land, and have earned their gold through trade for generations. In addition, they have more or less cornered the hops supply, making themselves critical to the brewing of dwarven stouts. All of these factors make them one of the wealthier cantons. One wonders why their neighbors do not overrun the shepherds, merchants and cheesemakers of Korunnbek, while the dwarves of Korunnbek don’t mine much ore, their heavy crossbows are famous for their deadliness, and their wealth buys many friends.

Norvandir

Population: 750

The hills bordering the dark forests of the Tuathwold are home to not one, but two settled halls: Upper Norvandir and Lower Norvandir. The two settlements are tied by blood and history and get along as friendly rivals. Their trades include the silver, iron and mithril mines of Lower Norvandir, and the forges which turn out enchanted steel and magical rings in Upper Norvandir. Stories say that Norvandir is kept alive more by the dwarven traditions of rune magic and artifice than any other canton, and certainly many believe that the Tuathwold is a place of enchantments.

The lands of Norvandir are among the best forests for pine, yew and ash in the Tuathwold, and many of the timbers bracing dwarven mines in Lower Norvandir hail from these black woods. The dwarves of Norvandir make the best axes in the cantons, both for lumbering work and for war.

Oddly, Norvandir has never come into conflict with the elves of the Tuathwold, the Tuath-nir. In fact the elves never seem to appear in the stretch of forest claimed by Norvandir. With the Tuath-nir’s fierce defense of the Tuathwold’s southern border from Calastan, one wonders why the dwarves have remained unaffected.

Torevin

Population: 1,100

The most well-known of the dwarven cantons is Torevin, the end of the great dwarven road from the Iron Hills, through Harpton and Rivermeet, leading to the City of Hawkmoon. It is known for ironwork and weapons sold to anyone with the money to pay, and also as a source of good wood for spears, axe hafts and crossbows.

The great hall of Torevin is the merchant hub of the lands west of the Whitecrowns, and the gathering point for the companies of dwarven mercenary companies looking to sell their services to the humans of the southern lands.

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