Karaz Ankor

Karaz Ankor, (translated as "The Mountain Realm" or "The Everlasting Realm" as the word for mountain and everlasting are the same in Dwarvish.) is the primary homeland of the Dwarves, the holds and cities of the Earth Spine Mountains that they have inhabited since the dawn of the First Age, and perhaps before. At their peak, the lands of Karaz Ankor encompassed nearly the entirety of the western side of the Earth's Spine, in addition to their settlements in the Greatwood. However, the vast destruction of the Chaos Incursion, combined with their Pyrrhic victory in the Essius Conflict, resulted in the loss of several major settlements and mines. However, the Dwarves still rule three major holds and multiple smaller villages throughout their lands.

Geography
The majority of the land within Karaz Ankor is split between the mountains of the Earth's Spine and the forests of the Greatwood. The two rivers that begin from the Kaerulean Lake and run through the mountains split the kingdom between north and south, before meeting towards the northern edge of the Bitter Wood and running to the edge of the sea in the west. Rocky hills and caves are dispersed throughout the land, as well as the ruins of former mines, villages, and holds. To the southwest the trees begin to thin and the land becomes dryer, as it is near the edge of the Auran Belt.

High King
While the Kingdom of Karaz Ankor does indeed have a king, (known as the 'High King' in Common or the 'High Lord' in Dwarvish) it is not in the traditional sense, as one might think of a land like Viridia, where the title is hereditary. Instead, each of the holds has its own lord, with the title of King passing between them every 300 years, or if when the current king dies - whichever comes first. This is one of the countermeasures enacted to prevent a civil war erupting over blood ties to the throne, and so far has worked relatively well.

Stormhammer Council
The holds are themselves somewhat independent, with each lord and their closest advisor having seats on the Stormhammer Council, which also locates itself at whatever hold houses the current king. Thus the kingdom is more or less a confederation of sorts - ruled mostly by the council. The current king does have the ability make decisions on his own, or to veto those of the council, but tradition demands that he at least hear what they have to say before doing so. To break such a practice could lead to the King's name being entered into many a Book of Grudges, which may potentially start a war between the holds.

As for laws, the Council typically debates and enacts laws that apply to the entire kingdom, although again the High King has the power to enact laws on his own. Each lord is then free to create laws that apply specifically to his hold, so long as they do not break any laws set forth by the High King or Council. The semi-constant change of the High King's Seat between the holds makes for an interesting shift in law and policy every few centuries, but there are some laws that have been in place since the dawn of Karaz Ankor proper - once dwarves adopt something as tradition, they rarely change or break it.

Religion
While the worship of any of the good Deities is allowed within Karaz Ankor, the officially worshiped god is Moradin, the god of Creation and Law. There is a large following for Berronar Truesilver as well, especially among the Shield Maidens.

People and Culture
The peoples of Karaz Ankor are varied, but perhaps not as much as its neighbors to the north and east. The majority of the population is dwarven, with halflings and gnomes behind, and humans bringing up the rear. There are some half-orcs in the far reaches, as well as the occasional tiefling. Very few elves or half-elves live here, preferring the nations that have longer coastlines and islands within their territories.

The culture of the kingdom is one of hard work and tradition. Most here believe that if you want something done, you must do it yourself, and that only through strength and will can you achieve your goals. The people are generally lawful, especially the dwarves, and will typically give a modicum of respect to outsiders so long as they obey the land's laws and give due respect in return. The major exceptions to this are elves and dragonborn, with elves being treated a little more coldly, and dragonborn being outright distrusted, likely due to old scars and grudges left over from the Essius Conflict.

Military
Following the Chaos Incursion, the Dwarven Kingdoms have always held a substantial standing army, which doubles as the guards for its holds, mines, and villages across the land during times of peace. The majority of these forces is made up of troops in standard dwarf-made gear, with the Black Guard, or 'Blackplate Dwarves' making up the elite core. Many who serve aspire to become Longbeards or Shield Maidens, which are the highest normal rankings within the military. The lord of each hold has a retinue of Longbeards outfitted in top-quality armor serving as personal defenders of their inner keeps. There are a small number of non-dwarf soldiers as well, and these are typically sent on expeditionary missions to other kingdoms or the borders to shore up defense against the beasts of the wilderness.

Clans and Guilds
The Dwarf Holds rival the Sontican Empire for the power of Guilds within their lands, and considering how much larger the Empire is, that is saying something. While every one of the Kingdoms has guilds, Dwarves tend to take them much more seriously. Usually started only within families, many of these guilds expand to include other dwarves and even non-dwarves as well. Perhaps this is because of Dwarves' love of rules and law, tradition, or a mix of both. Regardless, it cannot be denied that Dwarven guilds are some of if not the best organizations on the continent of which to be a part.

In addition to guilds, Dwarf Clans are taken very seriously. Your family name means everything as a dwarf, and even more so if you are a citizen of the holds. The Bronzebeard, Drakebrand, and Karathor clans may be the ruling power in terms of nobility, but the Ironfist, Stonebeard, Helhein, and Bloodhammer clans as well as many more are large enough to rival them, especially those that control certain guilds.It is no wonder why there are members from some of the 'Second Clans' on the Stormhammer Council... without these other clans, Karaz Ankor might not exist as it does today.

Major Holds

 * Karathor - Capital of the kingdom, known as the 'Stronghold of the Pass'. This hold is situated north of Blade's Edge Pass, which allows greater ease of travel between the western and eastern edge of the Earth's Spine. It is built into the side of Mount Atesh, and serves as its own pass through the mountain, leading north to Sylvania, for caravans and those who do not wish to brave the wilderness of the lands below.
 * Karak Hirn - Known as 'Westhold' to those from the other Kingdoms, or the 'Hornhold' to the Dwarves. This hold is located in the southern mountains, and derives its name from the especially large cavern it is built over which, when the wind blows through, creates sounds like a chorus of horns blowing. Over the years, the Dwarves have built mines and chambers through the cavern, creating different sound effects.
 * Barak Varr - Known as the 'Gateway to the Sea.' This hold is located along the shore of the western reaches of Karaz Ankor, and is built deep into the cliffs that lay above the Black Gulf. It is home to the Dwarf Navy which, although rarely used, houses powerful steam-driven Ironclad ships.

List of Council Members

 * Volkmar Karathor - The current High King and lord of Karathor Hold. Also known as 'Lord of the Crystal Seat.'
 * Norgrar Ironfist - General of the Dwarven military.
 * Kurdran Drakebrand - Lord of Barak Varr, and next in line to receive the title of High King. Also known as 'Lord of the High Cliffs.'
 * Balnuk Drakebrand - Son of Kurdran Drakebrand, ascended to the Council after his father went missing.
 * Sydius Rundore - Wizard from Pentarus and the High King's chief advisor.
 * Dagran Bronzebeard - Powerful mystic and brother of the Lord of Karak Hirn.