Donmolim

Dominant Race: Mountain Dwarf
Apex Predator: Asphantis
Wildlife: 
Resources:
Natural Wonders: The Echos
Primary Biome: Soaring Mountains

HISTORY
 of The Great Divide

South of Ord, across Warenmock Bay, rises Donmolim — the mountain heart of the continent of Aborlon and homeland of the stalwart Mountain Dwarves. Towering peaks crown its skyline, while highland fields cling stubbornly to slopes carved by rushing rivers and roaring waterfalls. Ravines split the earth into defensible corridors, and a labyrinth of ancient trails threads through forest and stone alike. Geography here is not decoration; it is doctrine. Donmolim does not merely sit at the center of Aborlon — it divides it. For centuries, its mountains have acted as a natural bulwark between eastern and western powers, quietly shaping diplomacy, trade, and war without ever raising a banner.

Only one true military passage exists: a narrow northern pass just below the Dragon’s Spine wide enough to permit an army to cross. Yet even this path is no gift. Any sizeable force must skirt a vast inland lake and ford three rivers before reaching the fertile elven territories beyond. An invasion through Donmolim is less a march and more an ordeal. Armies emerge diminished, exhausted, and exposed — if they emerge at all. Thus the dwarves influence wars they never formally join, their land serving as an unspoken arbiter of continental ambition.

Above ground, travelers find fortifications — stone gates, watchtowers, and citadels fused seamlessly into cliff faces. But these are only the visible teeth of a far deeper jaw. The Mountain Dwarves are a subterranean people, their true kingdoms hidden beneath the peaks in vast cavern networks lit by magma glow and rune-forged lanterns. In the quiet dark below, halls echo with the rhythm of hammers and the murmur of councils older than most nations. Donmolim is rugged, unyielding, and deliberate — much like its people. It does not rush to shape the world. It simply stands in the way of those who try.

Government

• Fiefdom

   Each family is led by a Lord. The Lord is a direct descendant of one of the original 14 bloodlines. Each clan represents itself with a different type of stone. While the houses are known by name above ground, in the dark halls of Donmolim each territory is identified by the family's representational stone. In the nation of Donmolim, six of those bloodlines swear their allegiance to the King Of the Great Hall, the ruling seat for the mountain dwarves.

• Alliances

   Agreement of Might: An ongoing treaty with the races: Draconian, Nephilim, Plains Dwarf, and Giants.

   The Coalition of Men: An ongoing treaty with the races of men: Human, Elf, Plains Dwarf, Giant, and Troll.

   Rock and Gravel: Trade Agreement with the Humans to include open borders.

Military

 • Infantry

Axemen: Armed with steel 1-handed axes, a steel and brass round shield, steel dagger and leather armor with brass studding.

   Heavy Axemen: Armed with steel 2-handed axes, a steel and brass shield, steel dagger and steel half-plate armor.

   Anvil: Armed with brass 1-handed hammers, steel and brass round shield, steel dagger and leather armor with brass studding.

   Heavy Anvil: Armed with steel 2-handed hammers, steel and brass shield, steel dagger and steel half-plate armor.

• Polemen

   Halberdiers: Equipped with steel halberd, steel phalanx shield, steel dagger, and steel chainmail.

Territories

• Grovor

    Found below Mount Oridium, Grovor is ruled by House Desh. It is the southern most territory and provides Donmolim with coal, diamonds, lead, iron, tin and silver. For this reason it has elevated the Desh name to one of solid influence. 

   The pillars of soapstone in the great halls of Donmolim represent the house of Desh. Lord Marten and Lady Sibylla rule over House Desh. Lord Marten is a jovial sort with a belly laugh that spreads mirth and joy. His wife however is a quite reserved lady with an Aire of elegance somewhat uncommon among dwarvenkind.

• Makron

    On the surface Makron is a rugged and unforgiven land, with the peak of Mount Jorneac standing defiantly against its bigger brother Kaktaith Mountain. But underneath within the caverns of Makron are some of the most beautiful underground lakes and waterfalls in all of Donmolim. It is also home to the Echos and the Bridge of Gormath, two Dwarven wonders.

   Lord Ronell and Lady Quenby of house Forton, are the benevolent rulers and manage the defenses for the nation of Donmolim. They are also responsible for seeing to the defense of the Sencheso Pass, a route once used by the Draconian to exploit the Elven people. House Forton, boasting some of the best-skilled masons in all of Aborlon, is represented by slate.

• Mustogar

   Mustogar is widely considered the beating heart of the mountain dwarves. It is located in the center of the nation and is known for its sprawling passages leading to all other territories. This attribute has contributed greatly to the peoples of Mustogar being some of the wealthiest traders in all of Donmolim.

 

   House Boralia has been an influential family from the beginning of time. Their family is represented in the halls by Basalt: a dark, fine grain, volcanic rock. The Lord of House Boralia is Lord Gustav alongside Lady Kallan.

• Ostrul

    House Merkinstahn is responsible for the upkeep of this territory. They sit at the gates to the Underdark and keep the evil horrors from flooding into the world above. With soldiers from all of the surviving dwarven bloodlines bolstering their ranks, the inhabitants of Ostrul are a mighty force indeed. However, the bulk of those forces are stationed at the Gates to Perdition.

   Lord Hakkan and Lady Sunniva reign over Ostrul. While they are a taciturn couple, their ability to rule their people and maintain security at the Gates to Perdition is unquestioned. The Merkinstahn bloodline is sworn by blood to guard the way to greater Donmolim.

• Thavrala

   Home to the Southern Portal, an immense gateway into central Aborlon, Thavrala is the export hub for all of Donmolim. All trade caravans bound for central and southern Aborlon pass through this portal as well as imports from those respective locations. The taxes levied on these caravans have elevated the ruling house and its people financially. Which in turn has allowed them to arm the gateway guards with the best armaments available.

 

   Lord Ryden and Lady Freya, oversee the holdings for house Gamur. A quiet and thoughtful bloodline House Gamur is represented by rose-colored marble. They are a dedicated and studious people. Tasked with securing the Southern Portal the soldiers of Thavrala, also known as the "Sons of Gamur", stand steadfast against all manners of threat.

• Ukrim

   The Great House of Harbinton produces some of the finest warriors Donmolim has to offer. Their children are raised from birth to be warriors, shunning the soft comforts of luxury for the rigid way of discipline. Their love is expressed through honor and devotion to their families and their people. When the bells of war sound the soldiers of Ukrim jump at the chance to be recognized for their efforts.

   House Harbington, represented by feldspar and ruled by Lord Leif and Lady Linnea Harbinton, was the first to answer the call to fight the underlings pouring from the nine gates. Their warriors led the charge into one of the gates discovering from whence the underlings came and held the line while the Gates to Perdition were constructed.

Wonders / Attractions 

The Great Hall

An enormous chamber located in the heart of Donmolim. With 42 towering pillars representing the original bloodlines, a raised royal platform made of imported lumber, Elven tapestries, magnificent high-relief carvings depicting historical moments in dwarven history and a throne forged of pure adamantium, decorated with gold and titanium inlay as well as dozens of precious stones; this Hall is considered the center for Dwarven culture as well as the seat of ultimate Donmolim power. 

Kraggut's Forge

Though called a Forge it is actually a Foundry founded on the accumulation of generational Dwarven knowledge. Whulgraer built this Foundry utilizing the lore of many bloodlines. Until it's creation each bloodline scoffed at the techniques of the other clans. Whulgraer however, meticulously gathered these familial lores and combined them to engineer one of the hottest foundries in all of Epimetheus. Not only is it capable of smelting adamantium, but it can also utilize the power of Dragon's Heart, a rare stone that produces tremendous heat with the aide of harmonics. 

Hegrim's Tomb

The resting place of the hero Hegrim Dragonbane. As is Dwarven tradition, warriors are entombed with the tools of their trade so that they might continue their work in the Halls of Mastiff.  Hegrim was adorned with many talismans and wore an adamantium scalemail armor that was said to be blessed by Mastiff Himself. His life was spent in service to the people and so his only possessions were militant in nature. But many an adventurer has been lured into the necropolis with hopes of laying claim to these bounties, only to become another eternal slumberer ambling in the darkness. 

The Echos

There is a chasm so deep, wide and long within the mountains of Donmolim that it seems a world apart from the surface.  When first discovered the howling of the wind was so disturbing that the entrance was immediately sealed. But during a later era in Dwarven history it was unsealed and the winds were disregarded as anything other than a natural phenomena.  Seeking to exploit the riches believed to exist on the other side the ruling families built a bridge across the chasm.  This en devour was costly as many were swept from the parapaces and thrown to their deaths by the unpredictable gusts that tore through the chasm. It is said that the screams of those that plunged to their death can still be heard echoing endlessly in the darkness. 

Subterranean Gardens of Gamur

Built at the behest of Lady Thrarowynn these underground gardens display the rarest and most spectacular flora found in the Underneath. There are flowers that glow and others that 'hide' at the slightest sound, various mushrooms, flowered fungus, bizarre plants that consume small critters, vines that sparkle and plants that 'sing'. The entire complex was designed to inspire visitors that the Underneath was indeed a place of beauty and wonder rather than a bunch of dark caves. Sitting within the glow of the flowers and the song of the plant life found there one, would be hard-pressed to disregard the wonders of the Underneath. 

Bridge of Ghormath

The Echos, an immense chasm deep in the caverns of Donmolim, is spanned by a single bridge. It's construction cost many lives, utilized exorbitant amounts of resources, required advances in dwarven engineering and took nearly a hundred legras to complete. The sheer size of it alone is spectacular, but Dwarven culture would never produce a structure that was plain to the eye. From high relief carvings to sculptures of historical figures, railings of platinum, structural components of adamantium and precious stone markers, this bridge does not disappoint. Interestingly it takes it's name not from the financers of the project nor from any of the ruling body but rather is named after Jerriah Ghormath. Jerriah was a simple mason who invented a safety harness that anchored the workers to the structure, ending the senseless deaths from the sharp and unpredictable winds of the chasm. 

The Nine Gates of Hell

Some things are better left alone and still others better to never be found, these gates fall into both those categories. Some say they were buried by the gods whilst others claim that they appeared in the physical realm to tempt mortals. No matter where they came from or how they came to be these indestructible gates enchant men to their doom.

While both macabre and ghastly in appearance the power that emanates from them has always drawn denizens of the dark. First discovered by the Merkinstahn clan, these objects both confounded and mesmerized many clan members. Retawer Merkinstahn, the clan leader at that time had forbade any to even gaze upon them and had ordered the caverns to be sealed.

However, the promise of power had already wormed its way into the hearts of many discontent Merkinian dwarves. Through guile and betrayal Retawer was executed and a full fledged coo led to the downfall of one of the proudest bloodlines in dwarven history. The events of the coo also led to the opening of the gates, a mistake that the entire race would pay the price for.

The Gates to Perdition

While built in dire haste its quality does not lack. Though called a gate, the truth is that it is an incredible fortification designed to keep the underlings from advancing further into the subterranean kingdoms. With great chasms, narrow bridges, elaborate bottlenecks and countless weapons of war the Gates to Perdition is a mile long kill zone built to destroy denizens of the dark, including the unholy and undead.

All of Donmolim labored at its creation. Not a single soul sought to spare wealth, resource nor time. For the Dwarves that lived in those times knew that their very existence was at stake. Already two entire bloodlines had perished under the onslaught of unending nightmares that poured forth from the portals out of the fiery realm known as Hell.