The Duchy of Dersolbek

The Dwarven city of  Dersolbek is actually five different settlements joined together, although it doesn’t appear that way to  most outsiders.  Most people visiting Dersolbek only ever get as far as Gateway, the village built onto the side of the mountain, around the gate into the main ‘city’.  Here you will find almost as many Halflings and Gnomes as you will Dwarves.  Gateway is home to the trade factors and otherancillary workers that allow the underground city to trade with the rest of the world.  Gnome Jewellers, tinkers and few alchemists gather here as they are close to the source of their raw materials, while Halflings handle transportation and trade negotiations, acting as intermediaries between the dwarves and the rest of the world.  You will also find some high quality dwarf armourers and weapon smiths taking orders for new equipment. 

Those lucky enough to get inside the strong hold follow an underground road until they come to Dovdal, the upper settlement.  Hill Dwarves from Dovdal mine the upper seams and act as a conduit for trade goods from the other settlements.  Bolovhak is further on down the road/tunnel into the heart of the mountains, and here Mountain Dwarves handle heavier, more complex, veins of metal for export to the surface.  A spiral pathway leads down to Fardarak home of the deep dwarves who labour deep blow the mountain extracting the most precious of ores, and guarding against attack from  other denizens of the under-dark.  Lastly there is Highgate, a small surface settlement that defends the ‘escape tunnel’ that leads deep into the mountains -  very few outsiders are aware that Highgate even exists.

All four of the main settlements (Dovdal, Bolovhak, Fardarak and Highgate)  have almost 100% dwarven populations.

Population levels

Gateway 350 = 130  Hill Dwarves, 20 Mountain Dwarves, 100 Gnome, 100 Halfling
Dovdal   400 =  370  Hill Dwarves  18 Mountain Dwarves 12 Deep Dwarves
Bolovhak  400 = 360  Mountain Dwarves  24 Hill Dwarves  16 Deep Dwarves
Fardarak   350 = 315  Deep Dwarves,  20 Hill Dwarves, 15 Mountain Dwarves
Highgate 50 = 30 Hill Dwarves, 20 Mountain Dwarves

Politics, Economy and Religion

Politically each of the four main settlements have Dwarven Leaders, but it is Morak, Master of Dovdal, who leads the Dwarves of Dersolbek as far as the Alliance is concerned.

Dersolbek exports Gold, Silver, Iron and Steel as well as high quality Arms, Armour and Jewellery.  It is known as the centre for metal craft excellence throughout the alliance.  Although it produces some food of its own, Dersolbek imports just about everything else – Meat, Veg, Grain, Ale, Cheese, Leather, Woollens  etc

Dovdal, Bolovhak and Fardarak all support traditional temples to the Dwarven Pantheon lead by Moradin.  However, Gateway has a temple of the shrines where symbols of other deities are displayed for worship alongside Moradin,  chief amongst these are Yondola, Garl Glittergold and Fharlanghn.