Army Briefing: Khazid Grimaz

As our campaigns grind ever onward, information may be cycled out of the current game zones, but still be relevant to continuing battles. To preserve these records on the site where they are easily obtainable, I'll be posting them here as normal after they are moved from the current campaign pages. Here then, are the army briefing for the Throng of Khazid Grimaz, whom you are likely to encounter if you hang about the Wargate!

The Hold

Of

Khazid Grimaz

By Chief Scrivener Hannan

The Grey Mountains, 2522 I.C.

It is said that the Dwarfs of the Grey Mountains, to the west of the Empire, are not as wealthy as their estranged kin in the World’s Edge. Nowhere is this more evident than in the case of the hold known as Khazid Grimaz, which sits very near the Empire’s city-state of Nuln. Here, nestled in a mountain stronghold between the kingdoms of Men and the forest of Athel Loren, the dwarfs of this ancient hold have rediscovered their ancient power – the hidden and vast stone city of built by their ancestors, which laid beneath their very feet.

The gromril that lay beneath the mountain has been rediscovered, and the halls have been reclaimed by a short series of skirmishes in the deep below. Now, revenue has started to pour into the city as the ore makes its way into the city’s forges. A new age has dawned on the Khazid, one that might see the defeat of the kingdom’s ancient enemies.

The mines of the Khazid have never produced much, but now the mines are quite lucrative. The hold operates five small and medium sized mines in its protectorate, and two new large mines. Brass, copper, iron and steel are all among the products made in the dwarfs' smithies. The city and it’s sparsely populated rural protectorate could be on the rise in wealth and influence, if the war does not go against them.

The Throng of the Khazid Grimaz

The city is run by several Guilds, as is the case in many dwarf cities. The following Guilds are represented in the Khazid by a considerable amount.

• Guild of Tradesmen (Red Heraldry)
• Guild of Weaponsmiths (Red Heraldry)
• Guild of Miners (Black Heraldry)
• Guild of Goldsmiths (Black Heraldry)
• Guild of Rangers (Green Heraldry)
• Guild of Domestic Crafters (Green Heraldry)
• Guild of Engineers (Blue Heraldry)
• Guild of Jewelers (Blue Heraldry)
• Guild of Runesmiths

Khazid Grimaz

Khazid Grimaz is located in a valley in the Grey Mountains and is protected on three sides by nearly sheer rock bluffs. On the North side, the bluff overlooks a tributary of the River Reik, and to the East is the only entrance to the Khazid by road.

The city is divided into roughly five different sections: the Upper Valley, the Hold, and the Vaults, the Alderhalls and the Delve City. Each of these areas is high security, with warriors posted at regular intervals throughout the entire city. The city has a population of almost 4000, about 500 of which are transients in the Upper Valley. Additionally, the Khazid maintains roads for several miles towards the ‘borders’ with the Empire and Athel Loren, the foothills of the Grey Mountains. These roads have watchtowers at regular intervals and are seen to by the Guild of Rangers.

The Upper Valley is the trade district, where men and even elves are seen at the market. All of the trade to and from the Khazid is done here by the various guilds. PC’s wanting to do trade in the Khazid may use the following table to conduct their business.

Availability	Difficulty	Modifier
Very Rare	Hard	-20%
Rare	Challenging	-10%
Scarce	Average	+0%
Average	Routine	+10%
Common	Easy	+20%
Plentiful	Very Easy	+30%
Abundant	Automatic	N/A

The Hold is the home of the dwarfs at the Khazid Grimaz, and strangers are only very rarely permitted within the Hold proper. This is a massive underground city, akin to the larger holds throughout the Old World. The families and guilds live and work within the massive construction, which is nigh impregnable should the throng be mustered for war. The thanes of Khazid Grimaz are more involved with the men of the Empire rather than the other dwarfs of the Mountains, particularly those from Karak Norn to the south.

 The Vaults are the crypts and bowels underneath the Upper Valley. The twisting and intersecting tunnels lead to abandoned mines, the interment crypts of the dead, and to locked and sealed treasure rooms. The Vaults are doubly guarded by the throng, and it has never been breached.

 The Alderhalls and the Delve city have recently been reclaimed by the dwarfs, and they have been quite studious in the restoration of the ancient tunnels, though a great many have been destroyed. Currently, these sections are being restored…though it will be a generation or two before the Delve City is totally reclaimed and bustling as it was a thousand years ago.