Barazid

By the churning waters of the Velkar River stands Barazid, a thriving dwarven town of plowed fields and smoldering forges.

The settlement is a blend of stone halls and timber dwellings, their roofs shingled in slate and their doors marked with family runes. Lanes wind like streams between stout houses, opening into the Stone Market, where dwarven farmers trade casks of beer and wheels of cheese alongside smiths selling iron nails, tools, and the occasional masterwork weapon.

Unlike their mountain kin who dwell in darkened halls, the hill dwarves of Barazid revere both the deep earth and the open sky. Their fields of grain and vegetables spread across terraced slopes, enriched by clever irrigation channels cut from the river. Livestock are driven down from high pastures in summer, their milk and wool sustaining the settlement through harsh winters.

At harvest, the townsfolk turn in devotion to Sharindlar, the dwarven goddess of healing and mercy. Shrines of carved stone, adorned with copper sickles and loaves of bread stamped with runes, stand at the town’s gates and fields. Within Barazid’s cavernous Hall of the Bounteous Flame, locals gather for the Festival of First Hearths, a great feast of ale, roasted meat, and song, where offerings are cast into the sacred forge-fire.

Overlooking Barazid is Karag Dorn, a stout fortress carved into a rocky bluff at the edge of town. Its squat battlements bristle with runic wards and heavy ballistae, a reminder of the dwarves’ once great kingdom.

Barges ply the Velkar River, laden with sacks of barley and crates of ironwork—proof of the town’s twin lifebloods of harvest and forge. Smoke rises constantly from water-driven mills and forges along the riverbank, filling the air with the mingled scent of bread and steel.

Key Locations of Barazid

The Hall of the Bounteous Flame

The Hall of the Bounteous Flame is a vast stone hall carved partly into the hillside. At its center burns the Sacred Forge, a fire said never to have gone out since the founding of Barazid.

Priests of Sharindlar oversee the town’s spiritual life here. During festivals, offerings of grain, bread, and crafted goods are cast into the flames. The forge is said to answer in omens—sparks forming runes, smoke taking on strange shapes to offer cryptic glimpses into the future.

Karag Dorn

Squat and grim across the Velkar River, Karag Dorn ("Stone Crown Fortress" in Dwarvish) is the seat of Thane Odrik Ironmantle. The fortress-keep is constructed from a combination of rock and blackstone, its walls bristling with runic wards and dwarven ballistae.

In addition to the thane, Karag Dorn houses the town’s garrison, armoury and treasury. It serves as both defense against raiders and a symbol of dwarven rule.

The Stone Market

This market is a sprawling square ringed with sturdy buildings, filled each morning with traders. Farmers haul carts of barley, cheese, and wool, while smiths display tools, nails, and weapons. Stalls of foreign peddlers occasionally appear, bringing salt, dyes and other varied curiosities.

The beating heart of town life—rumors, gossip, and disputes are common here. A large fountain carved in the shape of a dwarven anvil provides fresh water.

The River Mills

A string of stout mills lines the Velkar River’s edge, the mills' waterwheels turning ceaselessly. Some grind grain into flour, while others power small forges or saw timber. The constant creak and splash is part of Barazid’s daily soundscape.

Essential for Barazid’s food and craft economy, the mills are run by guild families. Each guild jealously guards its millwrighting secrets.

The Hearthward Inn

A broad, low-roofed inn built of riverstone and dark wood, famous for its roaring hearth, strong ale, and spiced lamb stew. Travelers from all across the region know of the Hearthward’s hospitality.

A natural hub for adventurers, mercenaries, and traveling traders. Its innkeeper, Darla Hearthward, is a former caravan guard with stories (and scars) enough to fill many an evening.

The Deep Cellars

Beneath Barazid runs a maze of ancient stone storehouses, used to keep grain, ale, and root vegetables cool. Some passages are newer, others date back to Barazid’s founding. Older dwarves claim they once connected to forgotten mines.

Essential to the town’s survival during winter—and a perfect place for secrets to linger.