Volkran (Vole-Cran)

• Dwarves – The dominant species, including mountain dwarves and rune-carvers.
• Goliaths – Nomadic or ridge-guardians; often serve as elite warriors.
• Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin) – Reside in crystal tunnels; odd but valued enchanters.
• Aarakocra – Perch in sky-facing rookeries; used as scouts or messengers.
• Giants – A fractured presence. Most are neutral or reclusive.

The High Thane oversees diplomacy, trade, and military coordination. Day-to-day governance is handled by Clan Elders who rule their own territories semi-independently. The Council of Anvils convenes during moments of crisis or when unity is required.

• Mountain-Integrated Fortresses
• Wyrmguard Ballistae: Massive anti-creature defenses lining cliff edges
• Sky Patrols: Aarakocra scouts and rune-tethered drake riders
• Oathfires: Lit atop towers to summon the clans to war

• Mining & Rare Ore Extraction (deep iron, embersteel, voidsilver)
• Elite Smithing Guilds
• War Training Grounds (some even used by mercenaries from other regions)
• Trade in Arcane Alloys & Warding Runes

• Tunnel Roads: Enchanted minecart rails and reinforced paths wind through mountains.
• Skybridges: Rope and steel bridges for aarakocra and ridge dwellers.
• Forge Lines: Magma-powered underground channels connecting forges and settlements.
• Heat Wells: Central heating springs used in cities and military bunkers.

Capital: Durok-Tharum

1. The Emberworks – The central smithing and forge guild zone. Open flames, molten metal, and ringing steel.
2. Greybarrow Hold – Residential district carved from slate. Tiered homes stacked with steep stairs.
3. The Crucible Bastion – Military headquarters and training arenas.
4. Stoneheart Market – Open-air exchange for trade in raw ores, enchanted arms, and echo crystals.

• Echo Crystals – Powerful ancestral stones for divination or enchantment
• Volkran Steel – Strongest metal in Solstana, rumored to resist magical corrosion
• Rune-Weavers – Smiths trained in ancient rune magic
• Beast Tamers – Especially of rockdrakes and frosthorn goats

The Granite Vow – Veteran warrior order sworn to defend ancestral halls

The Shardbinders – Deep gnome society that studies and taps into Echo Crystals

Stormbreakers – Goliath-led mercenary faction known for brutal high-altitude raids

During the Time of Trials, the ancestors of Volkran's dwarves fled from collapsing underdark kingdoms and sought refuge in the highest mountains. There, they founded bastions and began carving a life from stone and snow. Echo Crystals were first discovered in the early 1300s DR and became central to cultural rites and craftsmanship.

• The Titan Ruins of Volkran – Forgotten structures larger than giants; remnants of a pre-historic civilization
• Frostmaw Gate – A sealed mountain pass rumored to contain a sleeping primordial
• Ashforge Deep – A magma-scarred forge city lost during a war between rival clans
• The Howling Steps – High-altitude staircase that echoes with ancestral voices

• Carved into cliff faces and mountain halls
• Vaulted interiors with open flame channels
• External walls laced with runes of warmth and protection
• Some structures built upward for aarakocra perches and goliath lodges

Located in Solstana's northern range, bordering tundra and glacial rivers, Volkran features sharp ridges, cavernous depths, and explosive geothermal zones with several volcanic veins running beneath the surface.

• Cold and unforgiving year-round
• Windstorms that can strip flesh from bone
• Snowfall laced with ash in some highlands due to volcanic vents
• Some caverns are heated by geothermal springs—known as “hearth hollows”

Voidsilver – Silvery-blue metal with arcane conductivity

Frostbloom Moss – Grows in caverns and used in potions

Aether Coal – Fuels magical forges with a clean, bright burn