Built into the walls of Mount Kragvirion, the city of Cragmire (also known as the Jewel of the North or the City of Gold) was the crown jewel of Fador. The enormous cavern houses the city's districts either sat: on the enormous central bridge of Journeyman's Crossing, ridges in the walls, embedded into an alcove, or hanging from the very ceiling of the enormous cavern itself. No person who had seen it could ever deny that it was a masterpiece of engineering.
There have been two versions of Cragmire that have sat within the same cavern. The original existed prior to the Shadowplague, but was destroyed during the event - reduced to rubble - deep in Mount Kragvirion. That was until the ancient cavern was uncovered by a band of adventurers in 265 2E. This band was lead by the princess of the small dwarven kingdom, Soriin named Orana Soriinah, she and her men fought through the rubble, cutting through hundreds of undead before supposedly killing a powerful lich at the bottom. This fight is supposedly where Orana Soriinah lost her hand, which she later replaced with the legendary Silverhand.
Claiming the fallen city in the name of Soriin, the princess and her family began work on rebuilding the fallen city, with many of the other dwarven countries in the north aiding them, hoping to get a piece of the new Cragmire. After almost 100 years of mining, building, and fighting back the remaining undead in the Elderfall, the first parts of the new city were completed, and the new Cragmire was born.
History[]
Brief History[]
Not much was known about the original Cragmire from before the Shadowplague, but it is common knowledge that the designs used in the 2nd version take inspiration from the original.
Built between the years 265 2E and 361 2E, the new version of Cragmire was built and ruled over by Orana Soriinah (later Orana Silverhand). The city's new queen created the Council of Stone to help her rule over Cragmire.
After the four dwarven nations of Soriin, Tarima, Lir, and Danal merged to form Fador. Cragmire was made the capital of the newfound nation. A title it has maintained for centuries.
WIP
Government[]
Main article: Council of Stone
Cragmire is ruled over by a council known as the Council of Stone. The council resides in Diamond Garden in the Hall of Stone. The council consists of Fador's current ruler, alongside several leaders of certain aspects of the city, known as masters (mistress for women). Titles of masters of Cragmire could be as follows.
- Master/Mistress of the Arcane
- Master/Mistress of Architecture
- Master/Mistress of Commerce
- Master/Mistress of the Forge
- Master/Mistress of Law
- Master/Mistress of Secrets
- Master/Mistress of War
Trade[]
Being an underground city, it is impossible for Cragmire to get enough its own food without it being imported. Thus so, Cragmire spends thousands of gold every year to purchase food for its citizens. During times at war - or other times when available food is depleted - Cragmire is often the first city to be hit.
Cragmire also sits dead in the centre of the Iron Road, making it an essential stopping point for traders moving through the big cities.
Defences[]
Cragmire had a group known as the Bronzeplates act as the guards to the city and its surrounding land. The bronzeplates also doubled as a police force within the city.
The city itself had only three entrances, those being the two enormous metal gates at either end of Journeyman's Crossing, as well as the extremely heavily guarded Skyloft, which acted as a port for Skyships and Wyvern Riders alike.
Law and Order[]
The Bronzeplates were the local police force and in addition to capturing criminals, its members settled petty disputes, gave directions, summoned medical and priestly aid, generally performing duties that promoted the idea that Cragmire was a city open to all who knew how to behave themselves.
Cragmiran justice was dispatched by the master/mistress of law and their employees within the Steel Tower, which acted as the city's court. The tower itself was only used for major offences within the city, whereas more normal crimes would be held at a normal court.
The city was also home to the Obsidian Oubliette, a massive underground prison that acted like a pit for Cragmire to throw its most wanted criminals into where they can run free in a confined underground cavern beneath the Elderfall.
Layout[]
Cragmire is very neatly divided into districts, as the years have gone by, new districts have been added to support the growing populous.
- Adamantine Square
- Sat high in the cavernous mountain, Adamantine Square gazed down across Cragmire, showcasing its formidable wealth. It sported a good number of wealthy merchants, military generals, and noble lords and ladies. They showed off their wealth with lavish mansions alongside their many stashes of gold, silver and jewels. One section of Adamantine Square also acted as a locale for some of the most upmarket shops, taverns and inns in the whole city.
- Diamond Garden
- Hanging from the ceiling that makes up much of Cragmire, Diamond Garden houses the Hall of Stone, a meeting place for the dwarven lords and ladies to discuss future plans for the country. Diamond Garden also houses the Diamond Palace, home of the dwarven monarch.
- The Elderfall
- Not so much a district but more of a graveyard of the ancient remnants of the original Cragmire from before the Shadowplague. The outskirts of the Elderfall acts as the entrance to the Obsidian Oubliette, an inescapable prison full of war criminals, serial killers and many more. The fall itself is filled with undead and other dangers. Many more foolhardy denizens take to scavenging the Elderfall for ancient riches. Very few came back alive or sane, let alone with anything of value.
- The Furnace
- Lying far below any other district of the city sat the legendary district of the Furnace. Though Cragmire was home to near a hundred forges the Furnace housed the greatest of them all; the Dawn Forge.
- Journeyman's Crossing
- The main thoroughfare of Cragmire. A several mile long, several dozen feet wide bridge of stone, gold, steel and silver; Journeyman's Crossing acted as both an entrance and exit to the city of Cragmire. The bridge sported an almost endless market of stalls and shops filled with merchants peddling their wares. In its centre was Ordin's Plaza, a city hub that sported a giant golden statue - almost the size of a small tower - depicting the dwarf god Ordin in an illustrious pose. The plaza also acted as the hub of the city, with bridges and stairways leading to every part of the city.
- Silver Town
- Sat just next to Journeyman's Crossing, Silver Town acted as a residence for the average denizens of Cragmire, not particularly rich, or particularly poor. A few shops lined the district alongside its well-designed architecture.
- The Skyloft
- Sat just above Silver Town, the Skyloft acted as the only other entrance to Cragmire aside from either end of Journeyman's Crossing. It was only accessible by Skyships or other flying creatures and required a permit to land or risk being shot down by ballistae.
- Undertown
- Directly below Journeyman's Crossing sat Undertown, the lower class district of Cragmire. Though not poverty stricken or famine bound, Undertown was noticeably more simple in design, more compact and ramshackle. It was fairly obvious that the architects of Cragmire knew what would eventually come of Cragmire during its construction many years prior and tucked it just out of sight on a ledge directly below Journeyman's Crossing, so those entering wouldn't "have the view spoiled by some lower class district".
Landmarks[]
Taverns and Inns[]
- Golden Hawk: An aristocratic inn situated near the stairway from Adamantine Square and Diamond Garden.
- Prancing Pegasus: A rowdy tavern/strip club in Undertown: for the party animals and sexual deviants of Cragmire.
- Sitting Bull: A comfortable inn in Silver Town, it has a large tavern on its ground floor.
- White Wolf: A mercenary mead hall situated on the outskirts of Silver Town.
Mercantile[]
- Abigail's Antiques: A small antique shop tucked into an ally on Journeyman's Crossing. Run by a very strange young lady.
- Arnelius' Arcane Assemblage: An expensive magical item store situated in Adamantine Square.
- Gris' General Goods: A shady general goods store that sells a little more than general goods.
- Lava Cakes: A small, but popular bakery on the corner of a street in Silver Town. It is owned by Anguish. It is most known for giving its leftovers to the homeless on the daily.
Administration[]
The entirety of Cragmire's admin is done in Diamond Garden, unless stated otherwise.
- Amethyst Lyceum: A respected place of arcane study led by the Master/Mistress of the Arcane. The lyceum also houses the Iron Junction, the city's only official connection to the Teleportation Circle Network of the Infinite Isles. The Lyceum is separate from everything else in the city, it sits on its own alcove on the cave wall, just above Adamantine Square.
- Diamond Palace: A diamond-roofed palace that houses the Fadan royalty and their servants.
- Hall of Stone: A meeting place for the Council of Stone.
- Steel Tower: A tall tower adorned with steel that acts as a base of operations for the Bronzeplates and the Master/Mistress of Law.
Places of Worship[]
Like most cities, Cragmire had many places of worship. Though home to many temples and shrines, the city's most renowned and well known were:
- Bull's Rest: Shrine to Pyth, located in Adamantine Square.
- House of the Tower Keeper: Temple of Dyher, located in Silver Town.
- Judge's Court: Temple to Hil, located in Adamantine Square.
- Knife Point: Shrine to Khanine, hidden in an alley in Undertown.
- Luckmaiden's Hall: Shrine to Haela, located in Silver Town.
- Messenger's Post: Shrine to Ammor Duin, located at the eastern entrance to Journeyman's Crossing.
- Stonefather's Hall: Temple of Ordin, located near the stairway form Silver Town to Adamantine Square.