02 - Iron Kingdoms W.. - Captain Spud Is Amazing

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community that discovered the richest gold and
silver veins in Rhul. This ignited the Hundred House
Rebellion and threw the entire kingdom into civil
discord before peace was restored. The three most
powerful clans of Ulgar, known as the Trine, have
maintained their authority and monopolies since those
early decades. Together with their conglomerates, they
control almost all mining in northern Rhul and are
influential voices on the Moot in Ghord.
Similar to Ghord, most of Ulgar’s citizens live
above ground among densely populated streets,
stonework estates, towers, bridges, and great halls.
However, a sizable section of the city occupied by the
poorer mining and quarry clans is carved into the
mountain’s interior.
Despite centuries of mining, the famed veins
of Ulgar seem inexhaustible. They have required
increasingly deep excavations into the mountains,
testing dwarven ingenuity to extract the elusive ore.
Many ancient mines have collapsed or been abandoned
and forgotten, and the lattice of caverns and shafts in
the mountains north of Ulgar are the most extensive
in Rhul. Entire sections are superstitiously avoided
by local miners who believe them to be occupied by
horrors or simply in danger of collapse. Recent clashes
with dozens of bloodthirsty dregg in the deep caverns
have given these stories new life, and miners are
demanding that the Trine deal with the problem.
Noted Persons
Clan Lord Jaldun Blackheel (male dwarf Ftr14):
The Blackheels control the most lucrative coal mines
in the nearby mountains along with rich veins of silver
and copper and two profitable granite quarries. They
are one of the founding clans of Ulgar and sit on the
Moot of the Hundred Houses. Lord Blackheel rarely
attends the Moot personally; he prefers to send his
learned uncle Garlorn Blackheel (male dwarf Clr5/
Exp5) in his stead. Jaldun is a dwarf of late middle years
with a stern temperament and a mind for business. He
spends much of his time concerned with the Ulgar
mines and trying to stay on top of new innovations.
The clan lord has spent considerable expense hiring
some of the best mechaniks in Ulgar to devise better
ways to extend his operations. The Blackheels also own
a controlling interest in Steelhead Coal and Steam,
and the recent difficulties (see entry Chapter Two)
have been a constant worry and distraction. Jaldun
recently killed the heir of Clan Egharl in a hasty
duel—a move that threatens to embroil the two clans
in an extended and bloody feud.
Clan Lord Barl Durkin (male dwarf Ari7/Ftr5):
The voice of caution within the Trine, Lord Durkin
is frequently at odds with Lord Blackheel whom he
considers reckless and uncouth. The Durkin clan is
the wealthiest in Ulgar and controls the bulk of the
city’s gold mines along with claims for several veins
of lesser metals. Like Lord Blackheel, Lord Durkin
rarely attends the Moot in Ghord and opts to send
his son Barlon (male dwarf Ftr5/Ari2). It is an open
secret that young bravos of the Durkin clan run Ulgar’s
primary black market and fencing operations, and
Barl Durkin is not shy in his use of Glomring lurkers to
spy on his competition in order to ensure the Durkin
gold monopoly.
Clan Lord Durg Wroughthammer (male dwarf
Ftr3/Sor11): The most commanding of the Trine,
Durg spends much of his time in Ghord at the
Moot speaking for his clan. He votes by proxy
on Trine business via his cousin Justicar Geduve
Wroughthammer (see below). His clan controls most
of the city’s silver and iron mining.
Locales of Ulgar
Church of the Bountiful Mountain: This ancient
church has been restored many times over the years
and is maintained by the Trine. The first flood of
wealth in Ulgar financed its original construction,
and it remains one of the most ostentatious churches
in Rhul. Instead of a tower, it is a wide and low hall set
into the mountainside. Past the marble halls, golden
braziers, and polished oak pews, it connects to a small
natural cavern of quartz, feldspar, and an untapped
vein of gold considered sacred. Although all Great
Fathers are praised here, special deference is paid
to Dohl and Ghrd, the fathers of mining and wealth.
The church and town clergy are led by Justicar
Geduve Wroughthammer (female dwarf Clr15), an
elder cousin of the clan lord. She is fair-skinned,
eloquent, and frequently asked to judge city disputes.
Despite her clan affiliation, she has never shown a
bias for her kinsmen.
World Guide 361