Beazzorum

Beazzorum (pronounced "BEE-zor-um"), known by humans as "Copper Peak" or "The Copper Peak Principality," is a Dwarven principality located in the southern portion of the Zerkania mountain range. Like other Dwarven city-states in the area, it is nominally part of the Legitan Alliance, but it is largely uninvolved in larger Legitan politics, finding more affinity with other Dwarven realms. Beazzorum's current view of the rest of the Legitan Alliance is largely that the other states are preferred trading partners and that a loose defensive alliance exists, but otherwise Beazzorum has been staunchly isolationist in more recent years.

The entire principality is roughly ~65% Dwarf, ~20% human [who mostly live outside of the mountain due to size constraints of portions of Beazzorum proper], and ~15% comprised of other small races [such as gnomes, halflings, and goblins]. Inhabitants of other races [such as elves] are usually rare and make up 1-2% of the city’s population at most. Relations between the different groups are mostly fine. Historically, tensions existed between the Dwarves and the Humans, but the expansion of trade up and down the Orandatur has eased tensions, as the Dwarves are quite content with mining and providing protection inside the mountain while letting the humans be semi-autonomous and to bring in wealth and resources through trade.

However, Halflings are often the most marginalized group, and stereotyped as being unintelligent farmers living in the outskirts of the city. Gnomes, on the other hand, are the closest to the Dwarves, and a few notable individuals have even married into a couple of the Dwarven noble families.

The city itself straddles the east-flowing Orandatur, literally “River of Peace/Serenity”, or just the Serene River in the human tongue, so called because of its gentle waters and the rarity of unexpected floods. Before the city existed, several streams, mostly fed by snowmelt, descended from the mountain and into the river. In the present day, however, dams have been built and artificial drainage channels have been constructed by the Dwarves to divert the flow of water away from Beazzorum proper, and to flow into the Orandatur at different points away from the city, mostly downstream to further limit the potential of flooding affecting the city following particularly snowy winters.

### The Legend of the Hanged Princes

Long ago, what was once Beazzorum was nothing but a virgin landscape, discovered by a pair of Dwarven twin brothers, exiled from the city of their birth. With their own hands, they built the first passageways, the first homes, and the first mines, naming the city "Beazzorum" after the plentiful copper ore buried under the mountain.

Their homeland was stricken by strife, and over time, more exiles arrived and joined this burgeoning community. Digging deeper and deeper into the mountain, processing the copper ore, and selling it to travelers and traders sailing down the Serene River. These early days were prosperous, and the twin princes grew in wealth and prestige.

However, among some of the newest arrivals to the city, jealousy fermented within their hearts. Driven more by greed than any love for their fellow children of Brondryn, they conspired against the Twin Princes. One night, they carried out their plot, yet were only able to find one of the brothers within the palace. Regardless, they took their opportunity, and that night, the Martyred Prince was hung from the rafters of his own palace.

Upon his return home, the surviving twin was devastated. Even revenge didn't cross his mind, all he sought was a way to bring back his beloved brother. That night, the gods granted to him a vision, of how to acquire knowledge of life and death and how to save the immortal spirit of his twin. In the morning, as the sun cast its first rays onto the copper peak, the Sacrificed Prince hung himself from an ash tree atop the mountain home he had made.

What happened next in Beazzorum is a matter of debate even to this day. Among the scholars of the university, the two twins, the Hanged Princes, passed fully into legend. Their allies and followers revenged their deaths, and killed or cast out the conspirators fully, establishing the first Bronze Council, headed by the Twins' closest allies. According to these scholars, the names of the twins similarly faded into history, becoming known only as the Hanged Princes, comprised of the Martyred Prince and the Sacrificed Prince.

Among the more religious and superstitious of Beazzorum, however, the two Princes were themselves deified, as the Sacrificed Prince used his knowledge of life and death to ensure an apotheosis of his and his brother's spirits. Their enemies were struck down through misfortune and supernatural intervention, and in a series of visions, the Hanged Princes laid out their plans for how the city shall be governed forevermore. As their final act, they declared their true names to be taboo, forever to be forgotten so no mortal could hold power over the Hanged Princes.

There exists, in the darker parts of the city, groups and cults that hold more uncommon beliefs. The Sons of the Martyred believe that the Martyred Prince was in fact killed by his own brother, who in his shame and grief, then took his own life. They believe that the Sacrificed Prince is naught but a false idol, and that his followers and allies, and those descended from them, should be made to face final justice. Whenever a dwarf is found hanging from a noose, even in a locked room, there are whispers that the Sons of the Martyred have struck again.

Another group are the Searchers for Truth. A more esoteric group, believed to have connections among the elite of the city, these dwarves pursue the same truth that the Sacrificed Prince discovered, carrying out their own ritualized proxies of suicide to draw closer to their own lord, and to the knowledge he represents.

### Beazzorum Proper

Beawandoz = The City Center, a magnificent Dwarf-made cavern marked by monuments, public plazas, and market squares. It is the one district built to most easily allow access by larger races, such as humans and elves.

Zzoramum = The Noble’s District, comprised mostly of government and military buildings, along with the Bronze Palace, the personal residence of the current Prince.

Orozamum = The Golden District, primarily comprised of the homes of various nobles, along with upper-class shopping areas.

Yhazzoriamum = The Smith’s District, primarily comprised of middle-class homes, workshops, and businesses. It is here that much of the fine art of Beazzorum is produced, and the city’s university can be found in the Southern portion of this district.

Brondynamum = Brondyn’s District, dedicated to the worship of Brondyn and to the veneration of various ancestors. It is here that the ashes of dead Dwarves are entombed in great vaults reaching deep into the ground. When possible, all Dwarven bodies are cremated, preferably in open-air cremations atop of mountains, and with the ashes then buried deep underground.

Zziramum = Miner’s District, where much of the manufacturing and mining occurs, along with where the poorest of the poor live. As the city expands, it will expand out in this direction, towards the East and the Northeast.

Sardarzamum = The Iron District, the first district to be carved out of the mountain in ages past. Now, it is the most densely-populated district, comprised mostly of lower/working-class homes and businesses. It is this district that Beavis was raised in.

### Beazzorum’s Government

Beazzorum is a Dwarven principality. There are five noble families, with the Patriarch (or Matriarch, in rare cases) of each holding a position as an Elector-Duke on the Bronze Council. One Elector-Duke is chosen to be Prince of Beazzorum, and will hold that position until their death, abdication, or by unanimous decision of the four Elector-Dukes.

Intermarriages between the five noble families is forbidden, both to avoid messy succession crises and to avoid the mixing of higher-noble blood. Instead, the noble families typically marry members of the dozens of lesser noble families in Beazzorum or in other Dwarven cities.

The current Duke-Electors, and their families, are:

##### *Prince Bazilar (House Akund)*

> The oldest Patriarch, nearing the very end of his life, at the age of 499. A venerable, if traditionalist and isolationist Dwarven noble. His rule has been marked by a laissez-faire ideology combined with acting as a mediator and diplomat. He views himself as a grandfather-like figure of his people, reluctant to issue orders and decrees and instead relying on his own wisdom and charisma to find compromise. In recent years, some of the other patriarchs have started to believe that it is time that Bazilar abdicate from the position in favor of a younger Dwarf, but Bazilar himself is reluctant to do so, seeing his age as a boon, and not a flaw. When he dies or steps down, he would likely be replaced as Patriarch and Elector-Duke of Akund by his eldest son, Bali, who follows in his father’s footsteps though is notably less isolationist and pro-Legitan, having strong connections, through trade and diplomacy, with the nobility from other Legitan member states. These connections are viewed with suspicion by some dwarves, and there are many who, openly or secretly, would prefer to see House Akund to instead be led by Bazazis, Bali's older sister who in more recent years has drifted towards anti-Legitan and pro-militarism views.
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##### *Elector-Duke Bearandor (House Pordurm)*

> The youngest Patriarch at 195, and the man who sired Beavis Stonessmasher with a maid before throwing them both out on the streets. It's unknown how many illegitimate children he may have. His house is the poorest of the five Noble families, though it is still magnificently wealthy compared to the average Dwarf. He is a strong traditionalist, and very prideful and vain. Owing to his reverence for tradition, he is the strongest supporter of Prince Bazilar, and wishes to see Bazilar rule for as long as the Gods will.
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##### *Elector-Duke Thearavis (House Orozaya)*

> The second youngest member of the Bronze Council at the age of 221, and the only woman on the council. She is one of the most popular figures among the general populace for her diplomatic demeanor, charitable actions, and slight departures from tradition. Among the other Elector-Dukes however, she is unpopular, and only tolerated by Prince Bazilar who views her as being akin to a granddaughter currently going through a ‘phase’. Rumors abound about Thearavis as well, as she has yet to become married, and has no official heir, meaning control of the house could potentially pass to her younger and more traditionally-minded sister. Rumors exist that Thearavis has a secret child born out of wedlock, to her being infertile, to even rumors about her secretly being male.
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##### *Elector-Duke Khazator (House Marvest)*

> A middle-aged Dwarf noble, aged 302 and born the same day as Umva. He is the polar opposite of Umva, and the council is currently deadlocked between Khazator and Umva as to who should become the new Prince once Bazilar finally leaves the throne. Khazator is highly militaristic and interventionist. He believes that Beazzorum should distance itself further from the Legitan Alliance and to instead pursue a formal confederation with other nearby Dwarven cities, potentially even fully breaking away from the non-Dwarven states within the Legitan Alliance. Khazator is a traditionalist, and some have described him as being a Dwarf Supremacist. He is backed by Bearandor, and opposed by Umva and Thearavis. Bazilar himself avoids commenting on any discussion of succession, out of respect for the tradition of Princes avoiding the tainting of Council decisions concerning future elections.
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##### *Elector-Duke Umva (House Sardik)*

> A middle-aged Dwarf, aged 302 and born the same day as Khazator. As mentioned above, they are polar opposites. Umva is a very isolationist, peaceful, and scholarly figure. He is a proponent of Bazilar’s laissez-faire approach, and Umva is much more interested in his own religious and scientific studies than in rulership. Despite that, he has reluctantly pushed himself as being a potential successor of Bazilar solely to counter Khazator’s ambitions. Umva is supported by Thearavis, though they are united more by the mutual dislike of Khazator than by anything else.
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