Gospodar Great Kamengrad

Semi-official banner of Kamengrad (art by Dragonikai)

The Golden Center (art by Dragonikai)

**Kamengrad** or **Gospodar Great Kamengrad** is a city-state situated in the north-eastern mountains of Nomos beyond the Great Lakes. Much of its territory is underground, inside the mountain Kamen, from which the realm takes its name from. Its founding and most prominent race is Kamengrad Dwarves.

Kamengrad is known as both an isolationist city-state and a hub of commerce and production, located deep inside the caves and dwarven mines of the eastern mountains. It serves as a center of regional trade.

A relatively small patch of land outside of the gates of Kamengrad belongs to its protectorate — the Posad. Posad is a minor city inhabited by non-dwarves who seek trade and protection next to the mountain city. Its population is mostly human.

## Geography

Practically 95% of the city of Kamengrad is located inside the Kamen mountain. The outside portion of the realm is located around the city gates. The city of Posad is a small settlement of foreigners who settled there and became vassals to Gospodar in exchange for protection.

Kamengrad is surrounded by taiga forests and mountains. The former are inhabited by various tribes and communities which either do trade or pay tribute to the city. Aside from that, though, dwarves have little interest for their neighbours, unless they prove to be a direct threat.

Further to the west lie the **Grand Waters** (Velikiye Vody) — a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes which to dwarves serve as a natural border between the west and farther west.

The mountains of Kamengrad hide a system of underground cave rivers which allow for transportation, among other things. This system extends to the source of the Arakama river. Kamengrad Dwarfs managed to carve and battle their way to this source ages ago, allowing themselves to sail down Arakama river to the outside world. This opportunity has been rarely used until recent times however.

## History

*Main Article: Tha Epic Tale o' Bygone Dwarf Times*

## The Ur-Wall

*Main article: Kamengrad Dwarves*

Deep inside the mountain of Kamengrad lies the legendary **Ur-Wall** — a grand structure which looks like a giant angry dwarven face carved in the cave wall, its eyes and mouth filled with powerful, unknown magic. From it originates the dwarven race of Kamengrad, as it allows them to procraft each other.

Ur-Wall serves as the source and storage of dwarf souls. It is the only way dwarfs can continue expanding their race. Consequently, reincarnation is the key-factor of this race which affects their entire society. When a dwarf dies, his soul loses its memories and always returns to Ur-Wall, ready to enter a new body. It carries vital basic skills for a dwarf that differ from soul to soul. Throughout the ages several categories of souls have formed, called "lineages".

A Lineage (also known as Dynasty, House, Guild) is a group of souls that share similar skills. As such, different kinds of dwarfs live in Kamengrad, all fulfilling their social roles without question. One could even call dwarven society a rigid caste system, but dwarfs don't think about it too much.

## Society

Kamengrad society is ancient. Over hundreds of years of living underground, battling with cave beasts and slowly procrafting more numbers, a very rigid and conservative culture has developed. The ultimate goal of dwarves is preservation of their great city. It doesn't make sense for them to expand outwards, as they already have everything they need, especially the Ur-Wall. Their social hierarchy is horizontal, rather than vertical, with dwarves from different lineages knowing their roles in the system.

Dwarfs are organised in a number of collectives, called Vervi. Each Verv' is organised according to the task and dwarfs wishes, and in general, there is no strict organisation about it. A single Verv' can be short-lived or exist for generations.

Individual lives of dwarfs are also rather simple: work in the Verv', occasional participation in the Veche and, of course, regular festivities. Lack of romantic relationships and marriage politics really frees up a lot of time.

Occasional arguments, cheating, theft, work incidents and even duels are solved between collectives either in private talks or before the whole Veche. Court trials are run by most experienced and honourable dwarves, usually from houses Lorgnomm and Thorth-Orth.

These venerable dwarfs are also responsible for teaching new-crafted dwarfs, determining their lineage and assigning them to their first Verv'. There seems to be a strong competition for manpower between smaller collectives when this happens, which is resolved through competitions with various themes.

## Government

Kamengrad Dwarves do have a government, however simple it is. A council, called Veche, is assembled when needed, mostly to regulate the market, discuss diplomacy with outsiders and set minor goals. The oldest and most interested dwarfs have a large say in it.