Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #346

Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #346 

December 13th, 2023 

• Number: 346 

• Name:  Deep Dive of Subjects of Interest: Warriors of the Wastelands – Part 3 

• Location: The Wastelands 

• Population (approx.): 312 (Eastworks Portal) 

• Brief: For centuries, the Dwarves of Clan Ironback have patrolled the surface and the underground of over 3,000 square miles of the northern Ulu Maug range beginning just south of the Taodeas capital of Blackstone Fortress. The collapse of the Ta’arnan Empire had little impact to the underdark, for the Legions and other combatants rarely ventured underground, but wide areas of the surface were damaged or corrupted by the numerous engagements saturating the region with battle magics during the fray and frequently leaving uncontrolled summoned entities (devils, elementals and undead) wandering the scene afterwards. The Dwarven Canton created units of above ground troops suited for the relatively wide-open spaces of the sparsely forested hills to their south. They patrolled to protect travelers passing from one side of Ulu Maug to the other. Units, never found underground, included air vehicles, mounted troops on animals and clockworks and well-suited for area (as open spaces minimize potential collateral damage) the famed berserkers of the Frenzy Company, headquartered at Eastworks Portal. 

• Murdir Flintstone, 87, male Dwarf, is a Frenzy Company berserker from Clan Ironback. He is trim and dextrous. His hair is golden brown, and his eyes are the colors of acorns. He wears leather armor dyed the color of sand and scrub to blend into the wastelands. Murdir wields a massive Greataxe that is taller than he is. Murdir is friendly, impulsive, and quick to anger. He has learned to control his anger with a command word. 

• Murdir's father was a berserker and prepared his son for the challenging training. Besides learning how to use the Greataxe, Murdir learned to use a crossbow and sword. Clan Ironback has a small company of berserkers who practice together frequently. After passing vigorous trials, Murdir accepted a position in the group and now leads a squad of five berserker dwarves in essential surface missions. 

• Murdir is happily married to Naldora, 86, female Dwarf. They have three children: Torlin, boy 10, Karmin, girl eight, and baby boy Bardek. The family lives in a small cottage in the surface village at the Eastworks Portal. Naldora sells canned fruits and vegetables from the garden they have in their backyard. Murdir is best friends with Thorback Lohack, 90, male Dwarf. They go to the local tavern a few times weekly to have a beer or two. 

• Geography: The Eastworks Portal marks the southeast corner of Ironback Canton. A trail crosses the Ulu Maug just south of the Portal’s surface village and continues toward the Danthas River to the east, eventually reaching Danthas Crossings (#70) and points further southeast. Eastworks Portal consists of a large keep, the “portal” to the underground tunnel network of the Dwarves. On a rise behind the keep is a small surface village enclosed by a crenelated curtain wall connected to the keep.