Thol Moldir

Thol Moldir was the former seat of power for the Duergar empire. It was situated in the large mountain range to the west of Velend, and stretched along its entire length, from the south of Ocarus to the Ironwood Forest in Brennis. Before the Godswar, an intricate series of tunnels and caverns weaved their way through the entire length of the mountain. Lava from deep in the mantle was funneled into massive forges, were magic could be worked into precious metals to form tools, weapons, and constructs. In addition, the Duergar were well known for their avarice, hoarding precious stones and magic artifacts found in the world around them in vaults strewn through Thol Moldir.

The Duergar were the first mortals to wield magic, electing to use it to extend their life span and breathe life into their metal creations. The first magic tools, as well as the magic constructs(Golems) were created just as the first elves were born from Wodea(Goddess of Plants)'s ironwood trees. Thol Moldir was the seat of their power at the time, and would continue to be until the Godswar. The last queen was Barirbetelyn Bloodbane, who ruled for 150 years before the Godswar began.

During the Godswar, the mountains above the cavernous reaches of Thol Moldir collapsed under the pressure of massive earthquakes, burying much the Duergar and their secrets. It was at this point, in the midst of the massive conflict, that the Drow, later known as Sun Elves, made their escape from their subterranean imprisonment. Not a single Duergar has been seen since the Godswar ended, though some say that can hear the mechanical grinding of construct limbs, and the pale embers of the lava fueled magic forges that the Dwarves used to create their magic items.

Today the mountain range that made up Thol Moldir still stands, and occasional brave souls find themselves digging through dwarven ruins in search of remnants of the great empire. Due to cave ins, and the still roaming golems, this line of work is incredibly dangerous, and would-be treasure hunters are often killed in the process. Those that can make it deep enough through often find trinkets, tools, and even weapons enchanted with powerful magic that has lasted throughout the years. Because spontaneous magic no longer exists, these artifacts hold great value for anyone in possession of them.