Abridged History of the 10th Age
A small dwarven settlement in the Bracstone mountains, the Height is a fortified town center with several major mines within several miles. It’s one of the oldest colonies of dwarves ever to set out from Harnholme, and as such is of an extremely permanent style. The Bjarmyrk (Darkhill) clan dominates the town; they are iron dwarves who mine the Height for copper and veins of silver and iron that striate through the stone.
Unlike Hammer Gully, Bracstone Height has many stone facades and is partly built into the mountain side. There are many tunnels connecting the above-ground buildings as well, and a semi-circular outwall that keeps predators and bandits away. The wall itself is almost imperceptibly merged with the stone of the mountain where it touches the rock in the rear. The town itself is scattered with pine trees and walnuts. There is also a large market-green in the center of town where gestr can gather and trade. At the green sits the Earthfather’s House, the only inn for gestr within the walls of Bracstone.
The town is ruled by the clan-prince Úlfgrimm Riggsson, a priest of the Earthfather, who is assisted in his task by Talgar Fanirsson the archivist and Gudrun Imirsdottir, the captain of the guard. He is known for his conservative dwarven values, and is nearing three hundred years in age. Like many older dwarves, he is mistrustful of outsiders.
The nearby mines are named by their number – there are five of them, scattered throughout the Bracstone region. Most of them are coal mines, though the Fourth and Fifth mines are rich in lead and zinc respectively. The Third Mine, a particularly easy to reach and wealthy lead mine, was closed down in X498 when a hill giant moved into the area near the old Bracstone crypts, two miles north of the mine.
There is a small inn along the road to Bracstone Height as well called The White Hill and run by a pair of former adventuring dwarves named Ghedri and Thingol.
The Earthfather’s House is a three story stone structure with an almost pyramidal base and ornately carved stonework. The interior of the first floor is dominated by a taproom with low square tables of stone adorned with lanterns. The bar has mugs hanging above it and a wall filled with barrels behind; the leftmost wall upon entering is carved to depict a group of dwarves slaying a dragon, swords and axes beneath its scales.