Adbar's foundries, mines, and other operations working
at all times. Near the wheel is the Hall of Moradin's
Forge, a place of worship that reminds every dwarf of
the Soul Forger's strength and enduring protection. One
can't help but feel safe in its presence, and a true dwarf
is home in the warmth of Moradin's shadow.
Given the current state of the surface lands around
the citadel, it is no surprise that Adbarran are even
more suspicious than usual of caravans and visitors that
approach the city by means of an underground route.
One such road arrives from the west, connecting Adbar
to Mithra! Hall and Mirabar through the ancient tun-
nels of Old Delzoun. Another tunnel leads south from
Adbar to meet the Lowroad, which connects the ruins of
Ascore in the east to Citadel Felbarr in the west.
No matter where they come from, all roads leading to
Adbar converge so that all travelers must confront the
great pair of iron doors known as the Caravan Door.
Like the rest of Citadel Adbar, this gate has never been
breached. Mention the idea of that happening to an
Adbarran dwarf, if you're looking to get a laugh.
CHAPTER 2 I THE SWORD COAST AND THE NORTHThe Dirge ofDelzoun
The tale of the great North kingdom of the shield
dwarves, the Dirge of Delzoun takes more than a day
to sing in its entirety. The song recounts the history of
Delzoun, from its founding millennia ago to the dis-
persal of its cities and the settlement of the successor
realms of dwarves in the North. It is performed only in
Dwarvish, and no known written copies have ever been
reported. Only a privileged few non-dwarves have ever
heard the Dirge in its entirety, and dwarf bards who want
to perform this epic must demonstrate great skill in both
singing and history.
The current dirgekeeper is Ollyn Grimtongue of Citadel
Felbarr, who was appointed by King Emerus Warcrown a
century ago, and is the only dwarf permitted to add new
lines to the ballad. It is believed that, now that Emerus has
gone to the Halls of Morad in, Grimtongue is preparing a
stanza honoring his former liege as a hero who rivals the
champions of Old Delzoun.CITADEL FELBARR
Among the eldest and grandest of the Delzoun holds,
Citadel Felbarr was built more than three thousand
years ago-a span of time beyond the ability of younger
races to comprehend. With great wealth, obtained
through profitable trade with Netheril and some of the
older human settlements of the North, the dwarves
forged themselves a mighty fortress.
Like most dwarven settlements, Felbarr was built
around mining. With the fall of Netheril, the reduction
of trade along the Lowroad, and signs that the mines
beneath the city were reaching the end of their useful-
ness, the Felbarran abandoned the citadel after nearly
two millennia, whereupon a force out of Silverymoon
occupied the fortress shortly thereafter. Within half a
century, the ores had come to realize the weakness of
the much smaller garrison, and Felbarr was taken by
the savages following a four-month siege. The ores gave
the place their tribal name, and the Citadel of Many
Arrows stood as a fortress for ores for more than three
hundred years.
The recent story of Citadel Felbarr is the story of my
fallen friend, King Emerus Warcrown. In 1367 DR,
Emerus led a force of dwarves to seize on the advantage
when, to our surprise and delight, another ore horde
assaulted the ores inside the Citadel of Many Arrows.
Biding his time until the invaders broke down the gates,
Emerus vanquished both tribes of ores and reclaimed
the citadel for the dwarves. After a first, brutal winter,
Citadel Felbarr was restored: its forges were relit, and
the sound of dwarven hammers began ringing through
its halls once again. It was a proud time when we
welcomed the following summer with Felbarr back in
dwarf hands.
In the most recent war, the ores again took Citadel
Felbarr, but with the help of King Bruenor Battleham-
mer and an alliance of dwarves from across the North,
King Emerus again retook Felbarr, slaying every ore
that managed to enter the city and the tunnels below.
The grateful king and his loyal warriors then agreed
to accompany Bruenor to Gauntlgrym, and there aided
him in reclaiming that ancient city as well, but Emerus
was mortally wounded in the effort. Bruenor honored