with the least damage, scavenging stones from ruined
structures to reinforce those that can be salvaged.
Before the war, Sundabar's surface streets were
cobbled smooth, but many of those roads have been
destroyed by falling stones, torn up for ammunition or to
repair walls, or simply neglected. Now, the surface city
is a hollowed-out ruin. Some believe that the city above
will be allowed to wither into oblivion, with the excep-
tion of the sturdy double wall that surrounds it (and
which the dwarves have already repaired). The tem-
ples of human deities stand abandoned. The walls are
patrolled by a few sharp-eyed sentries, whose duty is to
report what they see and to turn away unwanted visitors.
In the center of the upper city, the Circle still stands
around the ruin of the Master's Hall, ready to receive vis-
iting caravans, livestock, and merchants. However, few
such visitors arrive, and fewer still are welcomed, as Sund-
abar prefers to engage in trade nowadays only with other
dwarven cities through the Underdark. Were it within the
Forgemaster's power, he would see to it that all commerce
entering and leaving the city do so by means of under-
ground traffic, so that most surface trade routes could be
abandoned entirely.
Sundarren trust of outsiders is low, and their assess-
ment of humans lower still. During the war, of all the
human cities, only Silverymoon made any attempt to aid
Sundabar, and that aid was (to dwarven minds) far too
little and too late. As a result, with the Silver Marches
dissolving, Sundabar wasted no time withdrawing from
the Lords' Alliance as well, officially severing formal ties
with the human realms of the North except for those
necessary for trade. Given that such trade is now a rare
occurrence, most of the human realms see Sundabar
as jealously guarding its wealth and cravenly hiding
beneath the surface, while the rest of the region does
what it can to recover from the recent conflicts. Sund-
abar's losses in buildings and in population have done
nothing to diminish the contents of its overflowing cof-
fers, and despite its current state, the city remains one
of the wealthiest in the North, though most of that coin
rarely leaves the city now.
The notion of kingship has come up among the
dwarves in the undercity, but the Forgemaster has
rejected the idea. Let the dwarves tend to themselves,
surely, but there should be no king in Sundabar. I don't
know whether Flamestoker's reticence is false modesty
or true wisdom, or if he is waiting for a warrior-king to
claim Sundabar as part of a larger realm.
THORNHOLD
West of the High Road and hard to the coast near the
Mere of Dead Men lies what humans refer to as Thorn-
hold. Once the keep of a petty warlord of the Margaster
family of Waterdeep, it was captured and claimed by a
paladin as part of the Second Troll War. For many years
the Knights of Samular, an order of Tyrran paladins
founded by one Samular Caradoon, used Thornhold as
its base, though the hold remained the personal prop-
erty of the Margaster family.
For a brief time a little more than a century ago,
Thornhold fell into Zhentarim hands. When the
Zhentarim marched through the Underdark to claimThornhold, they passed through the caverns of Clan
Stoneshaft, which had lived below since before the
time the surface city was erected by humans. Though
the Zhentarim killed or enslaved many of the dwarves
there, they failed to destroy the clan. The survivors soon
escaped, regrouped, and retook Thornhold by force
under their leader, Ebenezer Stoneshaft, with the aid of
Samular's descendant, the Harper Bronywn Caradoon.
After the fortress was reclaimed, in a gesture of respect
and gratitude, Caradoon bequeathed its custody to Clan
Stoneshaft.
The dwarves of Thornhold are all of the Stoneshaft
clan, and because tunnels from their home connect to
the castle, they refer to the place as Stoneshaft Hold;
they use "Thornhold" only when a non-dwarf in a con-
versation is confused and an explanation must be made.
By habit and nature, Stoneshaft dwarves are secretive
(even for dwarves), but nonetheless always eager to
hear what's afoot in Waterdeep, particularly any doings
involving the Margaster family, whom they see as
foes who will one day attack their home to regain it or
destroy it if they can't take it back.
To most humans, Thornhold is merely the fortress
above the surface, a castle of gray stone with a thick,
curving wall and a two-towered central keep. They don't
know of the caverns below that lead to the Stoneshaft
clanhold. The cliff facing the sea is so sheer that no wall
need be built to protect that side of the hill on which
Thorn hold sits. The castle is utterly without adornment
or ornamentation, and only crenellations and arrow
slits break the solid face of stone. Within the castle,
surrounding the bailey, are small buildings of wood and
plaster that hold animals and are used for smithwork,
candlemaking, laundry, wood repairs (including wagons
and the like), and brewing beer.
Long ago, Thornhold was a profitable stopover for car-
avanners, adventurers, and other travelers journeying
north along the High Road past or through the Mere
of Dead Men. For decades, the expansion of the Mere
in the calamities of the Spell plague cut off most travel
along the High Road. During that time, the Stoneshafts
lived in relative isolation, stockpiling their ore, refined
metal, and crafts. Stoneshafts are known for the fine
metal-and gemwork they craft, considered by most to be
works of art worn as personal adornment.
The Margasters ofWaterdeep believe that they still
have a right to Thornhold. The fortress sits on the rees-
tablished High Road leading to Neverwinter, so it is no
wonder that the nobles wish to profit from the fortress's
location along that route. The Knights of Samular also
show interest in restoring their outpost at Thornhold as
a prelude to sorties into the Mere, and there is talk that
these desires may lead to a curious alliance between the
grasping human nobles and the high-minded paladins.
Stoneshafts fear the politics of powerful Waterdeep
will lead to an assault on Thornhold. They have thus
been preparing for siege by gathering supplies and rein-
forcing Thornhold's defenses.
Stoneshaft dwarves can taste the wealth, bustling
energy, and constant excitement of nearby Waterdeep,
and want to share in it. They don't want to be forced into
isolationism, and kept away from Waterdhavian societyCHAPTER 2 I THE SWORD COAST AND THE NORTH