Connects to: 20.03, 27.16, 27.27 and 37.21.
The dwarves of the Burning Lands have many septs, but Azurnay is the only settlement that humans would call a city. It is carved into a mesa, and exists to serve those bound for Jahur, Blind Midshotgatepool or Hyfalls (46.00). Azurnay is built over a subterranean lake, but the lake lies so far below the surface that the city relies on complex machinery to bring its water to the surface. The machinery already existed, rusted and decrepit, when Azurnay’s founders settled here. The dwarves managed to refurbish many of the parts and began harvesting the water.
A cabal of machinists known as the Chain Gang pulls the city’s strings. They jealously guard their monopoly on maintaining the wells and work hand in glove with the city guard, who punish anyone outside of the Chain Gang who attempts to repair wells on suspicion of sabotage. The Chain Gang demands high prices for their services and those who cannot pay find themselves owing favors.
The Ring of Fire, a tavern owned by Hairy Jack’s (37.21) nephew Bloody Vincent, is popular for its nightly insect fights. Vermin wranglers, mostly adventurers who have fallen on hard times, are paid good money to capture the Burning Lands’ most vicious giant bugs. The captured wasteland horrors duel to the death within a burning circle. Tamilda Kondransdotter, another scion of Koldran (20.03), is Azurnay’s best vermin wrangler thanks to owning a ring that charms the unpleasant creatures. When Bloody Vincent’s vermin stocks become low, he persuades desperate adventurers to fight the beasts. The dwarves call these bouts imoku. They attend the Ring of Fire, which they normally shun, in large numbers to watch them.
Connections:
- The city watch trains blunt-toothed pigdogs (27.27) to catch troublemakers they can’t keep up with.
- Some Backbiter gnomes (27.16) have settled here.
Hooks:
- Who built Azurney’s waterworks?
- Who or what is the Chain Gang’s biggest rival?
- What kind of favors does the Chain Gang demand?
- How did Bloody Vincent come to own the most popular drinking establishment in a dwarf city?
- Which bug gladiators are crowd favorites?
- Has anyone made a living fighting bugs in the Ring of Fire?
- Why do the dwarves flock to see man versus bug bouts? Why do they call them imoku?
