Terralode

Terralode is the hidden subterranean capital of the Dark Dwarves, carved deep beneath the frozen expanse of Illdoridri’s northern plains. Concealed within the rugged Kogur Mountains, it stands as the greatest testament to Dark Dwarven resilience, secrecy, and mastery over stone. 

Once known as the Terra’gar Clan, the Dark Dwarves abandoned their ancestral homes in Bellegast after catastrophic internal strife and exile. In the icy north, they rebuilt their legacy in the shadows - forming Terralode, a city of stone, iron, and quiet, simmering ambition.

Architecture

Terralode is built in the traditional dwarven underground style—colossal stone halls, load-bearing pillars, carved vaults, and multi-tiered districts—but the Dark Dwarves have transformed that classical approach into something far more industrial, fierce, and blazing with internal heat. 

 Where typical dwarven cities glow gold or blue with gemlight, Terralode glows crimson. Its forges never sleep.

• The city is carved directly into the dense granite and black-veined stone of the Kogur Mountains.
• Colossal pillars carved from living stone 
• Angled, geometric dwarven motifs 
• Tiered hallways with vaulted ceilings 
• Load-bearing arches thick enough to withstand bombardments and earthquakes 
• Runes etched into pillars to reinforce structural integrity

The stone gives Terralode its identity as a fortress-city, immovable and eternal. Unlike the dwarves of Bellegast—who traditionally emphasize stone, crystal, and runic metalwork—the Dark Dwarves of Terralode heavily incorporate iron into their architecture.

Districts 

• The Deepforge: A colossal industrial zone filled with hundreds of active forges, lava channels, and smelting pits. 
• Crown Galleries: The noble and civic quarter of Terralode. Here the most influential Dark Dwarves live, work, and govern. 
• Hammerfall Bastion: Fortress district and headquarters of the Hammer‑Guards, the elite infantry of the Dark Dwarves.
• Blackvein Markets: The primary trade and artisan district, illuminated by glowing iron braziers and forge-fires.
• Ember-Deep Warrens: Dense, maze-like residential district for common Dark Dwarven families.
• Magmaflow Tunnels: Deepest industrial and mining zones—dangerous, extremely hot, and partially restricted.
• Ironwind Transit Halls: Primary transportation network for moving ores, supplies, and troops.
• Sharvault District: A sealed area accessible only to high-ranking Dark Dwarves or Dominion envoys.