Hidden to outsiders, in some places, the sounds of industry can be heard ringing through the air, and on closer inspection, explorers might see a flash of metal, a glimpse of one of eight golden doors built into the mountainsides.
The fabled dwarven City of Eight Doors can be accessed only through these golden doors, and the doors are opened to the surface only in cases of dire emergency or for specific traders. No invaders from this realm or any other have ever breached the city; it is widely considered impregnable. Would-be raiders would have to cross miles of rugged mountains to even reach one of the entrances, and the doors are heavily warded against both magical and physical damage.
The dwarves are willing to allow certain traders to pass through the mountain but only those that have supplies that are beneficial to them as well. This is their only source of outside trade. Those who pass through must give them a percentage of the supplies to gain a one way ticket through the mountains. This is the most direct way through the mountain as one of the eight doors is a straight passage through the mountain.
Vast, gilded halls stretch for miles under the mountains and flatlands: feast-halls with long tables, immense rooms filled with exquisitely crafted weapons, and huge auditoriums where thousands of dwarves gather to hear the stories of their people.
The largest of these auditoriums is Bloodhammer Hall, named in honor of the city's founder, Vilnus Bloodhammer. Its domed ceiling is covered in gold, and the walls are painted with scenes from the sagas of every realm, including realms that were destroyed long ago and otherwise forgotten. The dwarves' largest saga-telling competition is held here: skalds recite epic tales for vast audiences of Grumlet's most influential citizens, competing to see who tells the best story. . .or who can tell the longest tale without flagging. The famed Gunnar the Breathless once declaimed for three days and three nights without pausing to take a breath, and his record is unrivaled.
The sculpted pillars and walls of the dwarven halls are inlaid with gold that gleams with a soft, warm glow. Drawn from an apparently endless supply of bubbling liquid gold found in the Goldmaw Chasm, far below the city, this gold provides all the light the dwarves need to go about their business in the city. Because gold is so readily available to them, the dwarves do not count it as valuable (their currency is made from iron, which is valued for its utility, not its rarity), but they do find it aesthetically pleasing.
Dwarves of Grumlet
Dwarves are renowned through all the realms for two things: perfect weapons and exquisite storytelling. They are passionately creative, with an insatiable longing to constantly improve their craft. They strive to create the sharpest swords, the most beautiful jewelry, the strongest chains—and then immortalize their deeds in song and story. They seek to build things that last, to make their mark on the world so future generations remember them.
Dwarven society takes the form of sprawling, loose-knit clans that congregate in certain sections of the underground city. Different clans specialize in different crafts, and though they coexist amicably enough, they also have a strong competitive streak that sometimes sets them at odds.
Every dwarf artisan spends their youth forging a single weapon and infusing it with runic magic, preparing to carry it for their entire life. These weapons are their creators' pride and joy, and many dwarves design their clothing and armor to match their weapon. On a dwarf's 100th birthday, marking the start of adulthood, they will reveal the weapon and their new last name, chosen based on their great creation. Goldstaff, Hammershine, and Fireshield are some examples of dwarven last names inspired by their bearers' signature weapons.
An unfinished saga foretells the near destruction of the City of Eight Doors by the Goldeater, a Cosmos Giant drawn to Axgard by the treasures of the Goldmaw Chasm. Every dwarf warrior carries the prophecy of that final battle in mind throughout their battle training, and it drives them to be the best fighters they can be. Most dwarves imagine that they might be the one to strike the deathblow against the Goldeater and save the city so their name will be written into the final chapter of the saga.
Skalds (dwarf clerics) hold a special place in dwarven society as the chief storytellers, the repositories of the sagas and fables that remind the dwarves of who they are. Since the dwarves keep no written history, storytellers are the bearers of an intricate oral tradition that has been passed down through countless generations. A skald is welcome in any dwarven community, always treated as an honored guest.
Chanters are skalds whose primary function is to remind the dwarves of the deeds of the past and inspire the dwarves of today to similarly heroic deeds. They tell tales of heroes to help shape new heroes; they tell tales of justice and community to strengthen the bonds of community and the commitment to justice.