Gulfeland: The Stonebound Domain
Gulfeland, a continent of granite spires, deep ravines, and severe weather, is the ancestral homeland of the dwarves—craftsmen, miners, and keepers of the forge-born traditions that shaped the world before it was charted; a natural stronghold for dwarvenkind.
Above ground, Gulfeland appears sparse—windswept and barren to the untrained eye. But its true grandeur lies beneath, in endless galleries, subterranean pastures, and vaults where metal is coaxed into miracles. Dwarves here wear their colors like banners: stone-gray, ember-gold, iron-black—each hue speaking of purpose, place, and pride.
Each dwarven Ettan—or family line—is centered around a great hold, a symbol of their history and craft. From the iron-rooted groves of the Ironholt Ettan to the silver-threaded waterfalls of Stonefoss, these holds are both fortress and archive, echoing with the clang of hammers and the low songs of the forge.
Few Ettan’s have risen to prominence for their lasting influence, artistry, and command of the deep stone. These Ettans are:
1. Stonefoss
2. Ironholt
3. Bergstrom
4. Tveitson
5. Grimhammar
6. Fjellgaard
7. Ravngrim
Stonefoss
Nestled among the shimmering cliffs of eastern Gulfeland, where meltwater streams cascade from the mountain face of Kaldfjell into crystalline pools, the Stonefoss Ettan has endured for over a thousand years. Their ancestral hold—Keldrath Hall—is carved directly into a granite cleft where the roar of the waterfall never ceases and the silver veins run thick beneath the stone.
According to dwarven legend, the founder of the Ettan was Grenda Silvereyes, a shieldmaiden and stoneseer who followed the sound of the falling waters after a dream sent by the Mountain Spirit. There, she struck her pick into the cliffside and unearthed a glowing seam of pure silver, veined with galena and white barite.
The Stonefoss dwarves became master silverwrights, crafting items of both beauty and power. They were the first in Gulfeland to forge sacred talismans of silver etched with sacred prayers for protection. Their artisans were also among the finest creators of mirrored shields, reflecting both light and enhancing the Aerilth crytals used by their Aosir Overlords in battle.
Their miners are known for working not only silver but the minerals that accompany it: galena (lead ore), sphalerite (zinc ore), barite, and quartz. The Stonefoss believe that wisdom flows not just from what is mined, but how one listens to the stone as it yields.
Their sigil—a mountain cleft with a silver waterfall pouring into a pool represents their homeland, and the values the hold most dear; excellence, service and humility.
Clad in robes of sky blue and glacier silver, they are easily recognized among the dwarves of Imondarr as one of the greatest Ettans in the history of the Dwarven people.
Ironholt
Deep within the shadowed groves of the western spine of Gulfeland lies the fortified hold of Ironroot Hall, ancestral seat of the Ironholt Ettan. Unlike many of their kin who sought glory in open warfare or glittering trade, the Ironholt dwarves made their name through iron perseverance and diligent defense strategies that their name became synonymous with the act of defeating an enemy just by merely standing strong behind excellent defenses.
Their founding matron, Durrka Greyleaf, led her kin into the deep groves centuries ago after a siege laid by their enemies, the Rukahmar, destroyed their former home and killed her husband, Gurin, chief of the Ettan. Rather than rebuild atop the ruins, she chose to dig inward, beneath the forested hills and foothills of the Ryggan Mountain range. She taught her people to blend with the earth—to mine in silence, to fortify without fanfare, and to grow their strength far from the eyes of war-hungry Rukahmar and their ilk.
The sigil of the Ironholt—a stylized iron pickaxe framed by angular trees—speaks to this hidden strength. The pickaxe represents not only their mining prowess but their philosophy: progress through steady effort, not force. The grove around it represents the forested shield of their homeland, and their belief in unity with the land.
Ironholt warriors are few, but formidable. Their armor is wrought from cold-forged iron, matte and unadorned, built not to impress but to endure. Their halls are hushed and moss-lined, lit with green fireglass mined from deep within the roots of the hills. They are defenders, not conquerors.
Their color motif—iron gray and forest green—reflects their dual heritage: stone and root, strength and growth. Even among other dwarves, the Ironholt are considered reserved, even secretive. But those who know them best speak of a fierce loyalty and unmatched patience.
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