The Great Rift

In the surface portion of the gold dwarves' realm, the government focuses on the military, with officers in command of various defenses and police forces acting as nominal governors. Underground, the situation is more political. The affairs of the Deep Realm are administered by the Deep Lords, the governing council of the gold dwarf clan elders, which consists of four representatives from each clan. This body dispenses justice, commands the dwarf armies, and decides matters of policy. The council answers to Queen Karriva of the Simmerforge clan (LG female gold dwarf aristocrat 13).

The laws and customs that govern gold dwarf society have been in place for millennia. Respect for clan elders is paramount, but beyond that, few outsiders know anything about their social traditions. Their laws pertaining to outsiders, however, are well publicized and quite strict. Gold dwarves see little value in the magic-lust of humans, the foolishness of elves, or even the tolerant nature of their cousins, the shield dwarves, so they regulate the activities of such folk quite rigorously. First and foremost, they strictly limit how far any other being can venture in to gold dwarf territory. Merchants must stick to the roads heading into and out of Eartheart, but they may not enter the city proper. They must conduct their business in the market town known as Hammer and Anvil, just outside Eartheart's walls. Those caught violating this rule of sanctity are usually never seen again. In addition, anywhere within the boundaries of the Great Rift (a one-day ride on ponyback in any direction from an edge of the canyon), all the traditional laws of peace and fairness apply (no violence except in self-defense, no theft, and so forth). These laws are enforced by the dwarf watchguards - about seventy stern and dour warriors who keep an eye on everything and suspect everyone of some kind of mischief.

Religion

The dwarves of the Great Rift honor the entire dwarven pantheon in much the same way as their northern kin, though Moradin and Clangeddin Silverbeard are venerated above all others. Moradin's popularity stems not just from his status as Father of the Dwarves, but also from the Thunder Blessing that he granted to all dwarves. This monumental event has allowed the gold dwarves to enjoy greater prosperity and advancement than they have seen in several centuries. Clangeddin holds a special place for those who defend the Great Rift and anyone else who ventures to the surface frequently.

In addition to those two deities, many gold dwarves of both genders are favorably disposed toward Haela Brightaxe. The Lady of the Fray's love of no-holds-barred, unadulterated battle appeals to many of the gold dwarves, who enjoy nothing more than a good battle against old enemies deep in the Underdark. Lastly, because they face relatively few challenges compared with their shield dwarf kin, some gold dwarves have the time to develop their creativity and their philosophical nature. These individuals, who often prefer to venerate Dugmaren Brightmantle, spend their days contemplating the deeper mysteries of dwarven life and applying what they've learned to crafting, shaping, and sculpting new and wondrous items.

Trade

The gold dwarves of the Great Rift simply mine their currency, digging precious metals and minerals out of the earth beneath their homeland and fashioning them into exquisite jewelry or ingots for trade with merchants. In exchange for their silver, gold, gemstones, and the magic items they sometimes craft, the gold dwarves acquire food (fruit, vegetables, and cheese), textiles, lamp oil, and other worked goods.

Defense and Warcraft

The gold dwarves defend the Great Rift staunchly and stubbornly, and they take great pains to deal with all potential threats, whether they arrive overland, by air, or via subterranean pathways. The rim of the canyon is surrounded by sixty structures known as riftedge towers. These stone towers are accessible only via tunnels from below, and each houses a deadly array of catapults and ballistae, as well as a unit of sixty gold dwarf warriors armed with heavy crossbows and dwarven axes. Any unauthorized being or vehicle approaching the Great Rift is greeted with a single warning shot. If the intruder fails to retreat, a deadly hail of missile fire follows.

In addition to the troops stationed inside the riftedge towers, a special unit called the Peacehammers - a collection of hippogriff-mounted dwarf skyriders armed with throwing axes and lances - patrols the skies overhead, above both the Great Rift itself and the plains beyond the edge of the canyon. Some of these skyriders carry magic lances that can fire bolts of flame or magic missiles upon command. Any dwarf sentry or lookout stationed anywhere within the gold dwarves' realm - on the canyon floor, in a niche set into one of the canyon walls, or on patrol out on the grasslands - can sound a horn and have a corps of Peacehammers flying her way in a matter of moments. (See the Great Rift Skyguard prestige class for more information on the Peacehammers.)

In addition to these specialized forces, the gold dwarves also maintain a police force known as the Steel Shields, which is stationed inside the religious temple-fortress of Eartheart on the surface. The Steel Shields are 14,000 strong, and their leader is elected annually by the Deep Lords of the Deep Realm. The current Lord Scepter is Mariochar Bladebeard (LG male gold dwarf cleric 10 of Clangeddin Silverbeard/dwarven defender 7), an insightful tactical genius who has held the position for the last thirty-five years. Mariochar has devoted his life to the defense of the Great Rift.

The main entryway into the subterranean tunnels beneath the Great Rift is a broad passage sealed by 70-foot-tall, solid-gold doors. Known simply as the Gates, these great valves are further protected by magical wards and nines to ensure their stability. The Gates bar entry into a large cavern designed to overawe any visitors - though such are exceedingly rare. Beyond this chamber is the great dwarven city of Underhome. The Gates are kept closed except in times of war, when they part to allow the armies of the gold dwarves to march forth to battle. Most traffic passes through the Gates by means of small sally doors set into the bases of the huge portals. One popular legend among the gold dwarves states that shortly after their construction, the Gates withstood a full-on attack from a great wyrm, which attempted to hurl itself against them at full flying speed. The Gates stood strong, and the dragon was no more.

The last defense of the gold dwarf nation is its standing army, which is commanded by a duke selected from among the Deep Lords. All told, the army can muster nearly 60,000 troops, broken down into an elite ducal bodyguard (600), axe wielders (29,000), light crossbow troops (16,000) heavy crossbow troops (6,000), and regulars (4,000 - 5,000). While this army might seem inordinately large, the Deep Lords know that a force of immense size is the only way to protect the vast amount of territory claimed by the gold dwarves and guard the many approaches from which enemies could close in.