Allied Clans

The Allied Clans of the Thundersummits are made up of 26 separate dwarven clans based in and around The Southern Thundersummits in The Sarriahn Dynasty. They evolved as a political and military force in the aftermath of The Push From Gildebrag, the expulsion of dwarves from Gildebrag in year 808.

History
Since before recorded time, dwarves have lived in the mountains of the Thundersummits, especially within the current-day borders of The Principality of Gildebrag. There were, according to various sources, somewhere between 50 and 60 clans of dwarves in the Thundersummits. They ruled over a Kingdom called Vuhr Daruhl which possessed great wealth due to the mining skill of the many dwarven clans it was composed of. Over time, men into the lands around and between the mountains and began working as agents of sale, transportation, and trade for the dwarven clans.

Eventually, as the men of Gildebrag became more established, they began to resent the wealth of the dwarves. Their population ballooned as their wealth did and it brought them into repeated conflict with the dwarves. Eventually, The Principality of Gildebrag was founded and the dwarves were subjugated under their rule. For several hundred years, the dwarves had an uneasy fealty-system within the principality, but always reverted to a state of rebellion.

The Push in Year 808, wherein the dwarves committed acts of treasons in many clanholds and attacks on Gildebraggian trading posts, resulted in wide-scale expulsion of the dwarves. Many fled to large cities in The Sarriahn Dynasty, a few fled to The Gilded Heights but most flew to the regions of The Southern Thundersummits beyond the borders of the principality and their allies, in The Orlas Empire and The Sarriahn Dynasty. Near the end of year 808, the Allied Clans began as a formal alliance between several clans who previously looked at one another with enmity.

Clans
There are 26 allied clans in the Southern Thundersummits. Each have their own holds and mines. They are as follows:


 * Boulderspines
 * Blackbanners
 * Brightblades
 * Bronzebeards
 * Caskmauls
 * Coalbeams
 * Coinforges
 * Darkgaurds
 * Flintdiggers
 * Gemscrapers
 * Goldreavers
 * Hammerfists
 * Hardhelms
 * Hornhearts
 * Ironeyes
 * Ironpikers
 * Kragbones
 * Oakmounts
 * Quarryhoards
 * Rockmauls
 * Snowshoulders
 * Squallshields
 * Stonegreaves
 * Strongshanks
 * Stormcleavers
 * Stouthands

Independent of these 26 clans, there are a number of "new clans", which are largely dwarves who have been exiled for rule-breaking or refusing to acknowledge leadership. These "new clans" are small, disorganized, and often consist of a single family. They generally disappear after one generation, with the younger members rejoining their former clans.

Independent dwarves do not claim membership in any clan at all.

Leadership
Each clan is led by a "dwarflord". The 26 clans are led by an individual named The Great-Thane, who is chosen by The Summit of Snowtower.

Culture
The Allied Clans are fierce enemies and opponents of The Principality of Gildebrag and their allies. They largely live in underground fortresses and clanholds, but keep presences above-ground as well.