Kraggodan

Kraggodan

(City)

Dwarf

Titles

Sky Citadel

Nation

Nirmathas

Region

Nesmian Plains

Size

Large city

Population

24,000

Demographics

22,565 dwarves; 1,023 humans; 207 halflings; 180 oreads; 25 other

Government

Monarchy through regent council

Alignment

Lawful good

Ruler

Prince Gorm Greathammer

Source: Siege of Stone, pg(s). 63

This article covers the dwarven settlement in the Mindspin Mountains. For the dwarven leader of the same name, see Kraggodan (dwarf).

The dwarven city-state of Kraggodan can be found in the southern Mindspin Mountains within the borders of the nation of Nirmathas on its western border with the nation of Oprak, just north of the ruined village of Graybanks

History

Kraggodan is one of the famous Sky Citadels, strongholds built at the beginning of the Age of Darkness when the dwarves first emerged on Golarion's surface at the culmination of their Quest for Sky. Because of this, the city still has many entrances to the Darklands. It takes its name from a dwarven leader whose clan surfaced in -4944 AR. This ascent was accelerated by Kraggodan's discovery of the Onyx Key, a xiomorn artifact capable of rapid extradimensional travel. Kraggodan used the artifact to lead his clan to the surface, although he died defending his people from orc hordes. The Sky Citadel named in his honor was completed in -4901 AR. Before its founding, its people allied with local human Kellid clans against the surfacing orcs.

The citadel's dwarves began to experiment with the Onyx Key in hopes of understanding its powerful magic, but instead opened a path to the Vault of the Onyx Citadel, allowing all manner of outsiders to flood through and devastate their population. Wary of a similar tragic mistake, they sealed the artifact in a sacred vault dedicated to their people's history, safely locked away from curious hands.

In 499 AR, Kraggodan welcomed the Taldan Second Army of Exploration to the area, unlike the local humans, and they cemented their friendship with peace treaties. The dwarves, furthermore, saw the granting to the Taldans of the lands that are now Nirmathas as the institution of a desirable buffer zone between Kraggodan and the orcs of the Hold of Belkzen.

History records few of the settlement's other achievements until 3754 AR, when its stout warriors took part in the Shining Crusade against the Whispering Tyrant. The dwarves fought valiantly to aid the victory but at a toll of a third of its population. Such is the cost of victory that the dwarves withdraw from the politics of surface nations after this war although a large number of dwarves did assist Lastwall in its rebuilding and reconstruction efforts once the war ended.

After the Rending in 3981 AR, Kraggodan's dwarves formed ties to the fey court of Accressiel in the Fangwood, through its glaistig queen Gendowyn. However, the next century saw the unleashing of the Darkblight in the forest, which toppled Gendowyn and threatened Kraggodan. Its dwarves formed a barrier of stone monoliths in 4088 AR to stop the Darkblight's spread.

Recent history

Kraggodan welcomes members of the Pathfinder Society to the city as its third prince, Gorm Greathammer, is also a Pathfinder.

Despite its location within Nirmathas, Kraggodan had long remained neutral in that country's war with Molthune until 4715 AR, when the city uncovered evidence that Molthuni spies had entered the city's vaults. From that point the dwarves were besieged by Molthuni forces under the command of General Cadmius Ortho, though as of 4717 AR Kraggodan had stymied any real success.

In truth, it was the hobgoblin warlord Azaersi who stole the Onyx Key from the vaults, an event that precipitated the Ironfang Invasion against Nirmathas. The end of the war later in 4717 AR resulted in the surviving hobgoblins forming the nation of Oprak from southwestern Nirmathas, with its borders extending as far as Kraggodan but intentionally coming short of staking a claim on the citadel's area.

The settlement has been a major trading partner of the Nirmathi mining town of Skelt, but as of 4717 AR it was not yet clear how the recent opening of Bloodsworn Vale, which has given Skelt a new trade route into Varisia, would affect Kraggodan. It also opened quiet negotiations with the Molthuni city of Korholm, whose military academy hopes to secure dwarven weapons and armor. As of 4720 AR, Nirmathas was also unsure whether Kraggodan would support them in an eventual war against the Whispering Tyrant, or will instead choose isolation.

References

Paizo published a major article on Kraggodan in Siege of Stone and a poster map in the Ironfang Invasion Poster Map Folio.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.