Magmahold
Magmaholds are the strongholds and fortresses of the Fyreslayers, similar to the ancient karaks of the Khazalid Empire yet far better defended - not least due to the preference of the Fyreslayers for founding their holds in active volcanoes. Even through the Age of Chaos the magmaholds proved tough to crack; while some fell, many more stood defiant against the darkness.[1a][2a]
Contents
Design
Magmaholds are defended by great stone doors. With cunningly engineered magmaducts, elaborate systems of internal gates, and the magmic defences of the Zharrgrim, the defenders can seal doors and corridors at will with flowing torrents of lava or great rockfalls. Even if a foe is able to break through the outer defences, they often find themselves funnelled into a killing field as Fyreslayers fall on them from hidden passages.[1a][2b]
The design of karaks and magmaholds follows the same general design principles. A discerning viewer familiar with both might conclude that the architecture of a magmahold's grand halls do not have the same quality of stonework as the fortresses of other duardin, but even the most pedestrian Fyreslayer designs are beyond the skills of human hands. That same viewer might also notice that the Fyreslayers favour more ostentatious ornamentation, with many statues and other items forged from solid gold - a side effect of the Fyreslayers' relentless quest for ur-gold.[1a]
Inhabitants
Fyreslayers and magmadroths are generally the only inhabitants of magmaholds; many have not allowed guests since the start of the Age of Chaos. Even those seeking to hire the Fyreslayers often have to wait outside while the Runefather considers their offer.[1a][3a]
Most magmaholds are home to only a single lodge, or at most a handful of closely related lodges. While there are more cosmopolitan magmaholds that host multiple lodges from unrelated lineages, such as Vostargi Mont in Aqshy, they are very much the exception.[1a][1c]
Locations
Most locations in a magmahold are under the control of a specific lodge inhabiting the hold. In cases where multiple lodges inhabit a magmahold, even normally singular locations such as the Forge-temple will have multiple versions, one under the control of each lodge.[4]
Most locations will be secured by gates or doors, with keys given only to those who need access due to their calling or profession. Important locations will sometimes grant ceremonial (though functional) keys to those who have performed a great service.[5c]
Throne Hall
Here the lodge's Auric Runefather holds court, considering contract requests and performing other duties of state. It is considered proper for the Runefather's throne to overlook a place of conflict, such as a wrestling ring, so that the Runefather and his councillors remember their duty.[5c][6a]
Halls of Fyre
These are the great drinking halls of the lodge, where Battlesmiths recite sagas as the lodge gathers for feast-days, festivals, and fights (the three are often one and the same).[5b][5c]
Hall of the Ancestors
The Auric Flamekeepers spend much of their time in these funeral halls in the depths of the hold, guiding the dying to the stone-sleep and performing ritual cleansing and ur-gold rune removal on the recently dead. The Flamekeepers also oversee the funeral rites and cremation here, though funerals for high-ranking lodge members might merit the attention of the lodge's Auric Runemaster himself or take place in another location that can hold all the mourners expected to attend.[4][7a][7b]
Forge-Temple
While every magmahold contains many forges, the heart of every magmahold is the Forge-temple - part forge, part temple to Grimnir. This forge burns hotter than any other in the hold, for it is here the Zharrkhul burns and is where the Runemaster labours to craft ur-gold runes.[1b][5a][5b]
Magma-vaults
Every magmahold contains a number of vaults holding all manner of artefacts, as well as unsmelted ur-gold. The master vaults of the forge-temple that hold the pure ur-gold can be opened only by the Runefather's Latchkey Grandaxe, but there are many lesser vaults throughout the hold under the control of the Zharrgrim, the royal family, and others.[1d]
Gallery
A Forge-temple.
A magmahold.
A magmahold.
A magmahold.
Sources
- 1: Battletome: Fyreslayers (2019)
- 2: Battletome: Fyreslayers (2016)
- 3: Soulbound: Refuges of the Realms
- 3a: Teclian Lightfalls, pg. 6
- 4: The Volturung Road (short story)
- 5: Soulbound: Steam and Steel
- 6: White Dwarf June 2019
- 6a: Reignition (short story), pg. 15-17
- 7: Fury of the Deep booklet
