Seghdihr is a dwarf hold in the Middle Dwarovar known as the South Gate, renowned for being the leaders of the Segbandal, leading them into a golden age after the fall of Aul-Dwarov and surviving the orcish onslaught for millennia. The Citrine Dwarves were known to cooperate with the Bulwari people outside their gate, sharing their technology to them and fostering great relations with them, even having many humans join the ranks of Seghdihr as auxillaries.
Culture and Customs[]
The Segbandal, or “Southern Alliance”, was a grand alliance of the holds of the Middle Dwarovar. Records of the name are found thousands upon thousands of years ago, but all records of this first Segbandal were lost to time. It was however reestablished with them consolidating their power and defeating countless threats to its survival, it grew in wealth and power, reaching a golden age in the midst of the west’s fall. Of the five holds of the Middle Dwarovar, it was Seghdihr that slowly consolidated political legitimacy and came to be the de facto leader of the Segbandal, first among equals, protector of dwarven civilization, patrons of Bulwar and masters of the mountains.
Dwarven trade barges were a common sight along the Suran River with the settlement of Logrod-Tûngr, or River Harbour being located near its source. Many native Surani peoples found employment guarding and guiding these barges, while also trading with the Segbandal and exchanging culture and crafts. In time the Surani peoples found more and more opportunities under dwarven employ, even as irregular troops in the Seghdihran army.
The warriors of the clans of Seghdihr were reputed to be the most honourable out of any holds, settling disputes against dwarves with single combat and not resorting to tricks or treachery. In the codex of the Citrine military, they recorded many rules for the troops to follow, otherwise, they would have been dishonourably discharged. They would rather see the lives of dwarves spared to prevent devastating war instead of brutal sieges and guerilla warfare. The rulers of the unbroken line of az-Segh were often paragons of following the Citrine code, with Magûn VI az-Segh following it in the War of the Bloody Gem as he dueled Khadan Forktongue of Verkal Kozenad. Even the most disreputable member, Morgrend az-Segh who was the puppet of Jexis in Seghdihr was revealed to have enough honour to not bow his head to the Seg Band.
History[]
Reestablishment of the Segbandal[]
With the fall of Amldihr in 5895 BA, Grônstunad declared itself as the overlord of Aul-Dwarov and established the Jade Empire. Gor Vazumbrog was the first to rebel against the Jade empire and with Seghdihr and Hehodovar eager to dispose of the Jade Overseers in their land, joined the rebellion against the Jade Dwarves. Shortly after, with some negotiations with the three rebellious holds, the eastern holds of Verkal Gulan and Gor Ozumbrog joined which secured the Middle Dwarovar.
By 5850 BA, after a series of skirmishes near Gor Vazumbrog under the banner of the Jade Empire, the Citrine Dwarves of Seghdihr called the other 4 kings of the Middle Dwarovar to formally join in restoring the ancient alliance of the Segbandal, in order to unite against all internal and external threats. After two years in 5848 BA , the Segbandal was reforged as an alliance of equals, vowing to aid each other especially to the frontier holds of Gor Vazumbrog and Gor Ozumbrog from any menace that would challenge the Segbandal.
Segbandalic Expeditions[]
The Segbandalic Expeditions were a series of offensive expeditions to the West Dwarovar by the combined forces of the Segbandal which spanned for over two millennia from 5762 BA to 3591 BA. The main goal of the expeditions were to reclaim Hul-Jorkad and beyond from orcish control and to strengthen their defenses past Gor Vazumbrog. The expeditions succeeded in reclaiming Hul-Jorkad and the Jorkad Junction, even reaching Verkal Kozenad but not securing it and reclaiming the Citrine and Jade Gems of the Dwarovkron, keeping the former in Seghdihr for safekeeping and sending the latter to Ovdal Kanzad. However in the end, the expeditions lost both Hul-Jorkad and Verkal Kozenad to the orcish forces coming from the Serpentreach.
Construction of Logrod-Tûngr[]
In 4408 BA, the first stones of Logrod-Tûngr or "River Harbour" were laid outside of Seghdihr, on the banks of the Suran, formalizing a thousand years of occasional meetings and tent-camp exchanges where the dwarves of Seghdihr come to meet with inquisitive Genies and their human servants, trading for foodstuffs, wood, and other rare materials such as ivory that cannot be found in the Serpentspine. In exchange for these goods was the bounty of the Serpentspine consisting of dwarven crafts and artworks, as well as various creatures and products made from them. Furthermore, the establishment of Logrod-Tûngr eased communications sent to the remaining holds of the Serpentreach, departing via boat from the river harbour down the Suran, before disembarking further down the river and traversing the rest of the journey on foot.
Segbandalic Golden Age[]
The Segbandalic Golden Age began in 3590 BA, with hope in the hearts of Dwarves in the Middle Dwarovar. Populations began to fully recover from the fall of Amldihr, and though many sections of holds had fallen to disrepair, the Segbandal had weathered the ages unlike any other Dwarven state, enduring two thousand years of struggle and hardship. Despite this, the religious inclinations of the population slowly begin the long and gradual transition to modern Ancestor Worship and away from the Dwarven Pantheon.
Seghdihr Ascendant[]
With the gradual increase of surface trade between the Dwarves and the Humans, Seghdihr truly earned the name “Southern Gate” in 2000 BA, as the only fortified point of entry to trade with the humans. Whilst Verkal Gulan retained a gate to the surface, it was a minor point in comparison to the volume of trade leaving Seghdihr. With food supplies entering the Segbandal controlled by Seghdihr, the hold began to gain considerable sway in the politics of the alliance.
War of the Two Brothers[]
Beginning in 873 BA, Seghdihr became embroiled in civil conflict due to a legal error in the inheritance will of the late King Drurngir XVI az-Segh and his 3 sons. While such incidents were not uncommon, the scale of which was usually small. In this case, it led to a 29 year long civil war, in which King-Claimant Hegomir IV did battle against his older legitimate brother, King Drurnir XIV. It was during this conflict that Hegomir stole away the Citrine Gem from the royal treasury in a move to legitimize himself. All this only incensed the entirety of the hold, as Drurnir’s supporters chased Hegomir out of it. Discovering that the Citrine Gem was not in the areas he occupied, an army under Drurnir’s command marched out to do battle.
It is not known what occurred during the fight, only that when the aftermath of both armies conflict was found on the Seghrod, both armies belonging to Drurnir and Hegomir were among the slain, with the Citrine Gem missing. Following the confirmation of their deaths, Drurngir’s third son, King Gormmor I “The Unexpected” az-Segh was crowned, and called the whole incident “completely avoidable” had anyone actually taken the time to work things through.
Rise of the Seg Band[]
In 803 BA, a number of dwarves from Hehodovar, Seghdihr, and Gor Vazumbrog had grown tired of hunting orcs and goblins, and sought a different prey. Hearing tales of Hyena-men from the merchants of the surface, the Seg-Gnelh-Vekerbandal or Southern Gnoll Hunter’s Alliance, later shortened to Seg Band, began selling its services to Bulwari realms under threat of gnollish raids. Recruits would usually end up being dwarven exiles or rarely even human warriors who joined their ranks after being liberated from slavery.
Copper and Citrine Wars[]
With the Fall of the Marble Hold of Shazstundihr, the two remaining sources of Dwarven influences in Bulwar ended up being Seghdihr representing the Segbandal, and Ovdal Tûngr. Though the two dominated their respective regions of traditional influence, a series of shadow trade conflicts and bidding wars led to much rivalry between the two holds beginning in 270 BA, that will continue all the way to the arrival of Jaher and the blockade of Ovdal Tûngr.
Jexisian Occupation[]
During Jexis' reunification wars of Bulwar, the Phoenix Empress had made use of the Seg Band mercenary company extensively, much as her father did. However, beyond that, she saw the wealth of the mountains and figured that it could be made to serve her purposes. Devising a plan, she saw to it that the Seg Band would infiltrate and open the gates of Seghdihr to her armies, who had at this time brought order to Azka-Sur. Under the guise of seeking new recruits for the Band, the Seg Band infiltrated the hold and overran the Gate guards, throwing open the gates of Seghdihr and allowed her armies to conquer the hold in 1139.
Her plan was, for the most part, a success. The suddenness of it meant that, by the time many of the defenders realized it, the Hold was already occupied by Elven legionaries, Bulwari auxiliaries, and Seg Band traitors. Using the Seg Band as proxy enforcers to her rule, Jexis effectively used Seghdihr's influence as the leader of the Segbandal to put the rest of the alliance under her sway, going as far as to dethrone the sitting king of Seghdihr, Morzad az-Segh and replacing him with an exiled distant relative, Morgrend “The Spineless” az-Segh, to act as her legitimizing figure.
Dissolution of the Segbandal[]
Upon the death of the Phoenix Empress Jexis Jaherzuir much of her empire was in rebellion or outright collapse as Elizar the Blooded attempted to hold it together. Faced with a collapsing alliance, discontent, and possible rebellion, the Seg Band quickly released the king who had originally been deposed, Morzad az-Segh, in exchange for promises of amnesty, compensation, and an eternal vow to bear no arms in the halls of Seghdihr.
King Morzad, for all his hatred and rage at what the Seg Band had done, accepted their offer. He understood that punishing them would not undo the damages that had been done, and slowly set to work on rehousing the refugees. Seghdihr closed its gates to the fallen Dwarovar and instead became increasingly invested in the goings-on of their human neighbours down the Suran. Verkal Gulan, in the meanwhile began to do the same, but no longer did the gates of the Citadel of Gold open to the Dwarovar, and rarely to the Hero's Vale. The only exception being to trade with the occasional Mašnsih caravan seeking water and gold in exchange for Raheni or Bulwari wares. This marked the dissolution of the Segbandal in 1162, with three holds fallen, and the two remaining, separated.