This double-walled, circular fortress city is famous for its miners, master smiths, and woodcarvers. It's a harsh, treeless place, characterized by one visitor as "all stone and suspicion." A heavily guarded volcanic rift beneath Sundabar, the Everfire, is the source of many magic weapons.

Sundabar (large city): Conventional; AL LN; 40,000 gp limit; Assets 28,518,000 gp; Population 14,259; Integrated (humans 54%, dwarves (all types) 33%, rock gnomes 8%, lightfoot halflings 3%, half-elves 1%, others 1%).

Authority Figure: Helm Dwarf-friend, NG male human Ftr10/Rgr5 of Mielikki (Master of Sundabar).

Important Characters: Guldrim Hoaraxe, LN male shield dwarf Ftr8/Def6 (Bright Axe of the Vigilant); Warblade Ilbrim Sarkro, LN male human Ftr9; Watchblade Brionn Haskur, LN male human Ftr8; Master Moneylender Homilar Drace, NE male human Rog8 (sponsor or owner of many businesses); Old Ornar Myntuk, LG male human Exp10 (proprietor of Old Ornar's Beds and Tables and greatest of Sundabar's master woodworkers); Gaurlar Darym, NG male human Ftr3 (proprietor of The Trumpet Inn); Uldro Baldiver, NG male human War4 (proprietor of Baldiver's Inn).

The Shieldsar -- Ftr14, Ftr13, Rgr12, War12, Clr11, Ftr11 (2), Pal11, War11 (2), Bbn10, Ftr10, War10, Clr9, Ftr9, Pal9, War9 (2), Bbn8, Clr8 (2), Ftr8 (2), War8 (2), Clr7, Ftr7 (2), Pal7, Rgr7, War7 (4), Bbn6, Clr6 (3), Ftr6 (2), Pal6, War6 (7), Clr5 (4), Ftr5 (5), Pal5 (2), War5 (10), Bbn4 (2), Clr4 (6), Ftr4 (6), Pal4, Rgr4 (2), War4 (22), Bbn3 (2), Clr3 (5), Ftr3 (12), War3 (81), Clr2 (12), Ftr2 (24), Pal2 (2), Rgr2, War2 (288), Clr1 (25), Ftr1 (49), War1 (823).

Stone Shields -- Ftr6, Clr5, War5, Clr4, War4 (3), Clr3 (2), War3 (9), Clr2 (4), War2 (14), Clr1 (5), War1 (42).

The Watchful -- Rog9, Rog8, Wiz8, Brd7, Rog7, Wiz7, Exp6, Rog6 (2), Exp5 (2), Rog5 (2), Wiz5, Brd4, Exp4 (2), Rog4 (4), Wiz4, Com3 (2), Exp3 (4), Rog3 (3), Com2 (8).

The Argent Legion -- Ftr6, Ftr5, War5 (2), Clr4, Ftr4, War4 (5), Ftr3 (3), War3 (11), Ftr2 (4), War2 (30), Clr1(2), Ftr1 (6), War1 (133).

The other citizens of Sundabar are too numerous and diverse to enumerate here.

Notable Imports: Food (especially grain, livestock, and fruit, which is highly prized), lumber, and textiles.

Notable Exports: Armor, clay wares (mostly pipes and tiles), copper, furniture, gold, lumber, pelts, silver, tools, weapons.

One of Faerûn's wealthiest and most warlike cities, Sundabar is a former dwarf citadel that has grown into a frowning fortress. Famed for wood and metal exports, it serves as the military bulwark of civilization in the North. Sundabar boasts many defenses against the orc hordes that plague the North, and has broken the onslaught of several major invasions. First are its two ring-walls, bolstered by an icy moat between them reputedly roamed by man-eating eels. Next are the city's capable and well-armed defenders, the Shieldsar, a standing army two thousand strong. Beyond the Shieldsar stand the city's numerous dwarf allies, stout warriors from the Fardrimm beneath the Everfire. Finally, Sundabar's deep coffers are frequently used to hire mercenaries and adventurers whenever necessary. Sundabar is well provisioned against a siege of many months, as vast granary caverns lie near the Everfire, and deep city wells tap the clear, fresh subterranean lake Anfarra.

Vigilance is the watchword of Sundabarian life. Outsiders are watched and viewed with suspicion. Those who seem too inquisitive or travel about the city too energetically are questioned by the Stone Shields, the city watch. The Stone Shields police the city under the command of the Watchblade, which also oversees a shadowy network of spies known to citizens as the Watchful. The Stone Shields won't hesitate to forcibly escort suspicious persons to the city's two large temples, where clerics of Helm or Tyr assist in the questioning with spells such as discern lies or zone of truth.

Stone Shields and Watchful who grow careless, overzealous, or too friendly with shadier citizens are transferred to the Shieldsar. In turn, the army's "problem" members are often transferred to the Watchblade's forces. The Shieldsar, commanded by the Warblade, sees to wall defenses and patrols throughout the Sundabar Vale. A Shieldsar patrol rides the wilderlands in full armor, armed with longspears, swords, daggers, battleaxes, and shortbows. They get to know their patrol areas very well, scouring every cave and hill-hollow. Shieldsar leaders are always wary of being outflanked or ambushed, setting scouts on all sides as they patrol.

Brief History

In the days of the dwarf kingdom of Delzoun, Sundabar was a mighty dwarf citadel. The dwarves of Delzoun built a great underground city here sometime around -500 DR to take advantage of the Everfire, a volcanic rift in the Underdark. Citadel Sundbarr, like Adbar to the north, was mostly subterranean, with only a few structures on the surface. The heart of the dwarfhold lay in the immense foundries around the fiery rift, a source of heat so large and intense that works of the most massive scale and most difficult alloys could be accomplished here.

Sundbarr survived the fall of Delzoun's vast Underdark realm in the Year of the Black Unicorn by turning the awesome power of the Everfire to the city's defense. Safe behind walls of molten metal, the master founders isolated themselves from the lands about. Over time, Sundbarr's strength dwindled as its folk became less numerous and the mighty lore of old was forgotten. Marauding orcs and monsters plundered the surface portions of the city time and time again during the centuries between 329 DR, the year in which Hlondath fell, and 882 DR, the year in which Ascalhorn, Ammarindar, and Eaerlann succumbed to an army of demons.

Orc hordes driven from their homes by the demons bypassed Citadel Sundbarr, since nothing worth destroying stood on the surface and the underground foundries were still guarded by the Everfire, impregnable to orc assault. In the aftermath of Ascalhorn's fall, Prince Simberuel Astalmó, one of the high captains of that city, gathered up a small number of the survivors and led them to safety. Threatened on all sides by demons pillaging the Delimbiyr Vale, Astalmó; turned north and brought his people over Turnstone Pass, closely pursued by a flock of vrocks intent on finishing off the refugees.

Near the buried dwarf citadel, Astalmó and his men were brought to bay by the pursuing fiends. Doom seemed certain, but then an unexpected ally appeared -- the Forgemaster of Sundbarr. Determined not to break his hold's isolation of centuries, the ruler of Sundbarr discovered he could not ignore the plight of the hopelessly outnumbered humans on his doorstep. Dwarf and human joined together to drive off the demons. During the battle, Prince Astalmó gave his own life to save the Forgemaster, and in gratitude the Forgemaster offered the humans a home in the abandoned surface portions of the citadel.

In the five centuries since that day, human and dwarf have flourished together. The humans rebuilt the surface keeps and strongholds, and went on to raise mighty walls around their city. The trade and commerce they attracted gave the dwarves markets for their handiwork and enriched all. Citadel Sundbarr, the insular dwarfhold, became the city of Sundabar, a bulwark of military strength and trade in the North.

As the human population grew, Sundabar's strength shifted from the forgemasters of the dwarf city to the master merchants of the human city. A Ruling Master of the guilds and merchants came to wield more power than the Forgemaster. Today, the Forgemaster is the leader of the dwarf community in Sundabar and an important advisor to the Ruling Master, but the Ruling Master guides the city for good or ill. Beneath the Ruling Master, wealthy guilds of craftsfolk, miners, and merchants feud and squabble for advantage and more wealth.

Helm Dwarf-friend became the sixth Ruling Master of the city in 1355 DR, after his predecessor died fighting against orcs assailing the city's defenses. He has done much to curb the infighting of the city's guildmasters and clear away the corruption of previous reigns.

Important Sites

Sundabar is a city of cobbled streets and slate-roofed, three-story stone houses that have tall, narrow shuttered windows, thick walls, and stout, ironbound doors that can be barred as well as bolted. Out of these miniature fortresses rise some residences and at least one inn (Baldiver's) that can function as keeps if the city is ever invaded. Trees are few, windowbox herb-gardens being the only visible growing things.

In winter, Sundabarian houses are cold and damp. Snow heaped high in the streets melts in the sun and seeps into the stones and the earth beneath. Most house cellars hold mushroom crops and are crammed with rodent-proof food casks; older Sundabarians remember hungry winters all too well.

Sawmills and paddocks lie outside the walls, but caravans need not form up or disperse unprotected: Roads lead straight in from Rivergate (west), Eastgate (east), and Turnstone Gate (southeast) to a central location in the heart of the city known simply as the Circle. No market stalls are allowed to encroach into this great open space surrounding the Master's Hall. Caravans assemble in the Circle, and if an orc horde should attack, local shepherds can drive their herds into the Circle, so the city will have food enough to withstand a siege.

THE MASTER'S HALL

The Master's Hall is a crowded cluster of huge round stone towers, their battlements bristling with heavy catapults and ballistae. Sundabar expects attacks and stands ready for them, and calls itself "the rock that shatters orc skulls and dragon jaws alike" (as the now-dead Master Thulntarn once put it).

An elite company of two hundred Shieldsar known as the Master's Guard mans the Master's Hall. Offices of many different boards, guilds, and councils crowd the building. While Helm has taken many steps toward simplifying Sundabar's confusing scheme of customs, regulations, and duties, he still must contend with hundreds of scheming guildsfolk who hope to legislate some small advantage for their craft or trade through his offices.

THE EVERFIRE & THE UNDERCITY

Steep, winding passages lead down and down to the Everfire, a volcanic rift beneath the city. Once surrounded by mighty foundries, the Everfire burns unchained now -- many of the great forges that harnessed the rift's might were destroyed more than a hundred years ago by a sudden surge of the buried fires, and most of these have not been rebuilt. The dwarves of Sundabar give the Everfire plenty of room now, and raise no permanent workshops or foundries too close to the rift.

A small company of elite dwarf warriors known as the Vigilant guards access to the Everfire at all times, aided by traps that harness that portion of the rift's power that is safe to use. In strong halls beneath the city, clans of master forgers, smelters, smiths, and armorers make up most of Sundabar's dwarf population. In the past, there have been times when dwarf-human relations were strained in Sundabar, but the dwarves trust Helm implicitly.

Notable Businesses

Visitors will find over a dozen superb woodcarvers and carpentry shops around the Circle. Sundabar boasts dozens of workers in wood and as many smiths who are capable of masterwork. Its taverns tend to be rough or rundown. Inns tend to be spartan; the exceptions here are Baldiver's (a sprawling castle where old warriors are welcomed, and quiet guests preferred), The Firestar Chariot (a place of loud revelry every night), Malshym's House (a quiet, clean, place popular with visiting merchants), and The Trumpet (a luxurious place where guests requesting privacy are left alone, popular with adventurers).

Major Temples

As one might expect, the worship of militant deities and those deities who stand for law, strength, and duty is popular in Sundabar. Temples to most deities in the dwarven pantheon, particularly Moradin, can be found in the hidden halls of the undercity.

The Hall of Everlasting Justice: Sundabar's temple to Tyr and Torm is a fortresslike building facing on the Circle, across from the Master's Hall. The clerics serve with the Shieldsar, providing healing and battle-magic for the soldiers of Sundabar. Defender of Justice Lathkiera Morlund (LG female human Clr9 of Tyr) leads the temple. She recently succeeded Triandial Truthammer as Defender, after her predecessor vanished while engaged in a perilous adventure. Morlund is known as "Lady Stone" locally for her cold, bitter manner.

The Hall of Vigilance: The local house of Helm, this building is both austere and imposing. It is overseen by Winterlord Senior Steeleye Mraskin Thoelaunth (LN male human Clr10), who like Morlund of Tyr's temple recently rose to his post after his predecessor left. Like his counterpart in the Temple of Tyr, the Winterlord has a nickname too -- "Old Grimfist." He harbors a special hatred for orcs, and does everything in his power to support adventurers willing to rout out orc lairs.

Sundabar

Once a dwarven city, this fortress is now home to 36,000 humans. Most of these humans descended from refugees of Ascalhorn (now Hellgate Keep). Sundabar is the northeasternmost defensible post of civilization in the North. Thus, it serves as a base for many bold explorers, adventurers, and pros-pectors operating in the perilous wilderlands around the Fork. The Lords’ Alliance and temples of Helm across the North sponsor the Sundabarian army of 2,000 well armed, veteran soldiers. This army seems to alternate between fighting orc hordes and fighting raiding parties from Hellgate Keep. Sundabar is also home to the famous Bloodaxe Mercenary Company. One member of this company has risen to become Master of Sundabar. Helm Dwarf-Friend rules the city wisely and well, keeping it in the Lords’ Alliance. He also allocates the money taken in by the city to patrol the roads often, and to keep the city ready for war. This is no small issue. The city’s coffers are deep enough that they once hired the Flaming Fist mercenaries from Baldur’s Gate to slaughter an orc horde. “The Master’s Take” is a flat 5% tax on the sale of all goods in the city. This tax is willingly paid by local merchants, who see it used directly for their benefit.

Sundabar has huge, guarded granary caverns below the city, and it also has deep wells. This pre-vents the town from being starved out by a siege.

Sundabar trades with Citadel Adbar, Everlund, and Silverymoon. The city also trades below the surface, with dwarves from that part of the Underdark known as the Fardrimm. Sundabarian merchants are the exclusive dealers in the surface world for many dwarven products. Sundabar also has its own reputation for excellent artisans. The woodworkers of Sundabar make wonderful carved furniture, musical instruments, and handsome and durable travel chests. Sundabar also exports long clay pipes and cal-trops that find their ways across Faerûn in trade.

Dwarves come from all over the North to a certain rift deep beneath Sundabar. This geologic site is known as the Everfire. Here, the dwarves forge the finest blades known in Faerûn – blades that readily take enchantments, and outlast the people who wield them. The Everfire is guarded by a dedicated band of dwarves fed, armed, and healed by Sundabarians. This band, known as the Vigilant, must often fight off drow, duergar, and greedy humans seeking to gain control of the molten-rock rift. The Vigilant report that evil is rising in the ruins of Ascore to the east, as well as in Hellgate Keep, and monsters have been coming through the Underdark from that direction in increasing numbers.

The Fardrimm is not a wealthy region; its lodes have been largely worked out. Dwarves say that much metal lies northward, however, under the Coldwood and the Ice Mountains, and atop the nearest peak east of Sundabar. That would be the westernmost fang of the Nether Mountains, known as Dalagar’s Dagger. There, for some unknown reason, many aged and ailing dragons go to die – wyrms of the black, blue, and green species. They typically perish in a suicidal dive onto the sharp pinnacle. Their bones litter the upmost slopes. Among their skeletal remains wink the treasures they bore: rings, pendants, and even loose gems and coins that were once glued to dragon bellies by means of ancient dragonhide oils and ointments. The Dagger’s almost vertical lower faces are treacherous and crumbling, and the mountain is almost impossible to climb, so most of the treasure remains unclaimed. An unknown entity guards the peak against aerial forays from Hellgate Keep. Some say it’s a faerie dragon, others a ki-rin.

Landmarks

Like Mirabar, Sundabar is a city of stone, a frowning, no-nonsense fortress with little to delight the eye, and little welcome for the ambling sightseer. This is a place of work. Indolence and slick ways are not looked upon with favor. Excessive curiosity is also frowned on. This is another city whose fear of spies from Hellgate Keep (and also barabrian scouts, Zhentarim, and humans hired by orcs) has made maps of the city illegal. Strangers who poke about are apt to be questioned by the watchful city soldiers. They take suspicious people to the Hall of Vigilance (the local temple of Helm) or the Hall of Everlasting Justice (the local temple of Tyr). There, priests detect lies while questioning is going on. Accordingly, no map of Sundabar appears here. I can tell you that the city is circular, with double walls.

There’s a moat in between them, rumored to be stocked with man-eating eels (I doubt they’d last, being frozen each winter). The city stands on the east bank of the Rauvin, and has three gates: Rivergate in the west, Eastgate in the east, and Turnstone Gate in the southeast, facing Turnstone Pass and Hell-gate Keep, its evil uncomfortably close.

Harsh winters and summer storms make outdoor markets, and even shopfront awnings, unknown in Sundabar. Everything is indoors, so look carefully for signboards. Most of Sundabar's famous and skilled woodcrafters are located around the city’s central cobbled Circle. The Circle is the huge, open space surrounding the tall castle of the Master’s Hall. Caravans form up in it, and it’s kept clear to give shepherds a place to drive their stock into in the event of orc attacks, and as part of the city’s defenses. The Master’s Hall bristles with catapults and heavy crossbow guns. If the outer parts of the city are in-vaded, survivors could retreat to the Hall and slaughter attackers trying to cross the open space of the Circle. All in all, the city is a safe refuge, but not a very attractive place to visit.