Mount Bloodhorn

Before the fall, the kings of Ekrund held their court at Mount Bloodhorn. The most influential of dwarves walked these halls, including its guildmasters and the heads of each of Ekrund's most prominent clans- the Rinkeldraz, the Angbok, and several more. Below the guildhalls, the royal chambers and the meeting halls lies an extensive network of mines, where the dwarves mined coal, silver and copper from beneath their homes.

Yet this place was not always the center of power that it was in Ekrund's heyday. In the beginning, the dwarves settled the northern part of the mountains, in what is now known as Ankor Drakk. Mount Bloodhorn was only settled after Ekrund's second king, lord Grimbalki, was denied access to his city by his younger brother. Rather than take back his city by force, king Grimbalki moved south, vowing to build a new settlement that would eclipse Ankor Drakk. The result was the hold at Mount Bloodhorn, and its splendor is testament to the fullfillment of Grimbalki's oath.

Settling Mount Bloodhorn proved to be Ekrund's salvation, for soon after the king left, the mines of Ankor Drakk ran dry. Underneath the mountain, however, the king and his miners found massive veins of coal, which was highly sought after in that time. Rather than sell this black gold piecemeal, king Grimbalki signed a contract to supply Karak Eight Peaks with coal, in exchange for financial support for the fledgling stronghold. This ensured that Ekrund would grow strong, even when Ankor Drakk fell into decline.

Aided by his newfound wealth, king Grimbalki cemented his rule of the Dragonbacks, and eventually brought Ankor Drakk back into the fold. Even today, the story of king Grimbalki is told to beardlings, teaching them that one can settle a grudge against another dwarf by other means than unthinking violence.

In the final days, mount Bloodhorn was the last of Ekrund's locations to fall. It is said that it was not the royalty who led this charge, for indeed the king and his sons had been felled long before then. Rather, a Slayer cult had emerged beneath the stone, formed by those dwarves who could not bear to see their hold fall, nor leave it behind. Had it not been for these brave warriors fulfilling their oaths, none would have survived those final days. As it was, their sacrifice allowed a small number of dwarves to flee to the safety of Karaz-a-Karak.