Hammerborn Clan (Hammer-loving warriors and smiths, based in Deepforge)
Ancient Rivalry with Lavaheart Clan over Forge Dominance: Centuries ago (circa 500 years post-Veilbreak), Hammerborn warriors clashed with Lavaheart smiths in a bloody forge war over control of Deepforge's prime lava vents, leading to ritualized duels that killed dozens. Today, this manifests as ongoing council disputes on shared forging projects.
Recent Stance on Goliath Integration: In the last 20 years, Hammerborn has pushed a hardline policy against deeper goliath alliances, citing a 15-year-old incident where Earthshaker goliaths accidentally triggered a landslide during a joint quarry operation, burying Hammerborn miners. This stance blocks goliath votes in council subcommittees, heightening tensions.
Lavaheart Clan (Volcanic forgers of heat-resistant arms, based in Deepforge)
Historical Event: The Molten Betrayal with Deepdelve Clan: 300 years ago, Lavaheart elders allegedly withheld volcanic maps from Deepdelve explorers during a major delving expedition, leading to a cave-in that trapped and killed key Deepdelve cartographers—rumored to be a ploy for exclusive ore access. Currently, this fuels mutual distrust in council resource votes, with Lavaheart often outvoted on expansion proposals.
Recent Rivalry with Stonefist Clan over Defensive Innovations: Over the past decade, Lavaheart has competed aggressively with Stonefist for military contracts, innovating heat-infused traps that Stonefist claims infringe on their fortification designs—escalating to a recent council embargo on Lavaheart exports. This rivalry may affect Ironcrag's ground forces readiness.
Deepdelve Clan (Underground explorers and cartographers, based in Deepforge)
Ancient Stance on Isolationism vs. Boulderbreak Clan: Dating back 400 years, Deepdelve adopted a secretive stance after Boulderbreak quarry collapses flooded their maps with inaccuracies, leading to a formal clan oath against sharing delving knowledge with surface-focused groups. Today, this limits collaborative mining ventures, straining council unity and allowing Veilbreak constructs to proliferate unchecked.
Recent Event: The Glowing Incursion with Thunderpeak Clan: Five years ago, a joint patrol with Thunderpeak goliaths in the Westmount Wilds uncovered eerie purple-glowing entities that Deepdelve blamed on goliath recklessness, sparking a council inquiry that fined Thunderpeak resources. This event has deepened dwarven-goliath divides, with Deepdelve occasionally blocking goliath access to underground safeholds.
Boulderbreak Clan (Quarry masters of the Shattered Face, based in Hammerhold Village)
Historical Rivalry with Earthshaker Clan over Landslide Rights: 200 years ago, Boulderbreak engineers accused Earthshaker goliaths of causing deliberate avalanches to claim quarry stone, culminating in a ritual feud settled by Moradin's forge trials. Presently, this results in Boulderbreak voting against goliath-led stabilizations, slowing Shattered Face development.
Recent Stance on Trade Expansion vs. Summitguard Clan: In the last 10 years, Boulderbreak has advocated for aggressive quarrying into Summit Forest borders, clashing with Summitguard's conservation efforts and leading to temporary council blockades on Boulderbreak stone shipments. This stance disrupts tool production.
Summitguard Clan (High-altitude foresters in Summit Forest, based in Ironwood Glen)
Ancient Event: The Thin-Air Schism with Frostcrag Clan: 600 years post-Veilbreak, Summitguard dwarves and Frostcrag goliaths split over resource harvesting in thin-air zones, with a legendary endurance contest ending in goliath victory but dwarven accusations of cheating via ancestral spirits. Today, this schism subtly influences council votes on high-elevation projects, with Summitguard often allying against goliath proposal.
Recent Rivalry with Elderstone Clan over Mediation Fees: Over the past 15 years, Summitguard has resented Elderstone's high arbitration costs for forest disputes, boycotting council mediations and causing delays in trade policies. This rivalry hampers Ironcrag's external diplomacy.
Stonefist Clan (Defensive engineers of fortifications, based in Cragwatch Keep)
Historical Stance on Border Fortifications vs. Thunderpeak Clan: 350 years ago, Stonefist built unbreachable Eastern Slopes tunnels without consulting Thunderpeak scouts, leading to a "wilds incursion" where hostile entities breached defenses—blamed on goliath oversight. Currently, this stance restricts goliath patrols.
Recent Event: The Trap Scandal with Lavaheart Clan: Eight years ago, a Stonefist trap prototype using Lavaheart heat tech malfunctioned during a council demo, injuring elders and sparking accusations of sabotage. This event has led to ongoing sanctions on joint innovations, stalling military upgrades.
Elderstone Clan (Council mediators and arbitrators, based in Deepforge)
Ancient Rivalry with Hammerborn Clan over Feud Resolutions: 450 years ago, Elderstone mediated a Hammerborn war feud unfairly (per Hammerborn lore), imposing penalties that weakened their smithing guilds for generations. Today, this breeds Hammerborn skepticism toward Elderstone rulings, causing council deadlocks.
Recent Stance on Goliath Representation vs. Frostcrag Clan: In the last 12 years, Elderstone has opposed expanding goliath council seats, citing a recent Frostcrag mediation where goliaths allegedly ignored rulings on resource shares. This stance marginalizes goliaths politically, risking uprisings.
Thunderpeak Clan (Storm-hardened scouts and berserkers, based in Stonevein Village)
Historical Event: The Glow Wardens Pact with Deepdelve Clan: 250 years ago, Thunderpeak goliaths and Deepdelve dwarves forged a pact against Westmount Wilds' glowing threats, but a perceived betrayal (dwarves sealing tunnels mid-battle) led to goliath losses. Presently, this erodes trust in joint explorations, limiting Veilbreak relic hunts.
Recent Rivalry with Stonefist Clan over Scout Access: Over the past 7 years, Thunderpeak has clashed with Stonefist over denied entry to fortified tunnels for scouting, culminating in a council protest that halted defensive expansions. This rivalry exposes borders to exterior entities.
Frostcrag Clan (High-elevation endurance experts, based in Ironwood Glen)
Ancient Stance on Summit Autonomy vs. Summitguard Clan: 500 years ago, Frostcrag declared independence in Summit Forest after dwarven overhunting, enforced by endurance rituals that outlasted Summitguard challengers. Today, this stance grants goliaths veto power on high-altitude policies, but strains resource trades.
Recent Event: The Blizzard Betrayal with Boulderbreak Clan: Ten years ago, a joint stabilization effort in thin-air quarries failed due to Boulderbreak's alleged shortcuts, stranding Frostcrag harvesters in a blizzard. This has led to council boycotts on Boulderbreak projects, slowing infrastructure.
Earthshaker Clan (Avalanche controllers and engineers, based in Hammerhold Village)
Historical Rivalry with Hammerborn Clan over Quarry Might: 300 years ago, Earthshaker goliaths challenged Hammerborn to strength contests for control of portions of the Shattered Face, winning but earning dwarven enmity through "brute over craft" taunts. Currently, this fuels Hammerborn dissent on goliath military roles, weakening defenses.
Recent Stance on Stabilization Monopolies vs. Boulderbreak Clan: In the last 18 years, Earthshaker has demanded exclusive rights to landslide controls, clashing with Boulderbreak's engineering claims and leading to a recent council fine after a disputed avalanche. This stance delays quarry output.