Lost dwarven cities

Issakaz Taalomar (the frozen forge)

The first age
Issakaz Taalomar  was one of two great Dwarven cities in the Blue Mountains to the east of Barbandos during the First Age in Middle-earth. It was lost in the beginning of the first age to the orcish Darkblood Clan.

Issakaz Taalomar was one of the eight great kingdoms of the Dwarven clans and home to the dwarvish clan of the Frostbeards. With her sister realm, Vol Jordrukat (the blue city), The Frozen Forge was dug deep beneath the wintery Blue Mountains in the first Age; age of stars.

Amongst the frostbeards were the finest smiths and stone-carvers in Middle-earth. In their armourer's halls they made many bright weapons of blue ice. They were also the first people to forge chainmail. The Dwarves of the frozen forge traded with the Farathririm (Coast elves) that live on isles out in the north sea. The frostbeards supplied them with weapons of incomparably tempered steel; furthermore these Dwarves carved the stone chambers of Menegroth (Thousand caves) to serve as a mainland home for the elves. One of their payments for these services was Nimphelos, a great white pearl the size of a doves egg.



After ages of prosperity the third age came.  After Morgoroth was exiled his taint awakened the evil within the greenskins and the unknown monstrosities of the underdark.



In the following orcish invasions, armies of the Darkblood Clan were rallied by their clan`s sect leaders from Demonia, and marched through the underdark to eastern Barbandos. They brought with them a mysterious power, gained by forbidden, darkly esoterically veiled knowledge. The Dark Blood Clan was led by shadow priests and warlocks. The horror they brought into the northern underdark of the blue mountain drove many of the dwarves mad from terror. Many of the frostbeards succumbed, some turned on their own clan and were devoured by their own insanity. The frostbeards that escaped fled to the surface and sought shelter with the runesmiths of Vol Jorddrukat (The blue city).

With the dwarves failing to retake the city, only Vol Jordrukat remains. The two cities battle for domination over the blue mountains to this day, lacking the offensive power to overcome the darkness and recapture the original home of the frostbeards.






The year Issakaz Taalomar fell was known as the Year of frostfell. The fires and braziers of the city was extinguished, and all that was left was a frigid and non-natural dark icy environment. Air within the area froze, resulting in a neverending heavy snowstorm. Snow accumulated, and living creatures caught within the area instantly froze from the unearthly cold. Today many lost souls litter the northern landscape of the blue mountains. Travellers that pass the mountain may spot ice statues in the distance, monuments to the dead city.