‘Last Heir of the Noldruns’ Seeks Iron Council Audience

Claimants to the vacant Noldrunhold are not uncommon, with one causing a stir every decade or so. Many were confidence artists seeking rights to the mineral wealth of the Korran’s Maw mines, despite the fact that the mines and Noldrunhold as a whole are infested with dangerous monsters. Others made claims based on novel interpretations of genealogical records—interpretations the Iron Council ultimately rejected.

Some clan chiefs oppose Noldrun claimants on principle, saying that granting them an audience before the Iron Council will only bring more pretenders to Noldrunhold out of the stonework.

But other clans, including the influential Clan Mroranon, support Hrun’s right to address the Iron Council and make a formal claim.

The petition, penned in Torlan Mroranon’s own hand, doesn’t directly state that the Mroranons support Hrun’s claim. It refers to the claim as “worthy of consideration by this august body.”

Council watchers say that the Mroranons may be impressed enough by Hrun’s claims that they’re trying to broker a compromise. Rather than accepting or rejecting Hrun’s claim of Noldrun heritage, the Iron Council could grant provisional acceptance of Hrun’s claim, contingent on him reclaiming Noldrunhold for the dwarves and restarting mining operations at Korran’s Maw.

Such provisional acceptance might mollify those clan chiefs opposed to Noldrun claimants.

“What better way to deal with a fake Noldrun than to simply say: ‘You want Noldrunhold? Then claim it with your axe!’” said clan chief Garrek Soldorak. “If the end result is that we’re feeding a bunch of pretenders to the monsters there, so be it.”