Angloam Dubrin

Angloam Dubrin (pronounced "DOO-brin") was the Shieldlord (governor) of the city of Khôltar in south Faerûn from the Year of the Alabaster Mounds, 577 DR, to the Year of Orcsfall, 619 DR.

Personality
Angloam was earnest in his desire to protect the city and see it prosper, but shrewd enough to recognize that the prominent human families that controlled the Onsruur (council of lords) were plotting against him. He became frustrated and cynical over the course of his reign.

History
With the abrupt departure of his predecessor, Gonth "Merrybelt" Forgegold, Dubrin was appointed the new Shieldlord by the dwarves of the Deep Realm. He quickly discovered that Merrybelt had spent his time and funds trying to be a friend to all, allowing the Onsruur to ensconce themselves as a permanent, exclusive, and hereditary governing body. Regardless, he began another expansion of the city walls, with gates to the north, south, and west, and major streets that connected them in a great triangle. The western gate was named Dubrinlar in his honor.

While Angloam was working to improve and protect the Iron City, the Onsruur was covertly trying to bring him down in a manner that would discredit dwarven rule and allow them to appoint a human leader. He saw through their attempts at skullduggery and reported his findings and suspicions to his superiors and asked if he should arrest, imprison, or expel the more blatant schemers. The Deep Realm leadership debated over the issues for decades: some wanted to move against the humans and risk widespread unrest; others wanted to wash their hands of the recalcitrant city; while yet another faction thought they could control the city by regulating its imports and exports, with the ultimate threat of undermining the walls and buildings if it ever became necessary.

During this forty-year period, the Iron City survived a very large Shaaryan raid, completed the new wall, repelled an orc horde, started building a second wall outside the new one, and defended against another massive Sharryan incursion, not to mention the countless smaller raids that happened regularly. Dubrin presided over the battles and the construction, all the while he dodged "accidents" and more blatant attempts on his life, saw his authority slowly ebb, got no resolution from the dwarves, and witnessed the city continue to prosper.

Finally, in 619 DR, the Stout Folk decided to withdraw from Khôltar and its headaches. Dubrin delightfully chose a rather dramatic way to exit the city and get a little revenge on those that had harassed him for years. He quietly brought in an army of well-armed dwarves, visibly building up their presence in town and making the Onsruur think that they might soon be forcefully removed, or worse. After nearly a tenday of patrolling the streets and watching the commerce, the citizens of the Iron City were surprised one evening as the troops hand-delivered a flyer to each of them, proclaiming that Dubrin was stepping down as Shieldlord and the position was being eliminated. That night, Angloam and the soldiers disappeared through secret tunnels and underground passages, leaving the running of the city to the humans. Those families that had schemed against him were now in direct conflict with each other to take control, and they fought with bloody determination as the town succumbed to terror and lawlessness.

A human garthraun (police) senior official, named Embran Orntathtar, took control of his law enforcement officers and went after the bodyguards and mercenaries hired by the Onsruur families that were openly fighting in the streets. He declared himself Belarkh (ruling lord) and arrested or put to death all who opposed his claim. To the more reasonable elites, he offered them a seat on his governing council, giving them an excuse to end the bloodshed and put things back to the way they were just a few days before, and a chance to plot his demise at their leisure.