Hidden deep in the Craftsmen’s Quarter, behind the smoke of forges and jewelers’ workshops, lies the Mechanical Gallery — a place where ancient mechanical knowledge fuses with dark dwarven innovation. This is where war constructs, automated mechanisms, magical devices, and even prototypes of golems used in mines and on battlefields are created.
This part of Dergorai feels like a massive workshop, alive with the constant grind of gears, hissing steam, and humming gravity mechanisms. The air is thick with the smell of machine oil, scorched metal, and alchemical vapors that fuel the operation of complex constructs. Everything is in motion — small mechanical drones buzz overhead, large cranes move heavy parts, and workers use exoskeletal suits to lift tons of metal.
Atmosphere and Sound
Upon entering the streets of the Mechanical Gallery, one immediately feels the rhythmic pulse of technological progress. It is always loud — hammers ringing, gears turning, steam pistons hissing as they drive massive machinery.
Light does not come from torches, but from magical crystals powering devices and rotating arc-lamps embedded in the walls. The windows of workshops are covered not with glass, but with iron grilles and magical barriers, protecting labs from stray sparks.
There are no idle wanderers here — every engineer, mechanic, or mage is either a genius or a madman. One can see teams of dwarves in leather aprons working on giant metal arms, automatic door arrays, or magical batteries powering the city’s wonders.
Structure of the Gallery
The Mechanical Gallery is divided into zones, each with its own specialization:
- Main Workshops — for building enormous machines, from siege engines to exoskeletons for miners;
- Artificial Life Laboratories — secret chambers where golems, animated armors, and arcane constructs are crafted;
- The Gearsmiths’ Guild — a collective of elite engineers who test, debate, and prototype new designs;
- Steam-Alchemy Foundry — where magic and mechanics blend to birth energy cells, steam engines, and enchanted cores;
- Testing Grounds — an arena where war machines and experimental constructs are tested in battle-like conditions.
Notable Workshops and Their Masters
Iron Spark — Premier Mechanism Lab
“Machines do not fear. That’s why they are perfect.”
This lab specializes in autonomous devices, from exosuits to sentry constructs used for mining and combat. It is renowned for producing armored frames and magically enhanced mechanical weapons.
Founder: Grimgard “Iron Eye”
A dwarf engineer who replaced one of his eyes with a magical monoscope that lets him see structures at the molecular level. He believes the future of Dergorai belongs to machines.
Thunder Forge — Experimental Innovations Center
“If it didn’t explode, it wasn’t powerful enough.”
Here, magic and machinery collide to produce energy cannons, self-repairing armor, and biomechanical hybrids.
Founder: Rorgin “Thunder Discharge”
A famed mad inventor whose creations either revolutionize industry — or cause a small crater. He lives for the next breakthrough.
The Mechanical Gallery is where invention meets ambition. It draws artificers and innovators from across the Underdark — but locals know to keep a safe distance when smoke thickens and the ground begins to shake.