South of Skull Crag, where the High Road skirts a sharply rising peak of stone, lies the place known as Old Axe. The mountain itself gives the settlement its name, though what the traveler first sees from the road tells only part of the tale.

The visible buildings stand silent and abandoned, a scattering of weathered structures left empty after repeated raids by orcs and hobgoblins. At a glance, Old Axe appears to be nothing more than a forsaken mining hamlet. Those who linger longer—or inquire more closely—soon learn otherwise.

The Hidden Settlement

The true inhabitants of Old Axe dwell not in the ruined buildings, but within the mountain itself. A number of natural caves have been fortified and sealed with stonework, forming a hidden refuge against surface threats. Here, a small and stubborn population persists—no more than seventy or eighty souls by most reckonings.

These folk guard their numbers closely, wary of outsiders and well aware of their vulnerability. Life here is harsh, and survival depends as much on secrecy as on strength.

The Mines

The mines of Old Axe run deep, cutting far into the heart of the mountain. Their depths have not always proven safe. More than once, the delvers have broken through into the tunnels and caverns of the Underdark, bringing them into conflict with creatures of the dark below.

Despite these dangers, the miners endure. The iron found here is of exceptional purity, long prized by Cormyr and vital to the forging of arms and armor for its armies. This wealth has ensured continued support from the Crown.

Among those sent to safeguard the settlement are several War Wizards, placed here by Vangerdahast himself. Their presence, alongside hired adventurers, helps hold back both surface raiders and the threats that rise from beneath.

From time to time, the miners uncover curious deposits—veins of hardened clay filled with gravel and small rubies. While most of these stones are modest in size, some have been found large enough to fetch considerable sums.

Life in Old Axe

Old Axe is not a place for the faint-hearted. Work is dangerous, and the isolation weighs heavily on those who remain. Yet the promise of wealth draws a steady trickle of newcomers. Merchants find eager buyers among the miners, and those skilled with pick or blade may readily find employment.

Many who labor here eventually leave, carrying enough coin to begin new lives elsewhere. Others, for reasons of their own, choose to remain.

Each year, the miners travel to Suzail in an unusual effort to secure companionship, offering generous sums to those willing to spend a year in Old Axe. Few accept, and fewer still remain to the end of their term.

A Changing Future

Rumors now speak of change. A woman named Alatha Firehair Bloodil has risen to a position of leadership among the miners. It is said she intends to travel to Suzail herself, seeking to recruit settlers and grow the community into something more stable and enduring.

Whether she will succeed remains to be seen. For now, Old Axe remains what it has long been: a hard, hidden place of labor and danger, with little to offer the casual traveler beyond shelter, clean water, and whatever aid its War Wizard guardians deem fit to give.

Trade and Exports

Old Axe’s importance lies in its production of exceptionally pure iron, a resource of great value to Cormyr’s military. Smaller quantities of rubies are also recovered, though these are inconsistent and unpredictable finds.