Northbridge

Northbridge: The Road to Riches is a 10 part video series authored by Kruggsmash. It is notable for its focus on storytelling and high production value. Notably in the countless hand-drawn images depicting the main characters and events.

Northbridge tells the story of Idräthkor Irolsazir (Treasurecavern the North Bridge), a dwarven fortress that was build on a bridge spanning two continents. The episodes were published between February and June 2023.

Synopsys

Northbridge was founded in the year 107 as an above ground trade hub, with the intent to link the two continents of The Sizzling Land and The Continents of Stablizing through a seven tile wide bridge build from claystone blocks. The idea came to Vabôk Nanirstinthäd (Rhymedtheater), a skilled appraiser when he overheard someone in the dinig hall joking about "some idiot should build a bridge across the sea!". He soon went on to found a party of seven to be known in history as Limârlotol (The Wealthy Order) in honor of Idräth Limâristrath (Wealthjewels) a female dwarven goddess associated with wealth.

Most of the required supports for the bridge been mined and build over several winters into the frozen temperate ocean of The Inky Waters. Parallel to the bridge's construction, a giant platinum bell was forged in the temporal fort on the western shoreline. Soon after the completion of the initial bridge, trade relations with both elves and humans could be established.

With the incoming wealth came an expansion to Northridge and over the coming years lavish 10 space bedrooms for every dwarf rose to the right and left of the bridge. Above them at the bridge's center, a huge tower started to rise. The tower grew to hold all of Northbridges public infrastructure along the nobles. An undertaking to set up a mist generator in the tower was never completed.

Soon the elves started to make demands about a quota to the tree cutting. But despite their childish demands, they also send a caravan and some more trading was conducted. The fort became the home to a tame giant mandrill arriving in a grown wood cage. To keep the tree folk happy and the trade goods flowing, the dwarfs of Northbridge agreed to a quota of a max of at first 60 trees to be cut each year. Over time the quota started to shrink from year to year. Due to the fortress platinum and glass industry consuming large amounts of coal, the cutting quota had repeatedly to be exceeded. The elves showed very little compassion and eventually send a war party. In the attack's aftermath the dwarfs decided to cut the whole forest down and getting into the large scale production of wooden crafts for export.

This was the overture to the "War of Wood and Water" a massive elven ambush also known as the battle of Northbridge. Among the tree folk's forces were horrendous monsters like giant flies, giant butterflies and war elephants. The two military squads of a combined 20 dwarfs only brave faced the overwhelming but disorganized forces securing a victory for the fort.

Shortly before these events in the year 113 Northbridge became the mountainhome of The Lancer of Oiling when king Athel Saràmsigun (Greattours) settled in Nortbridge. To appease his needs an entire iron level was constructed atop the tower. With all his furniture made of iron too, aside from some glass windows to overlook the sea around the two shorelines. Vabôk had ascended to Baron of Northbridge some time before.

During the following years, the dwarfs of Northbridge encountered a string of forgotten beats deep down in the caverns. The dwarven military became so skilled that it took only a few seconds to kill the giant Ekur. After the first stab was direct to his liver and a second to his leg brought him down.

Over 14,400 stone blocks been used in Northbridge with over 1000 gems set. In less than ten years it has become the mountainhome to its civilization and amassed wealth beyond measure. Unlike many other fortresses Idräthkor Irolsazir was still calm and prosperous when the series ended.

Meta Story

Northbridge was the second fort in the world of Athira Etha. The first being Nokörtorad (Deadbody). During the series three dwarfs from Nokörtorad migrated to Northbridge. Most notably Stâkud Konosakgos aka Hero of Northridge herself, as well as Thîkut ònulrag and Imush Unibedtûl. They assimilated well and are supposed to live out their days in a lavish bedroom above the sea. Although the relationship of Vabôk and Stâkud is a strange one, with him considering her a kindred spirit while she thinks of him as a passing acquaintance. After her cat died she was assigned the military trained giant mandrill as a pet.

When becoming the mountainhome of The Lance of Oiling Northbridge replaced Gusilsacat (Copperdots) whose history is explored in the one off Athira Etha interlude. Along the biography of king Athel Greattours tragic family story.

Northbridge was succeeded by Spearcavern Kruggsmash's currently ongoing series. Set in the same world.

Trivia

Kruggsmash tried to give every dwarf a personalized bedroom tending to their needs. He embarked on a quest of tedious micromanagement to make all the furniture from each dwarf's favorite materials, commission statues depicting their favorite animals etc. and get it all placed in the right bedroom.

Towards the end of every episode Kruggsmash talks about behind the scenes stuff and showing fan artwork and additional designs of his own. The topics addressed covering everything from design choices to glitches. But also dive into some deep reasoning on topics like the cultural depiction of kobolds.

A set of voxel renderings of Northbridge can be seen here in the Vox Uristi gallery.

Northbridge inspired a Redditor to recreate the fortress extensively documenting the process

Episode List

#	Title
1	The Road to Riches
2	Friends & Foes
3	Idrath's Blessings
4	Danger's Crossing
5	Jealous Neighbors
6	War of Wood and Water
7	The Battle of Northbridge
8	Water..Works?
9	Cavern Crescendos
10	Wealth Beyond Measure

Links

Northbridge: The Road to Riches the complete series on YouTube