The entry to the Delve is a dwarf gate called the Hotbed. The dwarves see the location as a fortification with a trading post added as something of an afterthought, with a fringe of human settlement that has built up over time (enough that humans now have to get a permit to build near the gate.) Humans see the Hotbed as a permanent town flavored by trade with the dwarves. When humans want to deal with dwarves, they go to the Hotbed.

The Exchange

The central exchange of the settlement is a stepwell with shops built in to the walls. A bright mix of restaurants, merchants, and artists must get permission from the Trade Council to locate in the public exchange. The exchange is rigged to flood should aggressors try to lay siege to the dwarfgate. Beyond the exchange, there is a mix of human and dwarven construction for the families of merchants, workers, and servants as well as the hospitality industry for travelers.

The Trade Council

The Trade Council has seven voting seats, with five dwarves representing Rumbleseed families and two humans. The humans have only had seats for the last two centuries, grudgingly granted to try and reduce tensions between the races. The representation has not eased matters much, since wealthy merchants have taken the human spots and deal with the dwarves from a trade perspective that doesn’t do much to address the concerns of the numerous poor living in and near the Hotbed. Dwarves take care of their own, and expect humans to do the same.

The Greatest Flattery

The last century has seen an economic resistance movement growing up in the Hotbed as artisans gather under the direction of The Polishers, a criminal organization focused on imitation dwarven goods. They study real goods, and hone their skill at crafting forgeries. Adding insult to injury, the organization moves the goods through channels that will do as much damage as possible to the dwarven reputation. Over the last sixty years, eight of the leaders have been caught and punished, but humans crop up as fast as you can uproot them.