Khaar-Molok

"Strength in Unity, Power in the Storm."
In the heart of the Xublouze Archipelago, where the sea churns with eternal wrath, lies the submerged ruin of Khaar-Molok, the once-great fortress-city of the orcs. Carved into the jagged cliffs of Molok’s Crown, it was a marvel of ambition and unity—a rare alliance of orcish clans that rose not in conquest, but in creation. For generations, it stood unshaken, its stone harbors and thunder-temples defying the sea’s fury. But Khaar-Molok flew too close to the storm.
When its last War-Lord, Zurok the Iron-Bound, sought to bind the ocean to his will using the forbidden Maelstrom Crown, the sea answered with vengeance. The god Guruzh-Khaal, Father of Storms, unleashed his wrath in the form of a vast, unceasing vortex—one that still rages to this day.
Now, Khaar-Molok is a myth-haunted grave beneath the waves. Its bones lie twisted in the eye of a supernatural maelstrom known as the Abyss of the Drowned King. The storm never ceases, and strange lights are seen within the deep. Some whisper that the storm is not just divine punishment—but a seal, holding something monstrous at bay.

Demographics

Historical: Predominantly Orcish (95%), with minorities of goblins, ogres, and sea-trading humans

Government

A centralized theocracy led by the War-Lord, advised by a council of shamans and clan leaders.

Defences

Natural: Steep cliffs and storm-lashed reefs Military: Watchtowers, war galleys, trained militia Spiritual: Storm-priest wards—most of which failed when defied

Industry & Trade

Shipbuilding, sea-raiding, forging of war-galleons and ritual weapons Fish, salt, obsidian, storm-tempered metalwork Now, the city’s only export is fear

Infrastructure

Though shattered and flooded, parts of the ancient city remain eerily intact beneath the waves: Crumbled seawalls and half-submerged towers
Grand staircases leading into waterlogged chasms
Drowned sanctuaries carved directly into the cliffs

Districts

The High Cliffs – Ruling class and the Throne of Molok The Forge-Depths – Smithies and shipwrights
The Maelstrom Quarter – Religious altars and storm-priest temples
The Docklands – Massive harbors, now scattered along the seabed

Assets

Stormforged Weapons and Ritual Armor The Maelstrom Crown (location unknown—possibly lost or guarded)
Ancient Orcish Relics, enchanted by storm-priests
Sunken Vaults, rumored to still hold treasure (or worse)
The Stormforge – Forged weapons for sea warfare Tide’s Bounty – Market hub for goods from beyond the archipelago The Salty Brew – Gathering place for seafarers, mystics, and spies The Siren’s Call – Said to be cursed; drowned spirits still sing from its flooded halls
(Before the fall, the Arena of Waves and sky-high festivals on Molok’s Crown were the cultural pride of the city.) Places to Stay (Historical) Low: The Drunken Oar – Sailor’s respite Mid: The Seafarer’s Rest – Cliffside views, strong drink High: The Crown’s Refuge – Luxury atop the cliffs, now crushed into the sea

Guilds and Factions

Stormfang Fleet – Naval enforcers and explorers The Anvil Circle – Elite smiths and metallurgists The Wavecallers – Priests of Guruzh-Khaal The Black Tusk – Intelligence and raiding guild, possibly surviving in exile

History

The Ruins of Khaar-Molok, the Drowned City In the heart of the Xublouze Archipelago, buried beneath relentless waves and jagged reefs, lie the sunken ruins of Khaar-Molok, once the grandest city ever built by the orcs of these isles.  For a time, it stood as a defiant testament to orcish ambition, a sprawling fortress-city carved into the cliffs of Molok’s Crown, the largest and most defensible island in the archipelago. Here, the orcs forged an empire not just of raiders, but of builders, uniting their clans under a single banner to create a haven of power and permanence. But the sea is an unforgiving god, and the spirits of the deep do not tolerate hubris. For a millennium since its fall, the orcish clans have feared to build so grand again, believing that Khaar-Molok’s ruin was a warning, a curse upon those who seek to claim the sea as their own. ________________________________________ The Rise of Khaar-Molok Khaar-Molok was not built in a day, nor by a single clan. It was an unprecedented act of unity, where the fiercest orcish warbands set aside their rivalries to raise towering stone walls and harbors, forging a true maritime empire. Its docks were vast, large enough to house the great warships of the Stormfang Fleet, and its battlements stood tall, defying the tempests that ruled the archipelago. At its peak, Khaar-Molok was a city of warriors, mystics, and storm-priests, a bastion against those who would challenge orcish dominion over the seas. Legends say that atop its highest cliff stood the Throne of Molok, an altar to the ocean’s spirits, where the orcs made offerings to Guruzh-Khaal, the Father of Storms. As long as their tribute was paid, the orcs believed the sea would remain their ally. But power breeds arrogance. The War-Lord of Khaar-Molok, Zurok the Iron-Bound, grew impatient with the old ways. He declared that the orcs owed no tribute to the sea—that the storm was theirs to command. With the aid of his shamans, he forged The Maelstrom Crown, an artifact meant to bind the sea’s wrath to his will. He raised it high atop Molok’s Crown and demanded the ocean bend. The sea answered. ________________________________________ The Wrath of Guruzh-Khaal On the night of the Drowning Moon, the winds ceased, the tides withdrew, and an eerie silence settled over the archipelago. Then, the sea returned, not as waves, but as a devouring force. A great, churning vortex formed off the coast of Khaar-Molok, a massive whirlpool so vast it split the heavens with thunder. From its depths rose a being of shadow and water, its eyes burning like storm-fire. The orcs called it Guruzh-Khaal’s Avatar, a colossal leviathan, formed of living tempest and the spirits of the drowned. With a single roar, the leviathan shattered Khaar-Molok’s mighty walls, sending its warships crashing against its own cliffs. The whirlpool pulled fortresses, warriors, and entire bloodlines into the abyss. Even Zurok the Iron-Bound, crowned in his defiance, was dragged screaming into the sea, never to be seen again. By dawn, Khaar-Molok was gone, its great citadel swallowed whole, leaving nothing but jagged ruins and the whispers of drowned voices carried on the wind. ________________________________________ What Remains of Khaar-Molok Though the city was destroyed, its bones still linger beneath the waves. Shipwrecked sailors and daring divers have reported glimpses of submerged towers, their walls covered in barnacle-encrusted carvings, and long-abandoned streets where the statues of orcish chieftains stare through shifting waters. • The Abyss of the Drowned King – The site where Khaar-Molok once stood is now a perpetual maelstrom, an unnatural vortex that never ceases. It is said that at its heart, the ghost of Zurok the Iron-Bound still lingers, screaming in defiance of the god he once sought to command. • The Sunken Docks – Some of Khaar-Molok’s lower harbors still stand beneath the waves, a coral-choked labyrinth of broken ships and forgotten treasures. But those who explore too deep speak of phantoms clad in rusted armor, their voices garbled by water, forever reliving their last moments. • The Throne of Molok – The highest cliff of Molok’s Crown still bears the half-destroyed altar, blackened by lightning and salt. It is said that those who stand before it can hear the sea whisper warnings, reminding the orcs of their folly. ________________________________________ The Curse of Khaar-Molok The orcs of the Xublouze Archipelago have never built a city like Khaar-Molok again. They see it as a warning from the sea itself, a punishment for their ancestors’ arrogance. To this day, no orcish chieftain dares to claim Molok’s Crown, and no ship lingers near the maelstrom for long. Only now, after centuries, have some among the orcs begun to whisper: "Perhaps the sea’s wrath has faded... Perhaps Khaar-Molok can rise again..." But deep beneath the waves, the drowned spirits still stir. And if the sea has not forgiven them, then neither has the storm.

Points of interest

• The Abyss of the Drowned King – The eternal maelstrom; some say Zurok’s soul screams from its center
• The Sunken Docks – Maze-like and haunted; rusted armor floats without bodies
• The Throne of Molok – A lightning-scorched altar that still whispers warnings in the wind
• The Black Vault – A sealed war-chamber deep beneath the sea, rumored to contain a leviathan or ancient cursed weapon
• The Spiral Gate – A collapsed temple rumored to be an anchor point to a deeper, otherworldly ocean plane

Tourism

Nonexistent. Only madmen, cursed souls, and treasure-hunters venture near the storm. Even the bravest orcish sea captains refuse to draw near Molok’s Crown.

Architecture

• Brutalist-meets-ritualistic: carved into natural rock, with spiraled stone motifs resembling storm-eddies
• Shrines and towers infused with lightning-bound stone
• Heavy, stormproof archways, many of which still stand underwater

Geography

• On the jagged cliffs of Molok’s Crown, the highest and largest island of the Xublouze chain
• Ringed by sharp reefs and chasms
• Now entirely submerged in a colossal maelstrom

Climate

Tropical Maritime Once volatile—now cursed The waters near Khaar-Molok are unnaturally cold and charged with static Storms constantly swirl in its vicinity, regardless of season

Natural Resources

Obsidian, Rare Coral, Storm-Touched Iron No longer harvestable due to the vortex and spiritual presence Rumors of new, abyssal flora growing from the ruins

RUINED SETTLEMENT
225AD

Founding Date

1324BD

Founders

• War-Lord Zurok the Iron-Bound

Alternative Name(s)

The Drowned City

Population

50000 during it's peak currently 0

Location under

Xublouze Archipelago

Owner/Ruler

War-Lord Zurok the Iron-Bound