Khaldran Fortress

Demographics

The majority of the population are Dwarves as they were the ones exiled from Hammerock and chose to brave the journey to the fortress and embrace a new lifestyle. That said the Khaldran are open to other races living there, in particular, humans who have proven to be trustworthy, often Ursandians who make the journey through the Doom Pass to learn how to work metal or stone.

Government

The Khaldran are ruled by a High King and a senate made up of a representative of each of the surnames, which still hold importance to the exiles, even if they have changed their names to something new to symbolize their new life.

Infrastructure

The Khaldran Fortress was in ancient times an outpost of Hammerock which guarded a long-abandoned path connecting the fortress to the lands of Hammerock having been a major mining tunnel. The defenses of the fortress have never been overcome even under near-constant assault by the orcs of the Dragon Teeth Mountains, it was only overcome when orcs broke into the tunnel between the fortress and Hammerock.
Underneath the Fortress, there are large metalworks that are blessed by the Forgefather, and this is one of the few places a Dwarf would refer to the Forgefather as his actual name. These metalworks produce blackened steel that holds fire enchantments very well, which has led to the Khaldran defenders being equipped with weapons that burn with intense flames. With the aid of Ursandian mages, the walls of the Fortress have been enchanted to when under assault burn intensely to burn ladders, ropes, and any unfortunate soul trying to scale the walls.

History

Ever since the Sunderer created the Orcish plague and unleashed it into the world the Khaldran Fortress has had to endure their attacks, it was created at first as an outpost to mark the end of a large scale mining tunnel. When the orcs came into being it was quickly upgraded into a Fortress to protect the mining efforts of the Dwarves, as well as prevent the orcish menace from having an easy road into the Dwarven lands.
In the year 783 2A the Fortress came under attack not only from the outside as normal, but from behind through the mining tunnel as a tribe of orcs known as the Flame-Eaters broke through into the tunnel from above and flooded into the Fortress from behind where there existed only minimal defenses. The defenders of the Fortress fought to the last in a vain effort to hold the Fortress for it did fall into the hands of the Orcs who began to ransack all they could.
The Fortress remained a ruin until 26 3A when a group of exiled dwarves with the help of Ursandian and Rhyderia soldiers along with members of the Black Mare Syndicate attacked the Fortress, the orcs having long since compromised the security of the Fortress by tearing down the gates and leaving the tunnel the orcs used to invade the Fortress open. The battle was intense with magic being one of the major reasons for the success of the attack between the Ursandian Evokers and the Rhyderian Ghvaris Abjurers.
The help from these two nations and the fact magic helped win the day has created a new culture for the Dwarves, one where magic is accepted into the society along with very close ties to Rhyderia and Ursand who helped them find a home.

Tourism

Some do come to just see the Fortress, this is rare as it requires most people to travel through the Doom Pass or risk the tunnel passage that once connected the Fortress to Hammerock, which is now overrun with all manner of nasty beasts and orcs who have created new tunnels that branch out seemingly endlessly. Most who travel there are exiled dwarves seeking a new life in the company of other dwarves, or those seeking to refine their craft in metal and stonework.

Architecture

Blackened steel, the unique version of steel produced within the Fortress cover most of the walls and gates of the city, the stonework has become blackened as if covered by soot for so long it changed the color of the stone. Murals of fire are common along with specialized tunnels that carry molten lava or metal around the metalworks and out to a grated moat just outside the Fortress. Many would look at the Fortress and say it was the home of some truly evil fiend when in reality it is just the home of the Khaldran who, while reclusive are friendly and welcoming to most.

Geography

Surrounded by mountains and the Oasis of Norhesh.

Natural Resources

Vast deposists of metal and granite make up the majority of the resources native to the area, this has expanded into specially cultivated mushrooms that thrive in the area around the Fortress.

RUINED SETTLEMENT
783 2A

Founding Date

26 3A

Alternative Name(s)

Exiled Empire

Type

Citadel

Population

6,428

Inhabitant Demonym

Khaldran