Khandar's Blessing
Khandar's Blessing was a fortification in Laedor Thilis that was built in 47 LC to defend the area against orcs from Lorr Tahak and the Thracyll Mountains. In 80 LC, it was destroyed by marauding orcs of the Thurbynn Tribe. Although never rebuilt, the ruins were occupied by a variety of creatures throughout the centuries. In the late ninth century, hobgoblins under the leadership of King Krikk claimed the remains and used it as headquarters, which is why the ruin is currently also known as Castle Krikk.
Purpose / Function
Khandar's Blessing was originally built as a northern fortification in Laedor Thilis, for the dwarves, elves and gnomes that were protecting lucrative mining operations in the Thracyll Mountains against orc raids. Khandar's Blessing was a base of operations for troops sent into Lorr Tahak and a resting point for those guarding the region, which at the time was no longer secured by the Kingdom of Laeryll.
Architecture
Khandar's Blessing was built using the seven-tower structure common to elven fortifications, but using much harder, thicker rock from the nearby Thracyll Mountains, albeit rounded according to elven design principles. Its appearance is a hybrid form of elven and dwarven masonry. The castle had four western towers, two eastern towers and one central tower, with the highest, narrow lookout tower being the western one. From this tower, the canopy to the west and north could be overseen, allowing for communication with any reinforcements from Dathyll.
The most northwestern tower, just north of the lookout tower, was the broadest one and housed a throne room for the commander of troops Ludakin Bardor, as well as sleeping rooms for the soldiers. Besides this tower, the central defense tower housed active troops guarding the fortification at the north side of the castle. East of this tower was a library tower. On the second floor, this library originally housed Leshemeth and Silverbeard Thorgōn.
South of the library stood a central kitchen, which was accessible by a nearby entrance to the building. The kitchen itself could be easily guarded through three arrow slits, securing this entrance from the east. Again south of this kitchen was a main defense tower, guarding the terrace entrance to the castle at its south side. A mirrored tower of this main defense tower stood to its west, carrying the depiction of a bearded lion embossed in its solid stone.
Just north of this western tower, close to the narrow lookout tower, stood a guarded, low tower. This contained a large shrine hall to the gods, originally maintained by Leshemeth. Central to this shrine hall were large statues of Llorix, Dorgoth and Khandar. Alcoves displayed statues to Waye and Ush. The shrine doubled as a sleeping hall for the soldiers: its high ceilings did not allow for a second floor. It also provided access to the 'basement' of the castle: an underground cavern and lake, from which a gnome Sukkenpomper 1600-X drew water to supply faucets in the kitchen, shrine hall and lookout tower.
The rooftop of the castle was accessible through the defense towers and lookout tower and offered tactical positions for ranged fighters.
Defenses
A combination of heavy walls and arrow slits protected Khandar's Blessing from marauding forces. As it was first and foremost a defensive structure, the castle maintained a standing militia of archers, which was regularly complemented by raiding groups that went into Lorr Tahak and the Thracyll Mountains.
History
Construction of Khandar's Blessing commenced in 45 LC, by dwarves, gnomes and, to a lesser extent, elves who had stayed in the King's Swamp region after the War of the Sisters. The building was finished in 47 LC.
In its short history, Khandar's Blessing was home to several legendary heroes. Baraknir Arutan developed the martial style Daragunar there, together with the mad cleric Silverbeard Thorgōn, who had famously spent a year in the World Beneath. The elven mystic Leshemeth maintained a shrine in Khandar's blessing, advocating a triad of Ush, Khandar and Llorix.
Clan Thurbynn orcs massacred all inhabitants of the castle in 80 LC and looted it as much as they could, but they did not occupy the fortification. Instead, they chose to roam King's Swamp and use camps in the Thracyll Mountains as headquarters. The castle was therefore left deserted and remained so for centuries, becoming overgrown by the nearby forest.
During the ninth century, however, occupants showed up: hobgoblins from the north started squatting the building. In 889 LC, the hobgoblin Krikk crowned himself king in the castle and sent a message to Prydisyrr, claiming the region of King's Swamp as his. The elves never responded to this message, which he interpreted as cowardice and as a sign he could have the region.
For years, Krikk leeched off the growing presence of humans in the region, who had come to resettle Pellvyr in the eighth century. His controlled territory had expanded through the forests and swampland and in 902 LC he struck a deal with Blue Death, a servant of Morsyana, offering his power at her disposal in return for troops and weaponry.
This deal also brought him to capture the dwarf Gondwen Huckstone in 903 LC, as Blue Death needed his information about Bothandal's Mine. King Krikk kept Huckstone at his castle, attracting a band of adventurers who had set out to save the dwarf. Through the use of bardic magic, the group managed to rescue the dwarf and take the ancient map, as well as ancient treasure that lay buried in the former dwarven castle, hidden from the invading orcs: Baraknir's Shield, manuscripts and diaries written by Silverbeard Thorgōn, arcane texts created by Leshemeth and Spider Slippers taken from the World Beneath by Thorgōn.
RUINED STRUCTURE
80 LC
80 LC
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