Gangheim

Founded in 8128 BCE, Gangheim was orginally established by the dwarvish refugees of the Oustlige Mountains following the Giant invasion of that area. Moving up the Elverflod River they could not, and had no desire to stay in Elvish lands. They moved into the mountains and passed the western boundaries of Darthorian before discovering the entrance to a large natural cave system in a valley near the headwaters of the Kalonelo River. The first dwarves occupying the caves immediately started expadning their new home and found large veins of silver and gold, as well as large amounts of opals and sapphires crusted within the rock. These riches brought more dwarves to the quickly expanding city and made Gangheim a major trading partner with every city, town and outpost in the civilized lands, rivalling even Fellhem as the greatest of dwarvish kingdoms. These riches eventually brought the priests of Abbathor who established secret temples to the God of Greed. The royal house of Gangheim, the lineage of Manferd Bluetooth, fell prey to the motivations Lords of Gold, ceding much of their power for an ever increasing treasure horde. In an effort to hide and protect their incredible horde, the priests of Abbathor opened a gate to another dimension, creating a gateway to the plane of shadow, wherein their treasure would be hidden from the prying eyes of the outside world. Comsumed with its vast wealth, Gangheim became the one place in the civilized lands that openly worhsipped the god of greed and shut themselves off to the outside. It was their desire to protect their fabulous riches that led directly to downfall of the Cult of Greed and to all of Gangheim. What they had hoped would be the most secure of treasure vaults became a back door through which denizens of the shadow realm crept into the unsuspecting city. Without much warning, in in 5462 BCE, the residents of the city fled the sudden onslaught from within their home, leaving behind most of what they had accumulated to monsters they had inadvertently invited into this world. In the ages since, some have entered the mountain looking for the rumored riches in the ancient temples of gold, only to never be heard from again.