Khadric Printing Press
Invented by Khadra over two millennia ago, the design of this tool remains one of the most carefully guarded secrets in the Underground Kingdom. In fact, only two master pressers and a handful of apprentices even understand how to operate the overly complicated tool that uses blocks of Adamantine imbued with runes to lay a secret concoction of ink over a vellum page.
The master pressers meticulously layout as many as a dozen pages at a time on the giant press before carefully filling the mithril vails and feeding in the sheets in long rolls. The press then imprints the words onto the roll in relatively short order - though the drying time is said to be lengthy. In this manner, the Khadra can reproduce written works of great importance for distribution across their kingdom in large quantities, with the major investment being one of time and preparation, something any craftsmen worth his beard is willing to invest.
While the first texts printed detailed mining techniques and philosophical thoughts on Kharl, like Stone Thoughts, over the years they have expanded their repertoire. They eventually expended additional Adamantine from their reserves to create non-Khadric letter blocks to allow printing in Galencian for the Crito's Singularity in 377 BC and then, to the surprise of many, to include Soulmeliti for Kal'haiyllyn's epic novel, The Dragonslayer.
Today the press has added Eldorian and Flind to its repertoire. It is possible to purchase time on the press from the ever practical Khadra, though they charge an exorbitant fee for even a single page. Much to the dismay of Nerrid, who have long coveted the designs for the press, the inclusion of Nerrid as an option was considered cost prohibitive.
Related Species
1448 BC