Kuldor

Written by 9Alpha

The Magmanium will flow. Quit your whining!

— Lorak Lord of Mines, 435 CA

The Mountainous Elven city-state of Kuldor lies in the northwest of the subcontinent of Ilthasu. The city's formidable stone walls are situated at the foot of Mount Kuldor, the western most mountain of the Scorched Peaks. Kuldor is renowned for its import of Magmanium, a rare metal exclusive to the blazing summits of the Scorched Peaks. The Kulaik Elves that inhabit the city live by an ironclad law of milatirist discipline and worship of their god-king.
Kuldor stands as one of the four Elven Cities, locked in bitter rivalry with one another as they vie for supremacy. Among the Elven Cities, Kuldor's might is often perceived as second rate compared to Eldrak, lacking dominion over the untamed and hostile lands that sprawl across western Ilthasu. Nonetheless, the city's imposing defenses and resilient citizen militia have rendered it impregnable throughout its enduring and tumultuous history.

Demographics

Kuldor's free population consists exclusively of Elven Kulaiks, a bloodline of Elves that trace their ancestry to the original Kulaik tribe that overthrew the former Dwarf inhabitants of Kuldor in the early Dawn Age. The geographical and political isolation of Kuldor from the rest of Ilthasu has led to a shockingly small amount of diversity, or as the Kulaiks put it, "Purity". The only exception to this strict blood order is the ruling class of Kulaiks, the Mali, who frequently take husbands and wives of different elven blood, often as spoils of war.
The Kulaiks are divided by a strict hierarchical class system. The Mali are the ruling class of nobility and occupy nearly all powerful governmental positions except the Lord of Mines, which is controlled by the secondary class, the Kei-to, who make up the merchant and industry classes. The Mali and Kei-to also make up the fighting ranks of Kulaik, and every citizen of these classes is expected to undergo rigorous training and to fight in combat. Lastly the lowest class of Kulaiks, called the Ai-to, or more commonly, the Molten, are said to be descendants of Kuzail The Bloodhound's brother, who betrayed the old king due to dwarven sympathies and resentment against the Kulaiks harsh treatment towards them. The majority of this "Molten" class works in the mines with the enslaved dwarves or does odd jobs in the city center.
A sizable minority of Kuldor's population (~5,000) are enslaved dwarves. These dwarves are largely the ancestors of the defeated natives of Kuldor, the Bombar Dwarves, who are put to grueling work in the Kuldor mines. The extreme class disparity and racial hegemony of Kuldor make it one of the most xenophobic and brutal cultures in all of Elora. The dwarven slave class, egged on by foreign spies wishing to undermine Kuldor and by their own pride, engage in frequent rebellion and revolt against the Kulaik Elves, the majority of which only lead to further harsh oppression.

Government

King Kul-To Malem rules the city-state of Kuldor. The king wields absolute power over the city's inhabitants, drawing authority from his status as a god-king under the god Maygya. The second most powerful position of the city is the Lord of Mines, who controls all operations of the Kuldor mines, giving significant economic and political power to the position. The Lord of The Mines was established in 322 DA after King Tor-man Malem's descent into madness threatened to collapse the city's mining industry due to his erratic incompetence. The first Lord of The Mines was little more than a beurocratic puppet of the Malem Dynasty, appointed by the King's family members as a way to circumvent the economic authority of the king and allow a more steady hand to take control. However, the position quickly gained power and independence and subsequent Lords recognized the potential to bend Kuldor's economy to their will. Recent Kings often find themselves jockeying for power with their Lord of The Mines for power in a system where absolute authority is routinely the norm.

Defences

Majestic tiers of Scorched Stone encircle Mount Kuldor in a formidable semi-circle, punctuated by strategic deviations that culminate in a star-shaped fortress. Three-foot-thick watchtowers adorn every corner, fortified with catapults, ballistas, and the city's most formidable mages. Throughout the storied annals of Kuldor's history, no invading force has ever breached these outer bastions.
Behind the protective embrace of the city walls lies the keep, nestled against the mountainside. Its arches and columns, though ornate in appearance, were meticulously crafted for defense. Additional siege weaponry and steadfast defenders line the seemingly impenetrable walls of the keep. Furthermore, should the outer defenses falter, the Kulaiks would retreat into the depths of the mountain, finding sanctuary amidst its labyrinthine passages and mines, staunchly resisting any attempts by invaders to extinguish their indomitable spirit.

Industry & Trade

Kuldor functions almost entirely off of trade with the outside world. Deprived of suitable farmland and only able to hunt and herd for food, the mountain city trades its precious gems and ore for the food to keep its population fed. However, Kuldor is no mere mining facility. Its

Districts

Magmanium Mines (Magma Mines)

My axe found a vein in westside of Urinkeep,
its all in vain for it melted in the summer heat,
heat it up and pour it out,
grab some coin get your amount
and work for another day!

— Old Kuldor mining song

The economic and industrial heart of Kuldor. Thousands of enslaved dwarves and Kulaik Elves toil away in Mount Kuldor for gems, ores, and above all Magmanium, a burning hot white metal that sits on the perches of the Scorching Mountains. Magmanium radiates pure plasma and is incredibly dangerous to handle, even with the expertise cultivated by thousands of years refining this ore, the work is still dangerous.
Rather than delving into the heart of the mountain like a typical mine, this enormous district snakes along the peaks and ridges of Mount Kuldor and surrounding range. Quarries, houses, and small villages of stone crop up along flattened ridges of the mountain and are connected by narrow mountain roads carved into the sides of the cliffs. The district is broken up into two areas, West Magnesia; a large mine and town that sits above the city of Kuldor, and East Magnesia; a similarly sized on the eastern-facing side of Kuldor Mountain. A few dwellings and communities populate the ridgetop areas in between.
This district has its bandits and thugs, but the real danger comes from Ilman's Sun. The intense and erratic heat of the miniature star can easily burn open flesh, and solar flares can even carve into rock during the summer. To avoid the intense heat, Residents often make homes inside the mountain, although that can bring troubles of its own.

Citadel Hold

The bulk of Kuldor's population resides within the black walls of the outer deffenses in an area called Citadel Hold, although this area is also referred to simply as Kuldor. The walls of the Citadel and the buildings inside are made of Scorched Stone gathered from the nearby mountains, giving the city an ashy black hue and air of rugged resistance. Within the labyrinthine alleys of Kuldor, a perpetual veil of smoke wafts through the air, a testament to the bustling activity of its mining industry.

History

Dwarven Stronghold

The city of Kuldor, named after its location next to Mount Kuldor, began as a dwarven mountain keep, defending the western passages into what was known as the Arcstar Mountains (Scorched Peaks). The dwarfs of Kuldor were not part of any kingdom, or state, rather they consisted of a joint effort by Dwarf clans and kingdoms of the Arcstar Mountains to protect against Elf invaders as well as the many dangerous creatures of the Wild Lands of Gurem-dur. In 243 DA, Kuldor held off against a massive invasion of Gnoll Warbands from the Wild Lands. This siege, known as The Battle of Kuldor, marks the high water mark of Gnoll power in the region and the last time Gnolls would have the strength to threaten the dwarf civilizations. For their role in defending dwarvenkind, the Kuldoran soldiers were granted the title Julok's Sword, after the dwarven god of stone Julok. This was considered a rare honor, and soon the best dwarven soldiers in the region flocked to the fortress to offer their talent and gain the coveted title of Julok's Sword.

Crescent Age and Kulaik Invasion

The Crescent Age brought on tumultuous times for Kuldor. Although the Shadow creatures that plagued Ilthasu were defeated, a different ancient enemy would prove to be the dwarves' ruin. The Kulaik Elves, who had for time immemorial waged war against the dwarves in the fiery depth of the Arcstar Mountains, gained tremendous power from the creation of Ilman's Sun. The Kulaik's draw their power from the hot magma of the mountain core, and suddenly the entire mountain range was ablaze in fire. The Kulaiks eventually surged out of the mountain depths and overran the great fortress of Kuldor from the inside out. The dwarves were enslaved by their savage conquerors and many remain in slavery to this day, although there are rumors of dwarf cities in the depths of the Scorched Peaks

Kulaik The Bloodhound, "First" King of Kuldor

The Kulaiks named Kuzail The Bloodhound, who led the charge on Kuldor, ruler of the castle. After waves of Kulaiks moved into the fortress, eager to get nearer to the power of Ilman's Sun, Kuldor was proclaimed the capital of all Kulaik Elves, and Kuzail was named the first king of Kuldor and Conqourer of Dwarves. Kuzail's rule was tyrannical; thousands of dwarves were executed and brutally oppressed, and thousands more Kulaik elves were either worked to death on the city's new walls or sacrificed to the Elf god of Plasma, Etherin.
Besides cementing Kuldor's legacy as a brutal regime, Kuzail also made important laws and regulations on Kuzaik culture that remain in effect today. These Kulailian Laws detailed the military service and military training requirements of all Kuldorans as well as rules for proper conduct such as how to settle disputes, how to address superiors, etc. The Kulalian Laws set up a harsh disciplinary system of hierarchical patriarchy that remains in effect to this day

Kuldor Through The Crescent Age

The discovery of Magmanium refinement drastically changed Kuldors industry and place in Eloran politics. The relatively unknown city of Kuldor suddenly became one of the world's most important exporters of rare metals as Elora became crazed with the fascinating bright white metal. As a result, Kuldor became very wealthy. However, this wealth did not translate into a bustling trade sector or merchant middle class. The strict hierarchy and centralization of industry under the king meant that almost all wealth flowed directly into the King and his immediate followers.
With newfound wealth, and the raw magical potential of Magmanium, Kuldor became a significant player in Ilthasan politics, rivaling even the great city-state of Eldrak. The two cities would find countless wars and battles with one another, often in conjunction with the other eleven city-states. Ultimately neither city has been able to penetrate the formidable defenses of the other leaving the region in a constant state of tension and conflict.

Articles Tagged with Kuldor

Founding Date

600-700 DA

Founders

• Kuzail The Bloodhound

Population

~25,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Kulaiks

Location under

Ilthasu

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