The Town of Thel Durhal

### Current Stewards of Thel Durhal

The current monarch is Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri. The House of Kilbri is the current stewards of Thel Durhal.

### **The Pages of Time**

>
>  "For all shall be witness- every man, woman, and child shall gaze up at the sky with fear. The moon shall weep fiery rain, and chaos shall come unto the kingdoms, and they shall fall." ~Partial text recovered from the mines of the former Khen Faruhum.
>
>
>
>

As kingdoms fell above one by one, under the earth, from the mines and tunnels to the mead halls and private chambers - all was silent. The drums of construction had stilled, the rhythmical beat of iron against stones had stilled. The subterranean winds nearly whistled through once bustling marketplaces. Every citizen had been called, all projects had ceased. The mountain that grew above the plains, the pride of Khen's builders, would rise no higher- for the dwarves had gone. Within the deep, texts had been found that proclaimed the end of the kingdoms themselves, as they yielded to the forces of chaos. None would be spared, none would be safe. In the halls of the king an audience was held, this was around 23BC (Before Cataclysm) - the vote to preserve life, both that of the kingdom and its citizens. In silence votes were cast, hands raised in agreement - Most would go. A few stayed behind - either with the hope that they could change the course of events, or to attached to the stones to go elsewhere. In silence, wagons were packed. In darkness, transports were arranged. In hope, a future was dreamed of. Only the minimum was taken, enough for the journey to a new home. As the mountain faded behind them, as the waters carried them away from their home, they vowed to remember.

### The Landing at the Hammers, and The Vote of Lines

>
>  "This is our new home, and we shall be ready - for we shall remember" ~Proclamation of Darri, First of his Name, Last of his Line, of the House of Khen- upon arriving at the mountain range that graced the largest island of the several around them. 12AL (After Landing)
>
>
>
>

###### Landing at the Hammers - 1AL

Following the rivers upstream, the dwarven ships found the new mountain range that they would call their home. Once beached, those ships became home for a while, as old technologies that had ben lost to the sea were recovered in slow processes. If you had asked the dwarves about this, the reply you might get would be "Forges don't sail well". In the year 12AL - Darri, First of his Name, Last of his Line, of the House of Khen assembled the dwarves for an announcement. He spoke of the past, of the voyage that carried them away from their old home. He spoke of his own failures to his house and to his kin. He spoke on the triumphs over the sea, and those they had lost along the way. For the ships carrying the house of Khen had been struck by lightning during a storm and had been lost. Darri had taken this as a sign that his house must end, and in his proclamation he rallied his fellow kin before stating with simplicity that he would abdicated the throne. This fell upon silence, all dwarves present giving Darri, First of his Name, Last of his Line, of the House of Khen, a deep bow. For Dwarves value courage above all, and to yield the highest position of the Houses took courage few could muster. A small final tribute was given unto Darri, First of his name, Last of his line - simple offerings of wheat and bread, fish and berry, iron and stone. For this was early days and the Houses had not yet recovered.

###### The Vote of Lines - 12AL

Upon the Hammers, the Houses met over the coming weeks, until they gathered once more. A new line needed to be established, and as the Houses put forth their offer, each member moved to stand before the assembled dwarves - for the line of kings was not divine, but rather once of service, and the monarchy that lead the dwarves was voted upon as the lines changed. Once each House had chosen their member, they stepped forward from their line in silence, and in silence votes were cast - Dwarves rising for their chosen candidate, and tallies marking their choice. Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri, carried the Vote of Lines, and gave a humble offering to each House assembled.

### The Reign of the New Line

Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri, took the throne that day, and soon the call of the earth grew in all, for the love of the depths is in the bones of every dwarf, the urge and call to mine and explore the heart of the world. But Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri, knew they must learn from their past mistakes. As dwarves of every House worked to gather the needed materials, Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri, proposed an idea in the year 12AL, taking on a similar tone to Darri, First of his name, last of his line, of house Khen. The New Line was one of watchfulness as plans were drawn for a citadel overlooking the valleys around, a walled capitol that sank into the earth. A fortified outpost on the neighboring lone mountain, and a town facing the sea. In honor to House Khen, Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri also noted that the capitol should contain a large library in their name.

###### The Plans for a Nation

Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri broke from tradition in 16AL, offering two other Houses the opportunity for their own establishment. The Lone mountain Outpost city would be given to the control of House Forelm. House Auwn, who had taken to the art of ship building, would be given the space for the establishment of a town and shipping port. This split design would allow for a diverse nation that was self sufficient if it needed to be, with food both from the sea and from the land.

###### The Form of Defense

In the year 14AL, the citadel started to break ground, the spike being fitted into the mountain piece by piece, the walls being laid out slowly where they would stand in the future.

### Religion

The major and minor houses within the dwarven lands left Khen Faruhum with the knowledge that they were leaving sacred land. For to be a dwarf was to hold a deep love for the depths. Since time immemorial, the dwarves have held the God of the Pit- the god of the depths and mining, and Oron- God of Fire and Forge, close to their hearts. The exodus from Khen Faruhum left the pit untended, a blasphemous action in the eyes of the dwarves. For the years at sea, no sacrifice was made, for the sea was the realm of another. In 13AL, Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri, urged the houses for a return to their old ways once more. A pit was dug from the top of a mountain to the depth were no pick could mine - a symbol of their new devotion. This service, and the first true sacrifice being made, they hoped that they had once more had restored their connection with the God of the pit and depths. Now the toil is for the Capitol, the heart of which shall be the Forge to Oron

###### The Holy Order

Ember, Second of their Name, of House Kilbri, also established the Order of the Depths to properly tend to the new temples, allowing the House Golrom to take the reigns of the order.

### Navigation for more information:

The Houses of Karn Thoram

Order of the Pit - Religion

Karn Thoram - Nation

Port town - Unformed, House Auwn

Lone mountain Town - Unformed, House Forelm

Karn Thoram - Politics, Traditions, and Culture