Map 28 : Khagramor (Deadshade's Land)

[Deadshade]

In the days long past when the world was young and the Great Dragons still roamed the purple skies, a dwarven tribe elected the Edge of the World as their home.
The wasted country dominated by craggy mountains and a large desert in the south was far from everything and everybody.
Hence the Dwarves called it Khagramor which in their language means Edge of the World.
Delving deep under the massive western ranges of Rakul-Zigil which means the Silver-Light and is derived from the huge northern glaciers, the Dwarves prospered under the enlightened leadership of Hartwakil who became the First King of the Deep.

Soon young and strong Dwarves lead by Zaranulbroin, the son of Hartwakil, started an expedition to explore the uncharted eastern regions.
This expedition entered legends as Karmun-Nadorin Murgundil which can not be translated but has an approximate meaning of "We shall shave your beards with our axes.".
An epic carving in the Chamber of the Shining Axes survived the uncounted centuries to celebrate the arrival of Zaranulbroin to the eastern savage rabble who were destroyed at the battle of the Pointy Ears.
A transcription of this carving can be seen here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVcXUdxf13o

After this battle, Khagramor was separated in two kingdoms which endured untill the present days – the High Dwarven kingdom in the west named Hartwak in remembrance of the First King of the Deep and the Low Dwarven kingdom in the east named Murgundil after the Zaranulbroin's legendary expedition.

The dwarves still live far from everything and everybody and their fabled halls, forges, statues and palaces are carven out of the living rock deep under the mountains.
They generally keep to themselves and venture seldom outside of their kingdoms however several wanabee invaders had to learn the hard way that it is not a good idea to mess with Zaranulbroin's descendants.

There is perhaps one exception.
Real history or a legend lost in the mists of the past ? Nobody knows.
But a story is told about a dwarven family which moved to a hut on the shore of the southern desert where the mighty river Fangalath throws its muddy waters into the southern sea.
(Note of the translator : What a dwarf is calling "a hut" is for most people an averagely sized and intricately ornemented marble and granit castle)
Barkadal, what was the name of the dwarf, learned to fish and established a prosperous fish trade with the nearby Dwarven underground city.

One night when the winter storms roared in from the south, he found 2 strange creatures thrown on the shore by the waves.
Barkadal first considered to slash them up in little pieces because he was lacking fish bait but the creatures wept and with many gestures displayed goodwill and friendliness.
So he took them to his hut, fed them, warmed them and taught them the Dwarven language.
Thus he learned that they called themselves Hobbits and hailed from a land south of Khagramor.
When the spring came and with it the gentle trade winds, Barkadal set sail southwards with the 2 Hobbits on board.
Upon arrival there has been much rejoicing and feasting for the Hobbits thought their friends lost and long dead.

When it was time for Barkadal to return home, he loaded several barrels of a strange weed that the Hobbits grew and liked to burn in hollow devices and Barkadal came to like it too.
This weed became fast a success among others dwarves as it was a great complement to quaffing stout ale and since these days, regular relations started between the 2 countries during the trade wind season.
The Dwarves were bringing precious stones and jewels and rare metals to the Hobbits and sailing home with the holds full of weed.
That would be the reason why the Hobbits always called their dwarven northern neighbours "Our preciousss.".
Or so the legend says.

Khagramor.jpg

[Barek333]

Hahaha, awesome! Thoroughly enjoyed reading that

[J.Edward]

Nice to have you in this Deadshade.
Loved the backstory and the inclusion of Bogie's folk.
Look forward to seeing the map progress.

[Tonnichiwa]

Awesome! Loved the story!..can't wait to see what you do with your map!

[Warlin]

Hi neighbor! My dinosaur see as a challenge to venture into the mansions of the dwarves under the mountains. On the other hand, they watch the hobbits with disdain, too little sport and nothing to eat...

[Deadshade]

Hi neighbor! My dinosaur see as a challenge to venture into the mansions of the dwarves under the mountains. On the other hand, they watch the hobbits with disdain, too little sport and nothing to eat...

Dinosaurs ? Aren't they those lizards with ridiculous front paws who move with the speed of solidfying glass when the temperature drops below 10° ? And fragile as glass to boot too ?
The dwarves find a lizard corpse in the snows of the high western mountain passes every now and then. They call them Faran Bhadûk what means "Dumb and beardless" .
It would seem that they are already challenged with merely crossing mountains let alone with facing a dwarven throwing axe

[Bogie]

Great story Deadshade, thanks for including my Hobbits in it! I am not as creative a writer but will try to incorporate this storyline.

[Deadshade]

THE DOWNFALL OF SSARSH SISST
======================

It came to pass that the High Dwarven King Hardûr received a message.
The messenger stood still in front of the obsidian throne deep under Rakul-Zigil while Hardûr's knuckles whitened upon the scroll his beard bristling with fury.
"What does that mean ? Is this some jest born from the befuddled brain of your officer ?"
"No my King. It is as true as far as we can know. The only survivor of the mining expedition to the west which went to investigate the major golden vein reported by scouts told us that they were ambushed by some great lizards superior in numbers. Many of our kin were slain, the rest shackled and marched under whips on the path leading westwards."
The King's eyebrows rose like ominous thunderheads and leaning towards the messenger he hoarsely whispered : "This. Shall. Not. Be."

What is it that is coming from the north in winter ?
The first lights of dawn were lost in the snow laden howling winds whipping the landscape.
The shivering lizard guards on the battlements of the fortress impaired by the snow and the frosty wind didn't see anything.
Or rather they did, the last and only thing thay saw was a sharp glittering edge of an axe flying towards their head.

The crew of the fortress was brutally woken by the pitiful screams of the flying lizards whose pens were being put to torch.
Scrambling for weapons, confused and panicked, the lizards rushed outside.
The courtyard was sheer chaos – flickering flames casting crazy shadows, the cobbles slick with blood and above everything could be heard the keening sound of a massive warhorn.
The dwarves were teamed by threes. 2 held a strong chain and the third a two handed war axe.
They charged with lightning speed towards a lizard bypassing him right and left, the chain snapping tight behind his pillar like legs.
With the next step the bewildered lizard crashed down like a felled tree so that the third dwarf could cleanly separate his head from the shoulders with a mighty stroke.

In a half an hour everything was over.
The last living lizard, probably a noble judging from his gilded shining armor, sought refuge in the dungeon where the captured dwarven expedition members were being kept.
We will not know whether he hoped to trade his life against the life of the prisoners or whether it was simply the last place to go but soon a dwarven squad entered the room.
Hardûr, his beard stained with blood, advanced to the wounded lizard and asked him "What is the name of this cursed place ?"
The lizard must have understood the question because he answered in a lisping voice "Ssarsh Sisst."
Hardûr lifted his war axe high and his booming voice reverberated in the dungeon's vault :
"Let then Ssarsh Sisst ruins be a lesson and a warning ! No mercy asked for and none given !"

The peace descends slowly on the lizard noble as he lies on the stony floor, his unseeing eyes staring at the ceiling.
The dwarves have come.

### LATEST WIP ###
Khagramor1.png

Besides a new story of the dwarven folk, here is the first draft of the topography of my land. It will certainly change.

[Josiah VE]

Yay!! Awesome dwarves! I love dwarves..

[Deadshade]

Yay!! Awesome dwarves! I love dwarves..

Isn't this the whole point ? After all we're not just drawing some random map - we are creatng a world