The
Endor Tunnel is a main passageway of the
Iron Highway through the
Gimora Mountains, which leads from the
Kingdom of Endor to
Branca, the Kingdom of the South.
Description
The Endor Tunnel is built through the southern section of the
Gimora Mountains. The full tunnel is around 20 miles in length.
The tunnel is a carved, arched tunnel. The roof is supported by arches of marble that are detailed with andesite and basalt. These arches form a lattice of support for the length of the tunnel and the natural cut stonework of the roof can be seen through it. Along the sides of the tunnel are giant stonework statues of dwarven figures that hold up and support the arches. Sconced torches sit in braziers in the statue columns, providing light to the interior.
The
Iron Highway leads through this. It is a brick-lain path about 30 feet in width. On either side are shallow chasms or ditches of 20 feet in height, which form trentches that run alongside the roadway, creating an illusion like the road is floaring through the tunnel. It is said this is to "keep the natural might and presence of the mountain rock intact".
Caverns
Around two-thirds through the tunnel, it connects to a cavern system. These tunnels are natural formations and wind and circle, making them difficult to navigate. Far away from the roadway is a large cavern which has an inert spell circle carved into the rock floor.
History
The Fourth Age: The Age of Shadow
After the events of
The Great War at the end of the Third Age, the
Kingdom of Endor turned towards trade in its recovery. The
Iron Highway was formed early in the Fourth Age and construction of the Endor Tunnel was completed in order to provide access between Endor and the human lands to the east.
In 4A 996, after
Psaro the Manslayer attacked
The Arena in
Endor, the First Mountain,
High King Thorik Oathenhammer promised his armies to aid in the
Manslayer War. The High King had sent several scouting parties to the Endor Tunnel, however they had not returned. To facilitate his army's movement, he ordered his two Champions of the Endor Tournaments ,
Johanna and
Aoth Stormwind, to clear the Endor Tunnel.
When the
Zenethian Heroes arrived in the tunnel, they found it blocked by a partial collapse. In the tunnel's connected cavern system, they found minions of
Psaro the Manslayer sacrificing dwarven scouts on a great spell circle. They engaged them and during the fighting
Rath's corruption manifested and he killed
Trip after altering the spell circle to give the held power to
Esturk, The World's End.
After the Heroes returned to High King Thorik, the Endor army marched to the tunnel. The blockage was cleared and the army and the remaining Heroes marched through to Branca.
The Fifth Age: The Age of Beginnings
Before 9 Madaet 5A 352,
Arwin left
Branca, the Kingdom of the South, and rode in a trade cart with
Hummul Frostbrewer. They traveled through the Endor Tunnel into the
Kingdom of Endor.
