Sbrithnir's Roost

Purpose / Function

Near the top of the largest of Senteru's mountains, Sbrithnir's Roost was been home to Sbrithnir and their Crew for many several hundred years. Through sheer force of permanence it is known to all save the Monkin-doo of those parts (who once dwelt there) by this name - but to those Monkin-doo it remains still Ash Delleth, though nowadays it is home to Hrafkell - one of Sbrithnir's offspring.

Alterations

Several of the larger chambers in the top levels have been merged into one vast chamber, with a gap some 20 strides acrossin the roof to give the drakkuns entry and exit for though there us a broad passage from mountainside to the chambers this is too small for an adult drakkun in full pomp.

This main chamber has had the demolition work smoothed over and the western wall was been engraved with a life size image of Jorrath - Sbrithnir's commemoration of her mate who died in battle at Morton. Since Hrafkell took over the roost work has been ongoing on a counterpart to this - an engraving of Sbrithnir, on the eastern wall which is expected to be completed in the next decade or two. These figures are carved into the living rock in deep relief and even when unfinished excite admination and awe from visitors.

The lower levels have been reworked to meet the needs of the drakkuns' crews both in terms of size, layout and decoration such that the inhabitants of Ash Delleth would be hard placed to recognis it - they would doubtless recognise the strata but not the chambers. Lower still many of the tunnels have been collapsed or otherwise blocked to prevent incursions from the Monkin-doo who still inhabit the lower levels, though it is many years since they last tried to wrest back control of the upper chambers. Meanwhile, in the levels in between the Drakiss have excavated extensively to chase the veins of precious metal and crystal that form the basis of much of the Hrafkell's Hoard.

History

Key events of the Monkin years are uncertain in terms of absolut timing. The information for this period of the Roost's history is from Monkin oral tradition so subject of falsification, hyperbole and exaggeration but generally felt by those who have studied it to be not too far out. For the most part. Lets say it runs over around 600 years. All times in this to be referenced to Sbrithnir' years but parallelled to Duchy year count for the later events. Hraffkell maintains the use of SY to commemorate their parent and minimise confusion in the records.

Settlement The original build of Ash Delleth was towards the lower levels now controlled by the drakiss and built as a utilitarian place of dwelling and industry.

Delving The mineral riches in the depths under the mountains were heavily exploited by the Monkin-doo over the course of the next few generations with a gradual division of Ash Delleth into the lower working levels and the higher residential ones. The materials and wealth derived from the workings in this period allowed the Monkin-doo to exercise considerable domination over the Monkin-ban living on or near the surface and the excavation of large chambers for storage began.

Great Chambers As their wealth and power increased, larger and larger chambers were built in the higher reaches of the mountain for ostentatious display, large gatherings and feasting. These chambers form the core of the current drakiss settlement around the Drakkun's chamber.

182 SY The arrival of Sbrithnir. In their younger years, Sbrithnir was a lithe creature and able to navigate the upper tunnels of Ash Delleth. The Monkin-doo played host on several occasions attempting to overwawe the young drakkun. Their ploy failed for Sbrithnir took a liking to the great chambers and challenged the Monkin-doo for their control.

183-186 SY The expulsion of the Monkin. This followed a period of struggle; Sbrithnir could dominate the large upper chambers and corridors but struggled maneurvre in the older, tighter passages lower down. These were cleared by an alliance of Sbrithnir's Crew and local onkin-ban incited to rebel against the Monkin-ban. A boundary was formed between the levels controlled by the two sides and peace, of a sort established.

187-198 SY The combining of the three main great chambers. The first of the major works undertaken by Sbrithnir's crew to provide a truely gargantuan residence for their drakkun, bringing the main chamber to around two thirds of its current size.

200 SY The opening of the Drakkunport in the ceiling. As Sbrithnir was still growing, it was clear that the tunnels may eventually become a problem - and even without this ventilation was most definitely an issue. The opening of the Drakkunport - a 20 stride wide opening in the ceiling of the Great Chamber answered both these problems allowing Sbrithnir and any visiting drakkun easy and spectacular entry and exit.

220-224 SY The expansion of the great chamber to accommodate the visits of Jorrath. As Jorrath and Sbrithnir's relationship deepened further chambers were incorporated into the Great Chamber to accommodate Jorrath and their crew.

270-320 SY The development of a water system feeding "Sbrithnir's shower" an internal waterfall supplied by gigantic hydraulic ram pumps.

350-355 SY The Monkin incursions of the war of Marivo. The Monkin-doo breached the barriers errected some 170 years earlier in an attempt to expel their displacers - they wrought great damage on the drakiss but were ultimately unsuccessful. One of the causes of their failure was the time spent destroying the engravings of the drakiss, rather than focusign on destroying the drakiss themselves.

360 - 450 SY The great rebuild expunging following the wars saw the systematic obliteration of the remaining traces of Monkin architecture, the repair of the damage done, the extending of the fortifications and re-inforcement of the walls an barriers several levels deeper than previous.

500-650 SY The great work of engraving Jorrath.

700 - 1100 SY Saw a period of mining for minerals in the levels now controlled by the drakiss - though the Monkin doo had mined them fairly extensively there were a number of minerals of no interest to them but much valued by the drakiss and abundant in their zone of control.

1143 Hrafkell takes over after Sbrithnir's death.

1170 the beginning of the engraving of Sbrithnir.

1210 - 1215 SY The influence of Hariovox (Hrafkell's mate) begins to take the decor in a more colourful direction.

Alternative Names

Ash Delleth

Tourism and Visitors

There is little tourism, though the halls of Sbrithnir's Roost are well visited by the Tarembura who come to trade stories and knowledge with Hrafkell, as they did with Sbrithnir, and the Writkiss of the crew. Other human visitors are few and with only a handfull of drakkun in the region vists from them are rare and generally family members.

The splendour of the great chamber, especially in the mornings of summer days when most light reaches it, is the stuff of proverb for many who have never seen it; and a sight that any who have seen it will find eager audiences for their descriptions of the space and its carvings.

Architecture

As originally built, Ash Delleth was in the ancient style of the Senteran Monkin-doo: high ceilings, minimal decorative carving and triangular features being common in pillars, roof profiles, door franes and such like. The styles favoured by the drakiss have long since overwhelmed this austerity with a profusion of relief carving, a preference for curved corners rather than angular and a preference for lower ceilings - many of the original Monkin-doo chambers having had additional stories built into them