Thegrim: A Fallen City

South of the Smolder Mountains, Thegrim was a city of beauty and innovation. It was one of very few dwarven cities that was not entrenched into the mountains or hills themselves. This was not by accident, but because there was very little fertile land in the dwarven kingdom, at least any that was flat. Lush farmland covered the Smolder basin as the mountain creeks and rivers brought a bounty of mineral and nutrient-rich water to the lowlands.
The dwarfs were not known for being farmers much, but when one has such a resource, they did not shy away seeing how green a thumb they could cultivate. The dwarfs were also not above outsourcing some aid from the gnomes and halflings that made the foothills their homes. Too fragile to make their way up into the treacherous mountains, and too fond of relaxing, drinking tea (or 'tea'), and watching crops grow. With this partnership, Thegrim became one of the largest agricultural cities internationally. The crop diversity, and sheer volume, was enough to make agriculture one of the dwarfs main exports and sources of income. So much so that their historically renowned smithing and craftsmanship found itself on the receiving end of regular jokes and jests.
At a glance, Thegrim may not have looked like the most defensible city. The walls were not particularly high, where there even were any, and the military presence was barely noticeable, save from a soldier or two sitting around having a pint. It was, however, known that Thegrim was heavily defended.
The land in front of Thegrim was so flat, that there was no way to approach Thegrim without being seen from leagues away. One could not simply ambush a city in the middle of one of the largest areas of farmland across all nations. There were small, elevated, stations throughout the farmland where one to three lookouts kept watch from a nest perched high atop a rune-protected mast with a rope ladder that lived at the top with the lookouts. These nests would regularly signal other nests with either smoke, flags, or trained animals. If any threat was seen approaching, signal fires would be set. In under an hour, alarm would be signaled in the Smolder mountains and the full force of dwarven war engines would be on their way to make examples of whomever decided to test their mettle.
This system worked for generations. The people were happy. They felt safe and lived fruitful lives with great food and loving homes. Stories and songs were written of the love and bond the city had with the land surrounding it. "The city and land are bound by fate. They will never forsake one another and will always be home to their children."
The city was not protected from what was the descent of Digitus Medius, or what the spurned referred to as 'the bird.' The farmland was pulverized as an impossibly deep chasm was carved into the land. In an instant what made the city of Thegrim one of the most bountiful cities in the lands, was lost to the abyss.
The hand was said to have been careful not to hit Thegrim itself, but stories told that with the farmland gone, the land began to grieve and weep. The rivers and creeks that brought the minerals to the fields now carved away at the haphazard cliff-side now at Thegrim's front step. The city could not bear the loss of its mate, its lifeblood. The city, depressed, lost its will to stand and began to slide into the nothingness to join what gave it such joy.
The people of Thegrim, luckily, had time to evacuate. However, they could do nothing but watch as their homes and lives slipped away and fell down the pit.
"The city and land are bound by fate. They will never forsake one another and will always be home to their children." These words oft spoken are still true to this day.

Type

Large city