The Ring

"With each beat of the Heart, the enchanted lava below brightens. We shall never forget the sacrifices of our ancestors, which awakened our Heart."

— The regular preaching from a Minister of the Heart.

Once a pit of vermin and now a fortified pit of vermin. The Ring is a circular city of industry, dirt and squaller. At least this is what outsiders tell each other, whenever this city becomes the topic of conversation.

Those who manage to survive the wildlife of the wilderness outskirts of the Ring, will be greeted by the city's Necrosidian walls of the Outer Circle where the city's workers and industries reside. Newcomers quickly discover the ashed air, which can cling their airways. Fortunately, the ash is thinned out, by the biting cold winds as snow often falls particularly during this seemingly constant, Koldrheim winter season.

Dotted upon each main street of the Ring, overgrown mushrooms loom over the roads. Seemingly out of place for newcomers, but they soon discover at night these fungal structures glow dull green within the canopy. These lamps are bright enough for the nocturnal people live at night, for the Ring never sleeps.

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History

The Mindless Era

In the time before the Ring came to its relatively more civilised state, the Crater was full of greenery, water and warmth; this era marks the time when the mindless became somewhat smarter. Before this age, there was no such thing as civilisation. Only nature, until the first tribes, were formed.

First, there were the Goblins and Kobolds who each formed many packs of their own. Many of these packs would compete with each other for the basic survival needs; food, water and shelter. However, some began to work together; co-operating and forming larger packs or tribes, until the tribes of more giant creatures such as Hobgoblins, Ogres and Orcs began to muster these smaller folks. They created the first Goblinoid tribes of the Ring.

However, even with the amalgamation of these tribes, the Ring was still a fractured region.

The Baited

As the squads of Goblinoids were squabbling, upon the base on the outer North-Eastern ridge some migrants have arrived. Stout, strong and stumpy; Dwarves have begun settling within the North East mountains, founding the mountain-home of Dhurfaldur. These beings of souring imagination and skill with the pickaxe, have carved their settlement inside the mountain. Residential, commercial and industrial; the Dwarves worked, traded and lived here for decades.

Eventually, the local Dwarves and Goblinoids became aware of one another with their diplomacy if there was any, mostly hostile. The Dwarves were able to fortify their position and continue to live out their lives for centuries, even with the frequent Goblinoid raids. With these raids increasing, so too was the need for resources to support the Dwarven defences. The Dwarven mining guilds continued to dig, and to their discovery, the mountain bared many metals. Gold, Iron, silver; it was all here within the Ring's mountains. Gems of Jade, Amethyst and Emeralds were here too. Deeper the Dwarves dug, baited by the glistening treasures, but unaware of what lay beneath.

Frozen

Far under the aquifers, the Dwarves dug. Forming layers upon layers of mining shafts spreading up and down, left and right. These dwarves were organised in their construction of these mines, as they dug lower, and lower, and lower.

Suddenly, the miners stumbled upon a large underground lake of scorching bright orange magma. Adeptly, these miners managed to dig around this chamber; they were even able to utilize this magma, constructing what are now know as Magma Forges.

But, as they carved the rock around the entirety of this basin, the Dwarves have discovered, embedded within the ceiling of the magma pool, a dull yet reflective rock was found. More discoveries were found. The rock was solid, for no pickaxe could pierce it. The rock was cold to touch, even with the burning degrees of temperature rising from below. The chamber, which is was bulging through the ceiling of, was exactly circular and dead centre of the crater.

The Dwarves with their endless engineering skills, ornately carved around this oblong-shaped rock, ensuring it stays suspended above the hot lake below. Who knows for how long this giant ball of everlasting ice has been hanging over this fiery liquid.

As soon as the entire edges became exposed, the dull rock began to pulsate a dim light from within. It appeared the Ring, had a dormant, frozen heart.

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Present Day

Since then, the Ring began to amass great wealth. Eventually, the Goblinoids began to join the Dwarves, each side seeing survival is best accomplished with cooperation; at least that is what the Dwarven overlords would say.

Many people of the Ring believe it was the Heart's power, which united these people. The Ministers of the Heart hold sessions of worship to the Heart; preaching it was the Heart's desire to bind the people. The outlaw tribes that lurk in the wilderness are heretics, who wish to break the City's bond.

"These heretics claim our ghostly visions are nightmares originated from the Hallowed Realms. They are wrong! These are dreams from the Heart, calling to you, blessing you with her love. Therefore you must love her too, or suffer under her hatred when she hatches."

— Preachings from a Minister of the Heart

Inhabitants

Dwarves

They might be one of the smaller and husky folks of the Ring, but they are highly regarded in nobility and leadership. They mostly reside within the lower levels of the Ring, but many of them surely aren't among the lowest of society. Rather than most Dwarves are the upper-class citizens, most upper-class citizens are Dwarves. The higher you look, the more Dwarves are present.

Orcs

Since the Reformation of the Ring, Orcs aren't as many of them as there used to be. Those who still reside within the Ring are often the masters and muscle of the underling Goblinoids. Many of the smarter Orcs are within the nobility of the Ring, though most of them take leadership roles in the military.

Goblins

The smaller, frail creatures of the Ring. They often make up the workforce of the region and they're rarely found in any leadership within the Ring. The few that are, however, often lead other Goblins and creatures of similar size. This is not to say they're incapable or imbecile. Many goblins own merchant stalls and shops, some even found work tinkering smaller objects, whilst others tend to work as assistants for their leaders.

Ogres

Often too large to fit in most places of the Ring, these misfit 'people' are either the haulers of the treasured goods which the city needs. They residence outside of the city in a relatively small area locally known as the Pit, as these people aren't particularly known for their good sense of hygiene. However, they are gigantic, strong, and still have similar mental capactity as the Goblins. It was the Ogres who helped carry the Nercosidan bricks to build the wall which protects them.

Defences

The Necrosidian Walls

Made using bricks of Necrosidian, a stone alloy of Necrolite and Obsidian. The wall surrounds the city, as it's thick black and purple mass looms over the inhabitants, stretching high at 24 feet. The wall is segmented by tall turrets.

Trebuchets

Upon each turret are Trebuchets. These machines are well known for their long-distance flinging of things such as rocks and explosives.

Orcish Weaponry

The Orcish Sling

Thick rope-like leather, used to sling heavy lumps of rock before hurling them at a great distance. What makes these slings special, is the force from the swing generated by the strength of Orcs and even Ogres.

The Orcish Longbow

These longbows are crafted to have greater tension than an ordinary longbow. Utilising the Orc's natural strength, these ranged weapons are able to reach greater than any other bow in the world. Ogres are also known to use such a weapon, when necessary.