Ker Turum
Summary and history
Ker Turum is a highly protected ancient dwarven city and the pride of the Dwarven Empire. It is located in a large spherical cavern deep inside a mountain located in the Dwarven Mountain Range. The Royal city is encompassed by tall stone walls and surrounded by an underground lake. The City itself is quite small, and houses a small population of roughly 5,000. It is a city for the elite; only those who have earned the respect of the King are invited to live in Ker Turum. The cities buildings are old but well maintained, and many stone buildings are reinforced with metal bracing. Other features include a large cathedral sitting adjacent to the Royal Castle, as well as the Royal Guard training hall. This giant building is approximately twice the size of the Royal Castle and is where the Royal Guard trains and maintains combat readiness.The Land
Massive stalagmites and stalactites bigger than buildings protrude inside the large spherical cavern that houses Ker Turum. An underground lake sits at the edge of the cities fortified walls, with a single bridge providing the only access to the fortified gates. Walking through the tunnels leading to Ker Turum, one could see a well lit excavated drift, with perfectly square dimensions. This path continues for about 2 kilometers at a constant downward incline, before it opens up to the main cavern.The People
The people of Ker Turum are considered, for the most part, the elite. Dwarven nobles, skilled artisans, famous bards, wealthy innkeepers, great fighters and other highly specialized dwarves obtain an invitation to live in the Royal city. For the most part, all citizens of Dun Alsfell aspire to obtain such an invitation and work hard all their lives to enjoy a comfortable retirement in Ker Turum. Though Ker Turum may give off a snobby and maybe even arrogant vibe to some, the reality is one of dwarven pride. The King often visits Dun Alsfell and socializes with its people, many times inviting some of the poor or disabled to live in Ker Turum to give them a better life. Making the King laugh will surely result in an invitation, no matter your line of work or social status. As such, Ker Turum is filled with lively men and women, and anyone whom the King seems to take a liking to. Dwarves from Dun Alsfell are also permitted to visit and enjoy the historical city. The inns and taverns of Ker Turum are always very busy servicing its elite and tourist clientele. Almost half of the population consists of the King's Guard, roughly 2,000 soldiers who excel in battle. Only the best of the best may join the King's Guard. The cavern of Ker Turum is constantly lit from the fires of Dwarven forges that are littered through the City. If a blacksmith or armor smith is skilled and famous enough, they might get the chance to join The Royal Forge; a small group that serves the King directly. The Royal Forge work in a secret forge located somewhere deep in the mountain, where lava flow fuels the intense heat required to smelt Adamantine. Miners who have worked tirelessly in the Mines of Farum also sometimes get an invitation, especially if they discover a vein of Adamantine; a very rare and precious mineral that is known for its extreme durability.The Leadership
King Ulfgar Trueaxe rules Ker Turum. While the King has supreme authority, it isn't often misused. The King is seen as fair but tough, especially on those who would try to overthrow him. The King has a short temper, and often walks away from situations, knowing he'll make a decision he'll regret later. His name isn't Ulfgar Trueaxe for no reason.Law & Defence
The King's Guard, a force of 2,000 of the strongest and bravest warriors from the entire Dwarven Empire, act as the city's law enforcement. The City itself is not easily attacked, as an army walking through the main tunnel would telegraph their plan quite ahead of time. The City is also surrounded by tall ramparts, and a lake surrounding it makes ambush very unlikely. The King's Keep also has a significant height advantage and if pressed, troops would simply retreat further up. Ker Turum is truly an impressive fortress.Criminals
Crimes in the Royal City are rare, due to the infamously hot-temper of the King and the overwhelming presence of King's Guard.Trade
Ker Turum regularly receives food, medicine, and ore shipments from Dun Alsfell. Aside from this, the dwarves tend to hoard their riches in the great Royal city. They do however tend to be interested in magical weapons, and have good trade relations with Solaris. King Ulfgar also regularly visits King Feanor, and both are on good terms. The elvish military of Elothil is typically outfitted with Mithril armor, purchased straight from the forges of Ker Turum. While only the elite get to live in Ker Turum, dwarves from Dun Alsfell regularly visit and enjoy visiting the historical city. This serves as a great source of revenue. The fauna and flora of the cavern cannot sustain the population of the city, since dwarves despise fish and insects. Therefore all food is imported from Dun Alsfell on a regular basis.
Type
City
Population
> 5,000
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Comments