Map 28 : Khagramor (Deadshade's Land)

[Deadshade]

In the days long past when the world was young and the Great Dragons still roamed the purple skies, a dwarven tribe elected the Edge of the World as their home.
The wasted country dominated by craggy mountains and a large desert in the south was far from everything and everybody.
Hence the Dwarves called it Khagramor which in their language means Edge of the World.
Delving deep under the massive western ranges of Rakul-Zigil which means the Silver-Light and is derived from the huge northern glaciers, the Dwarves prospered under the enlightened leadership of Hartwakil who became the First King of the Deep.

Soon young and strong Dwarves lead by Zaranulbroin, the son of Hartwakil, started an expedition to explore the uncharted eastern regions.
This expedition entered legends as Karmun-Nadorin Murgundil which can not be translated but has an approximate meaning of "We shall shave your beards with our axes.".
An epic carving in the Chamber of the Shining Axes survived the uncounted centuries to celebrate the arrival of Zaranulbroin to the eastern savage rabble who were destroyed at the battle of the Pointy Ears.
A transcription of this carving can be seen here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVcXUdxf13o

After this battle, Khagramor was separated in two kingdoms which endured untill the present days – the High Dwarven kingdom in the west named Hartwak in remembrance of the First King of the Deep and the Low Dwarven kingdom in the east named Murgundil after the Zaranulbroin's legendary expedition.

The dwarves still live far from everything and everybody and their fabled halls, forges, statues and palaces are carven out of the living rock deep under the mountains.
They generally keep to themselves and venture seldom outside of their kingdoms however several wanabee invaders had to learn the hard way that it is not a good idea to mess with Zaranulbroin's descendants.

There is perhaps one exception.
Real history or a legend lost in the mists of the past ? Nobody knows.
But a story is told about a dwarven family which moved to a hut on the shore of the southern desert where the mighty river Fangalath throws its muddy waters into the southern sea.
(Note of the translator : What a dwarf is calling "a hut" is for most people an averagely sized and intricately ornemented marble and granit castle)
Barkadal, what was the name of the dwarf, learned to fish and established a prosperous fish trade with the nearby Dwarven underground city.

One night when the winter storms roared in from the south, he found 2 strange creatures thrown on the shore by the waves.
Barkadal first considered to slash them up in little pieces because he was lacking fish bait but the creatures wept and with many gestures displayed goodwill and friendliness.
So he took them to his hut, fed them, warmed them and taught them the Dwarven language.
Thus he learned that they called themselves Hobbits and hailed from a land south of Khagramor.
When the spring came and with it the gentle trade winds, Barkadal set sail southwards with the 2 Hobbits on board.
Upon arrival there has been much rejoicing and feasting for the Hobbits thought their friends lost and long dead.

When it was time for Barkadal to return home, he loaded several barrels of a strange weed that the Hobbits grew and liked to burn in hollow devices and Barkadal came to like it too.
This weed became fast a success among others dwarves as it was a great complement to quaffing stout ale and since these days, regular relations started between the 2 countries during the trade wind season.
The Dwarves were bringing precious stones and jewels and rare metals to the Hobbits and sailing home with the holds full of weed.
That would be the reason why the Hobbits always called their dwarven northern neighbours "Our preciousss.".
Or so the legend says.