A Delving Into the Fall of High Kulkund

[KreShar]

A Delving Into the Fall of High Kulkund
Volume I

Azaghal Gemspell, Scholar and Student Librarian of the Sandstone College
IY 7788

I delve into the depths of history, seeking the essence behind the fall of the Dwarven Kingdom of High Kulkund. Once a facet of Greater Kulkund, a realm harmoniously divided into sibling kingdoms, High Kulkund and Deep Kulkund, this tale unfolds centuries ago during a period the Dwarves now call The Feuding, when the siblings clashed in a time of war.

To unearth the roots of this strife, one must cast their gaze beyond the annals of Kulkund to the broader history of the Great Ring. The epoch of Kulkund's division coincided with the "Centuries of Thirst," a turbulent period for the Caliphate and the Great Ring. The Caliphs, pressed by mounting tribulations, heightened tribute demands on their satraps, including the realm of Kulkund.

In meeting these escalating demands, The High-Queen Ygrotte II exploited High Kulkund's control over the Sundered Gates of Mount Kulkund, a crucial passageway where all external trade traversed. A shadow of avarice seemed to weave itself into the hearts of High Kulkund, leading to the imposition of oppressive tariffs on goods moving to and from Deep Kulkund, relegating them to the depths of poverty. The riches amassed in the High Kulkund vaults blossomed at Deep Kulkund's expense.

Desperation drove the Deep King to breach a grave cultural taboo and seek aid from High Kulkund. Yet, this plea met with a cold rebuff, echoing through the stone halls and forever splintering the kinship between the realms.

What prompted us to perceive our Deep Brethren as lesser beings? Was it their proximity to the umbral horrors or a misguided belief in our superior knowledge and artisanship? Did we reduce them to mere miners and menial laborers? A blend of false superiority and external pressures pushed Deep Kulkund to breed contempt and wage war...