Telenkar Hold
| Telenkar Hold | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Mountain Customs Outpost |
| Location | Central Murazkar Range |
| Realm | Terasil |
| Inhabitants | Orasian |
| Controlled by | Council of Stone |
| Significance | Primary junction on the Kar-DuL Deep Road and site of the Skybreak Road to Vaelthar |
Telenkar Hold is a fortified above-ground outpost situated in the central heights of the Murazkar Range. Positioned at the midpoint of the deeproad route between Kar-Thal and Dul-Val, it also marks the terminus of the high-altitude path from Vaelthar, known as the Skybroken Trail. The hold functions as a customs checkpoint, supply depot, and neutral meeting ground for surface travelers crossing in from Vaelthar.
Geography
Built atop a stone shelf overlooking deep chasms, Telenkar Hold is surrounded by sheer cliffs, unstable switchbacks, and mist-wreathed escarpments. The Skybroken Trail from Vaelthar approaches from the south via a narrow series of weather-scoured ridges and stone bridges, considered passable only by trained caravanners or with escort. The hold itself is ringed by a double curtain wall of obsidian-flecked stone and supported by cistern-fed terraces and elevated storage vaults.
History
Telenkar Hold was originally a Orasian border bastion repurposed and expanded under treaty with the Torinok of Vaelthar, following the stabilization of the Skybroken Trail. Its customs function emerged from the need to control trade, refugees, and illicit items traveling across the range.
Functions and Features
- Customs Gatehouse – The heart of Telenkar’s administrative role. Travelers are processed through this reinforced stone chamber, where registrars record entries, inspect goods, and enforce passage codes.
- Ledger Hall – A vault-like archive where harmonic resonance signatures and traveler tones are stored.
- Watch Spires – Twin observation towers built into the cliff above the Skybroken Trail. Used for early detection of weather shifts, signal fires, and potential contraband movements.
- Neutral Stone Altar – A flat, unmarked stone in the center of the outpost where diplomatic meetings, caravan oaths, and compact renewals are ritually observed.
Culture and Ritual
Telenkar is highly pragmatic and law-bound, with a culture of enforced neutrality and rotational governance. Speech here is deliberate and records are meticulously kept. Most residents are not permanent, and the hold is considered a place of passage and protocol, not belonging. Travelers are expected to observe local code..
Defenses and Watch
As a keystone checkpoint, Telenkar is heavily fortified and militarily efficient. The Stonewardens maintain a permanent garrison, and Torinok observers and registry liaisons also keep a watch on things. In the event of breach, the hold can be sealed on three sides within moments.
Threats and Dangers
Primary dangers are environmental: rockslides, icefall, sudden fog veils, and vertical tremors from the Murazkar spine. The Skybroken Trail is prone to disorientation and collapse in storm seasons. Smuggling, resonance leakage, and tone drift from unregistered passers remain monitored risks.