Kharum-Zhal: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:41, 6 April 2025

Kharum-Zhal

Type	Ruined Deep Road Town
Location	Murazkar Range, Deep Road (80 miles from Kar-Thal)
Realm	Terasil
Significance	Collapsed Deep Road settlement; site of unexplained structural catastrophe

Kharum-Zhal is a sealed and abandoned settlement located along the Deep Road between Kar-Thal and Telenkar Hold, approximately 80 miles from the eastern terminus. Once a functioning rest and trade station, it was lost to an unexplained collapse and now remains a restricted zone under active surveillance by Deepwatch Stonewardens.

Geography

The ruin lies in a wide-cut chamber carved into red-veined basalt strata, with collapsed arches and fractured pylons leading into destabilized corridors. The surrounding tunnelwork is warped, partially fused, and in places appears melted. Structural remnants occasionally emit low vibration or disorienting sound pulses. Access is blocked by reinforced seal-plates and a locked barrier gate.

History

Originally founded by the Duranthi as a mining and forging town, Kharum-Zhal grew into the largest waystation between Kar-Thal and Telenkar Hold during the early Deep Road expansions. Its sudden collapse—known in surviving records as the *Zhal Collapse*—devastated the settlement. No official recovery efforts were ever undertaken.

Known Features

Though sealed, several locations within the ruin are documented through maps and surviving witness accounts:

The Forgeworks – Once the industrial center of Kharum-Zhal, now fused and inaccessible.
The Central Spiral – A primary stairwell chamber associated with unknown structural disruptions.
Archive Hollow – A sealed vault rumored to contain records, ledgers, and early Deep Road documents.
Zhal's Gate – The outermost entrance, now permanently sealed with heavy stone.

Cultural Significance

Among Deep Road travelers, Kharum-Zhal remains a cautionary tale. Its name is rarely spoken aloud near active routes, and passing its sealed gate is met with quiet reflection. Deep-trained caravans often pause without comment before continuing past. Some fringe groups believe the site holds unresolved histories or forces that should be confronted—but no formal plans have been sanctioned.

Threats and Dangers

The region surrounding Kharum-Zhal is considered unstable. Known risks include spatial disorientation, memory lapses, echo anomalies, and structural collapse. Unauthorized access is prohibited, and Deepwatch patrols monitor for signs of activity. Occasional tremors and unexplained atmospheric disturbances have been recorded in the area.

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 |Location=[[Murazkar Range]], Deep Road (80 miles from Kar-Thal)
 |Realm=[[Terasil]]
-|Significance=Collapsed Deep Road settlement; site of historical resonance catastrophe
+|Significance=Collapsed Deep Road settlement; site of unexplained structural catastrophe
 |Inhabitants=Abandoned
 |Controlled by=Sealed (monitored by Deepwatch)
 }}
 {{Ruins in the Sanctuary Vale Sections
-|Introduction=Kharum-Zhal is a sealed and abandoned settlement located along the Deep Road between [[Kar-Thal]] and [[Telenkar Hold]], approximately 80 miles from the eastern terminus. Once a thriving rest station, it was lost to an unexplained event and now remains a forbidden zone under active surveillance by the Deep Road Stonewardens.
+|Introduction=Kharum-Zhal is a sealed and abandoned settlement located along the Deep Road between [[Kar-Thal]] and [[Telenkar Hold]], approximately 80 miles from the eastern terminus. Once a functioning rest and trade station, it was lost to an unexplained collapse and now remains a restricted zone under active surveillance by Deepwatch Stonewardens.
-|Geography=The ruin lies in a wide-cut chamber carved into red-veined basalt strata, with collapsed arches and cracked pylons leading to unstable corridors. The surrounding tunnelworks are warped, partially fused, and in some cases appear melted. Stone pillars that once held resonance conduits now hum faintly with intermittent harmonic distortion. Access is blocked by reinforced seal-plates and a tone-locked barrier gate.
+|Geography=The ruin lies in a wide-cut chamber carved into red-veined basalt strata, with collapsed arches and fractured pylons leading into destabilized corridors. The surrounding tunnelwork is warped, partially fused, and in places appears melted. Structural remnants occasionally emit low vibration or disorienting sound pulses. Access is blocked by reinforced seal-plates and a locked barrier gate.
-|History=Founded as a mining and forging town by the Orasians, Kharum-Zhal was the largest settlement between Kar-Thal and Telenkar Hold during the early Deep Road expansions. It fell suddenly and triggered what is referred to in records as the Zhal Collapse. The event destroyed much of the inner hold. No recovery attempts were sanctioned.
+|History=Originally founded by the [[Duranthi]] as a mining and forging town, Kharum-Zhal grew into the largest waystation between Kar-Thal and Telenkar Hold during the early Deep Road expansions. Its sudden collapse—known in surviving records as the *Zhal Collapse*—devastated the settlement. No official recovery efforts were ever undertaken.
-|Known Features=Though sealed, several named structures are known from recovered maps and survivor testimony:
+|Known Features=Though sealed, several locations within the ruin are documented through maps and surviving witness accounts:
-* The Forgeworks– The deepwork chamber where the instability began; now fused and impassable.
+* The Forgeworks – Once the industrial center of Kharum-Zhal, now fused and inaccessible.
-* The Central Spiral – A central stairwell chamber said to still emit fragmentary tones at irregular intervals.
+* The Central Spiral – A primary stairwell chamber associated with unknown structural disruptions.
-* Archive Hollow – A sealed vault rumored to contain lost ledgers and tomes.
+* Archive Hollow – A sealed vault rumored to contain records, ledgers, and early Deep Road documents.
-* Zhal's Gate – The outer entrance now sealed.
+* Zhal's Gate – The outermost entrance, now permanently sealed with heavy stone.
-|Cultural Significance=Among travelers, Kharum-Zhal is a cautionary tale. Its name is not spoken aloud within the Deep Road, and passing its sealed gate requires a ritual moment of silence. Deep-trained caravans ring muted chimes in its memory. Some fringe sects believe the collapse site could be reopened—or cleansed—by rite.
+|Cultural Significance=Among Deep Road travelers, Kharum-Zhal remains a cautionary tale. Its name is rarely spoken aloud near active routes, and passing its sealed gate is met with quiet reflection. Deep-trained caravans often pause without comment before continuing past. Some fringe groups believe the site holds unresolved histories or forces that should be confronted—but no formal plans have been sanctioned.
-|Threats and Dangers=Residual distortions are considered a severe hazard in the area. Known effects include disorientation, false memory loops, material echoing, and harmonic collapse. Unauthorized entry is forbidden. Seismic instability and unexplained resonance anomalies have been observed near the ruin.
+|Threats and Dangers=The region surrounding Kharum-Zhal is considered unstable. Known risks include spatial disorientation, memory lapses, echo anomalies, and structural collapse. Unauthorized access is prohibited, and Deepwatch patrols monitor for signs of activity. Occasional tremors and unexplained atmospheric disturbances have been recorded in the area.
 }}
-[[category:Murazkar Range]]
+[[Category:Murazkar Range]]