Telenkar Hold
| Telenkar Hold | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Mountain Customs Outpost |
| Location | Central Murazkar Range |
| Realm | Terasil |
| Inhabitants | Orasians |
| Controlled by | Council of Stone |
| Significance | Primary junction on the Deep Road and site of the Vaelthar Sur |
Telenkar Hold is a fortified above-ground outpost situated in the central heights of the Murazkar Range. Positioned at the midpoint of the treacherous overland 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 the Murazkar spine.
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 north 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 Vaelthar, following the stabilization of the Skybroken Trail. Its customs function emerged from the need to control trade, refugees, and illicit resonance items traveling overland across the range. The outpost was placed under joint stewardship through the Deepwatch Compact, which maintains neutrality while enforcing shared regulations.
Functions and Features
- Customs Gatehouse – The heart of Telenkar’s administrative role. Travelers are processed through this reinforced stone chamber, where registrars and tonekeepers record entries, inspect goods, and enforce passage codes.
- Echo Ledger Hall – A vault-like archive where harmonic resonance signatures and traveler tones are stored. Known for its acoustic insulation and strict silence enforcement.
- Skywatch 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.
- Harmonic Screen – A ritual filtration chamber installed between the Gate Quarter and the Windyard. All goods and persons must pass through to check for unstable or illegal resonance fields.
- Neutral Stone Altar – A flat, unmarked stone in the center of the Windyard where diplomatic meetings, caravan oaths, and compact renewals are ritually observed. Maintained by the Deepwatch without symbols of any realm.
- Spillfold Barricades – Emergency drop-walls embedded into the pass-side slope, used to seal the road during attacks or resonance breaches. Can be triggered from within the Bastion Wall command node.
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 codes, including silence during tonal checks and full declaration of carried harmonics or deepbound objects.
Defenses and Watch
As a keystone checkpoint, Telenkar is heavily warded and militarily efficient. The Deepwatch Compact maintains its own garrison, and both Kar-Thal and Vaelthar post observers and registry liaisons. In the event of breach, the hold can be sealed on three sides within moments. Harmonic wards monitor for spiritual or resonance contraband.
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.