Kharum-Zhal
| Kharum-Zhal | |
|---|---|
| Type | Ruined Deep Road Town |
| Location | Murazkar Range, Deep Road (80 miles from Kar-Thal) |
| Realm | Formerly Kar-Thal |
| Significance | Collapsed Deep Road settlement; site of historical resonance 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 thriving rest station and deepforge commune, it was lost to an unexplained event and now remains a forbidden zone under active surveillance by the 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.
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 and permanently altered the harmonic balance of nearby tunnels. No recovery attempts were sanctioned.
Known Features
Though sealed, several named structures are known from recovered maps and survivor testimony:
- Zhal Forgevault – The deepwork chamber where the instability began; now fused and impassable.
- The Spiral Echo – A central stairwell chamber said to still emit fragmentary tones at irregular intervals.
- Archive Hollow – A sealed vault rumored to contain the lost ledger of the deepbinders.
- Stonebreach Gate – The outer entrance now sealed by the Deepwatch Compact with six harmonic wards.
Cultural Significance
Among Kar-Thali deep-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 is still alive in tone and could be reawakened—or cleansed—by rite.
Threats and Dangers
Residual tone distortion is considered a severe hazard in the area. Known effects include disorientation, false memory loops, material echoing, and harmonic collapse. Unauthorized entry is forbidden under Compact law. Seismic instability and unexplained resonance anomalies have been observed near the ruin during high echo cycles.