Kar-Durath, known as the High Anvil, is the beating heart of the High Kingdom of Kharduun and the seat of the High King @High King Borgrum Brutskhurr. It is a city not merely built, but forged—hammered into stone, fire, and oath. All major declarations of unity, war, and trade within Kharduun are sanctified here, their terms carved into stone tablets and sealed beneath mountain law.
Kar-Durath serves as the administrative, spiritual, and cultural core of the High Kingdom. Its laws are ancient, unyielding, and preserved by generations of lore-keepers whose duty is to remember every oath ever sworn beneath the mountain. These laws are enforced by the Spire Guards, the elite guards of the High King.
Kar-Durath is nestled within a high-altitude mountain basin, completely encircled by jagged, snow-dusted peaks. At its heart rises the Anvilspire, a sheer gray mountain face into which the High Anvil Fortress is built.
From the fortress gate flows a titanic lava trench—a controlled magma channel cut directly through the city. This molten chasm divides Kar-Durath into its eastern and western halves and serves both as defense and as sacred symbol: the living fire of Kharduun.
Two monumental stone bridges, the Hammerbridge and the Tongsbridge, span the trench, each warded and constantly guarded.
The Hammerbridge: The primary bridge across the lava trench, wide enough for marching armies. It is the site of victory parades, oaths of fealty, and public judgments. During declarations of war, banners are unfurled from its arches directly above the molten flow.
Kar-Durath is ruled by the High King, but governance is shared with councils of forge-masters, clan representatives, and lore-keepers. Decisions are slow, deliberate, and binding once made.
Honor, endurance, and remembrance define the city’s culture. To forget an oath is shameful; to break one is unthinkable.
Kar-Durath is among the most defensible cities in Colldria. The lava trench, mountain walls, and internal choke-points make direct assault nearly impossible. When the High Anvil calls, mountain holds across Kharduun hold oaths that must be answered.
High Anvil Fortress is a colossal gray-stone citadel built directly into the Anvilspire’s base. Crenellated walls, towering bastions, and rune-carved watchtowers dominate the skyline. Purple and red banners—colors of unity and sacrifice—hang from every parapet.
The grand arched gate of the fortress is never used for entry. Instead, it serves as the ceremonial exit for molten lava during sacred forge-rites and times of war. Entry into the fortress is achieved through side gates, lifts, and deep tunnel-ways known only to Kharduun’s sworn.
Within the fortress lie the High King’s Seat, the Oath-Forges, and the Deep Archives of Stone.