Thollgûnd

"'The land is of cold stone; arid and dry, dark and desolate, bare as bone. An ancient evil stirs beneath that accursed mountain's searing magma... it is always thinking. The minds of mortal beings are feeble and yielding, do not stray close to it.' - Ogmund the Scribe"Thollgûnd was a town within the borders of former Sodalis and Tortuga under the Bacchanalian Commonwealth of Roðinnbrók, located in the North-East of Eldham. Rendered a desolate, rocky wasteland from volcanic activity, Thollgûnd was a land of hardship and strife. The poisonous smoke ceaselessly billowing from both the volcanic fissures and the forge's immense chimneys ensured that not even the air is free from filth and grime.

The name "Thollgûnd", literally meaning "Deepslate" comes from the ancient Gholothic language. Practiced for a time by the most devout Heralds of the Gholothic Sect, it has now passed out of all knowledge; nearly all written texts of this language were lost during the Thollgûndi Desolation, with the few remaining unable to be properly translated.

After the collapse of the Gholothic Sect, control of the land was passed onto new Rodinnian settlers arriving in the area. Taking up residence beneath the looming shadows of Ghûrbad's ruins and the dormant volcano, these new settlers would become accustomed to Thollgûnd's innate inhospitality as nature slowly began to seep back into the Smoldering Wastes.

Culture
Founded upon an obsessive religious devotion by its deranged inhabitants, Thollgûnd's structure could be interpreted as an Authoritarian Theocracy, wherein the church reigned supreme over all matters. As such, those directly involved within the Gholothic Sect held much more sway than others. Thollgûnd's chain of command was as follows:

Sect Hierarchy

 * The Black Captain - Holds direct rule over Thollgûnd. Title was held by Haugrum the Unhallowed. (Dung_Eater)
 * The Arch-Herald - Highest possible rank within the Gholothic Sect, the chosen to receive commandments unto their conscience from the Lord of Limbs. This position oversees and directs all religious, lore and diplomatic issues. Title was held by Ailmar the Blind Omen. (Sgt_Dankster)
 * Heralds - Heralds of the Gholothic Sect, trusted with knowledge and dark magics brought forth from the volcanic depths.

Servant Hierarchy

 * Warchiefs - Hand-picked servants that reside in the many forts scattered around Thollgûnd, expected to defend Thollgûnd from roaming bandits. Notable warchiefs included Darkazorin, Smiley, and TheGamerDanro.
 * Servants - The citizens of Thollgûnd, in service of the Mountain.

Religion
Manuscripts of Elder Days

History
Thollgûnd had began as a mere mining operation in 102 SMP. An expedition party formed by a group of Rodinnians coming from all corners of the nation hoped to unearth whatever valuable minerals laid beneath the land's dense volcanic rock. Each member of said group had ventured to Thollgûnd of their own accord, pursuing their respective fantasies of wealth and fame. However, there was one who travelled with them who did not share these trivial goals; Ailmar of Rohkia had ventured to the Smoldering Wastes at the behest of a divine power, that of Gholoth the Great. The ancient deity had whispered sweet nothings into Ailmar's mind from afar and lured him towards the god's corporeal form, buried deep below the Thollgûndi volcano. Ailmar would sow the seeds to Gholoth's pantheon, becoming increasingly obsessed with serving his master however he could. Sprinklings of madness had befallen the mining expedition, and just a few weeks after they had arrived they had all perished, whether by accident or a result of daggers drawn.

Thollgûndi Desolation
The inevitable end of the Gholothic Sect had crept along after it for decades, eventually culminating in rapid population decline and total societal collapse. As the power of their patron deity waned, so too did its influence over the minds of its followers. Thollgundis deserted in droves; their ilk who remained perished over time as a result of famine, infighting, and volcanic hazards.