Jharkendar
From World of Gothic
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Jharkendar was a huge, ancient city, inhabited by thousands of people, situated in the northeast of what is known today as Khorinis. It existed 1000 years ago, in the same period as the invocation of the Sleeper.
They were servants of the god Adanos.
Also their ancestors had a very important role in their society, the Jharkedians often calling their spirits from the dead, asking for advice.
Unlike today's settlements, the city they've built extended on most of the island, reason for what they have been called "The Builders".
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Geology
Jharkendar is a region which mostly consists of mountains made out of hard rock.
There however is a region which isn't rocky, in the east of Jharkendar, where the swamp which had formed in the past hundred years is located.
Since this swamp is the lowest region in Jharkendar, most likely, all the water that came with the Flood, accumulated there after a while, which in time created the swamp.
The Flood also created enormous abysses, which can be seen today, which managed not to collapse, due to this hard rock.
Jharkedian territory & Region control
Jharkedian borders
But the Jharkedian territory extended much further than just in the northeast of Khorinis.
Their borders went far in the south of the island, in Khorinis and in the Valley of Mines, where other buildings that have the exact same architecture as those found in Jharkendar, can be seen.
In the island of Khorinis, old ruins, that have been covered by the earth, were found by the magicians of the Circle of Water. Other remains of the Jharkedian buildings in Khorinis are the Stone Circles that can be found across the land.
Also, in the Valley of Mines, the temple found in the Swamp Camp, has the very same architecture as the ruins found in Khorinis and in Jharkendar.
Another evidence of the Jharkedians' control over the southern regions of the island, are the so-called Stone Tablets, which are scattered across the island.
Center of power
Though their territory included the southern parts of the Khorinian island as well, the center of power of the Jharkedians was without doubt in Jharkendar.
Proof of this fact are the visibly decreasing number of ruins and Stone Tablets in the south of the island; as, for example, while in Khorinis the number of stone tablets if relatively generous, in the south, in the Valley of Mines, only a few of these Stone Tablets can be found.
Another evidence of the decreasing influence over the southern parts of the island, is the complexity of the buildings. While in Jharkendar the buildings were complex labyrinths full of traps, in the Valley of Mines, the interior of the building that served as a temple in the Swamp Camp, consists only of a main hall and three small chambers, no larger than 3x3 meters.
A reason for this decrease of influence to the south may be the Orcs, which at the time of the invocation of the Sleeper, were in control of most of the Valley of Mines.
Social organization
Jharkendar's power was separated between five different Houses, each with its specific role in the community. Each of this institutions was represented by a specific color, which every House used on the stone tablets they wrote, as a signature.
These institutions were:
- The House of the Warriors - Their specific color is red. During Jharkendar's last moments Quahodron was the leader of this house. They had the duty to protect the city from hostile attacks, and organize the army. This House also served as temple of Adanos.
- The House of the Priests - The last leader of this House was Khardimon. This House was the only one in a position to give the Warriors' Caste a direct order. Their duty was to take care of religion, and of spreading Adanos' word. Blue is the color that represented the priests.
- The House of the Guardians of the Dead - Having almost the same role as the priests (beliefs), the Guardians of the Dead, were establishing connections with the spirits of their ancestors, which played an important role in Jharkedians' life, and ask them for help. Their role in society being similar to that of the priests, the Guardians' House was situated in the vicinity of the House of the Priests. Even the color representing them, is similar to the priests' color, blue. They were represented by the color purple.
- The House of the Scholars - Represented by the color yellow, they were Jharkendar's intellectuals. They made history records, and the like. The Scholars were those that had the final word in the Council of Five.
- The House of the Healers - They were the people that took care of the ill and wounded. Green was the color that represented them.
The person to be chosen as the representative of each of the five castes, also being the leader of the respective House, would also be included in the High Council of the Five.
This Council, consisting from the five leaders of each House, was responsible for taking care of the matters of highest importance within the community. They also had the role to assure the good cooperation between the five Houses.
Culture
Language
Old Jharkedian writing which reads:
And in the beginning
As in the end there was light.
You who are reading these lines
Be aware of the powers
Of darkness on the
Other side of the well.
Follow your wisdom and
The words of the light to
End the horror of the eras.
- The language of the peasants - This is the lowest level of the Jharkedian language. It was the common language of the city of Jharkendar, thus most texts being written in this language. Texts written in the language of the peasants usually are about worldly matters, such as work, love, or obtaining food.
- The language of the warriors - This language is somewhat harder to understand. Most of the texts written using the language of the warriors concern weapons and war.
- The language of the priests - The language of the priests is the highest level of the Jharkedian language. It is characterized by an intellectual and formal way of speaking, this being the reason why it is the hardest to understand. Texts written in this language usually deal with important matters such as history records and magic.
Architecture
In most of the buildings made by the Jharkedians, stone was used as the main material for construction (due to the rocky region).
Most important buildings, like temples, are usually carved into the mountain. These important buildings have their entrance at the end of a large outside staircase. Also these buildings have columns, at the front (and only) entrance.
Common buildings don't have any characteristics in particular, except the fact that their roof is flat, unlike today's roofs which are cone-shaped.
Symbolism & Art style
Jharkedians used to paint the inside walls of their temples, and institutions.
An interesting painting that can be seen on the inside walls of temples is a huge image representing a raven.
But the raven was only represented just on the walls of temples. Jharkedians' war armor also represents this creature, which Jharkedians most probably considered to be divine.
While the interiors of most buildings are painted, on their exterior, the Builders were making small embossed sculptures, probably representing different events in their history.
History
The capturing of the Claw of Beliar
The Jharkedian people existed 1000 years ago, in the same period as the invocation of the Sleeper.
The earliest records that were found tell about a great battle, fought by Quahodron, the leader of the House of the Warriors, outside the city walls, which ended with the victory of the Jharkedians.
During this battle, Quahodron, had captured the artifact Beliar's Claw from the enemy.
The ancient weapon was brought inside the city walls.
Rhademes' rise to power
When Quahodron's age made it impossible for him to lead the Jharkedian army, the Priests insisted on their right of command over him and instructed him to resign his office of the House of the Warriors and to pass on the sword. The Council of the Five was to determine his successor. But the House of the Warriors denied the Council a choice – they no longer submitted to the Council of the Five and elected Quahodron's son, Rhademes, as their new leader. Out of pride and confidence in his own flesh and blood, Quahodron decided to give in to them. He delivered the sword to his son with the hope that he would wield it with the same strong hand that he had himself.
The decay of the civilization
But Rhademes was weak and the will of the sword overcame him and made him its tool. The sword quickly recognized that the people were too weak to thwart its plans. Even the Healers couldn't alleviate the suffering and atrocities that were brought upon Jharkedians. The entire city became a huge battlefield.
Only the power of the ancestors could still withstand the power of the sword. And so it had Rhademes banish or execute all of the Guardians of the Dead, thus shattering all hope of release from this evil. So no Guardian of the Dead was left when the remaining four disempowered leaders made the decision to surrender Jharkendar.
The Council's last attempt to save Jharkendar
In the House of the Scholars, Quahodron, the high priest Khardimon and the representative of the Scholars in the High Council of the Five discussed about defeating Rhademes and the sword. Quahodron and Khardimon believed that Rhademes can be defeated in a battle with united strength but the high Scholar knew the power of the sword too well to believe that would be possible. So he made use of his right to veto the decision of others and decided to overcome Rhademes with a ruse. Quahodron obeyed the decision of the Council. He proceeded to the temple of Adanos and set for his son. Rhademes in his blindness couldn't recognize their plan, so he rushed to the temple and stormed it in a wild frenzy to execute his father who closed the holy chamber of the temple behind him and Rhademes was trapped inside forever. Each of the last three representatives in the council also build a trap, so that the sword would never see the light of the day. Khardimon and Quahodron also sealed the outer gates and neither of them survived the process.
The Great Flood
Rhademes was now imprisoned, but the power of the sword remained unbroken. Its influence had become too great and killing in the streets didn't stop. So the wrath of Adanos ended everything. The sea raised itself over Jharkendar and flooded the whole city. Only temples and structures in higher places were left almost untouched. Few who survived the catastrophe no longer had the strength to rebuild the city. The House of the Warriors was destroyed by the wrath of Adanos.
Sealing the portal
In one last attempt to defend the rest of the rest of the island from Adanos' wrath, the Healers closed the portal.
The Priests raised hopes and preached of the rebirth of once magnificent city but the Scholars knew that Jharkendar fell and faded in the river of time.
The Pirates & the Bandits
Approximatively 1000 years later, a group of pirates led by Captain Greg find the forgotten city, and accost on its western shore, establishing their camp in that location.
Later on the pirates bring the former convicts of the Mining Colony of Khorinis to Jhrakendar, where they (the convicts), under the command of Raven, also built a camp in the western area of Jharkendar, in the swamp, that became known as the Bandit Camp.
The pirates and the bandits soon established a trade agreement in which the pirates had to capture people from Khorinis and sell them as slaves for the gold the bandits were mining out of the mine they found in their camp.
The Reopening of the portal
Meanwhile, a group of Water Mages started digging up the old temple ruin which is to be found in today's Khorinis, in which the forgotten Jharkedians have hidden the aforementioned portal to their ancient city.
Being able to learn the old language, the Water Mages, with the help of the hero and the members of the Ring of Water managed to open the portal to the old city of Jharkendar.
<To be finished>