Ovdal Tûngr is a dwarven hold in Bahar built into the Gulangor Mountains facing the Sea of Echoes. It is the only naval hold, with the hold itself built into a cavern opening out to the sea.
History[]
Pre-Reclamation[]
Not much is known about the hold's history and foundation, and what was recorded was seemingly lost during the fall. In 6300 BA, a war between the Precursor Empire and Aul-Dwarov began which included a brutal offensive by the Precursors against the Dwarves. Ovdal Tûngr was blockaded and encircled in a siege and by 6276 BA, the Precursors managed to sabotage the hold by causing a large underwater explosion near the hold, flooding its mines and later allowing the precursors to annihilate its defenders and as described in old Shazstundihri records, they took the dwarven archives as war trophies.
Reclamation under Iraskar the Benevolent[]
In the late 22nd century BA, the God-King Irsakar the Benvolent rediscovered the hold after surveying his realm. He promptly invited any and all dwarves to resettle the hold freely in exchange for their services. This attracted many dwarves, especially those exiled from their homes, to settle Ovdal Tûngr. The following influx of settlers quickly led to the rediscovery of the hold's vast naval capabilities. With their increased manpower, the dwarven settlers went on to honor the work of their forebears by restoring the ancient drydocks.
With a restored Ovdal Tûngr under his control, Iraskar soon dominated the ancient seas of the Divenhal.
Age of Antiquity[]
War of the Sorcerer-King and the Jaherian Blockade[]
By the time of The Landing, Ovdal Tûngr had regained much of its power, and dominated its surroundings through both direct and indirect means. Its merchants had grown powerful off of maritime trade and had countless prominent debtors across Halann. Such figures included wealthy lords and merchants of Bulwar, and even some gnolls.
When Jaher expelled the gnolls and unified Bulwar under the Phoenix Empire, he also began the systematic removal of dwarven influence from his realm. He banished dwarven merchants, confiscated their wares, and seized their shops. More importantly, he cleared all bulwari debts, including their massive debt to Ovdal Tûngr. This would only be the beginning of the hold's downturn in fortune.
Eventually, Ovdal Tûngr was exposed for making deals with Black Castanor, and in 1010, Jaher conquered their external provinces and blockaded the hold, effectively cutting it off from the outside world.
This blockade, known as the Copper Enclosure, lasted for countless generations, only ending upon the death of Jexis, Jaher's heir, in 1162. To this day, Tûngric dwarves put the blame for the infamous blockade on elven hatred. However, contemporary historians actually attribute the blockade's continuation to Ovdal Tûngr's rival holds, such as Seghdihr, who offered the sun elves lucrative trade deals to maintain the blockade. A fortuitous agreement, as it resulted in the world relying on them for dwarven craft and services in Ovdal Tûngr's absence.