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Kon Belben
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Chapter	Three
Region	Gellion's Cross
Years Active
Government	Ceannardship
Leader	Kell Kalastra
Status

A small Outpost was established in Gellion's Cross, a short trip from the borders of Bormar Bormar. Due to the discovery of an ancient document by Lord Tolbar Maldus that hinted at an ancient Dwarven presence in the area, an expedition was launched to settle the land and unravel its mysteries.

Kon Belben was established on the Northeastern coastline of Gellion's Cross. It was founded upon a collection of stone ruins built by unknown hands.

Appearance

In its earliest iteration, the Outpost was nothing more than small hovels built in an ancient ruin. Some foundations of the old buildings were used for new ones, while others were dismantled and replaced with more solid structures. A crumbling wall surrounded the ruins, providing some protection for its growing population of Dwarves. Eventually, they began expanding outwards, particularly towards the coastal cliffs.

Later on, the Outpost would be refurbished, including a new wall and a realignment of its four entrances. There were two distinct areas of Kon Belben: the Inner Outpost, and the Outer Outpost. The Inner Outpost was everything built upon the original ancient ruins. This section was walled and was the beating heart of the Outpost. The Outer Outpost included everything outside of the walls having just as many homes, businesses, and structures as within.

Government and Politics

Early Days

For many weeks since its founding Kon Belben had no government whatsoever. This changed when a fight broke out in the Outpost resulting in the death of the Apothecary Roslyn Vidluf at the hands of Ankoth Reknor, a Dwarf-At-Arms. Calls for justice were heard through the Outpost, but due to there being no laws to judge Ankoth, it was decided that a government must be organized first.

After a long and tiring cycle of elections, Thorgrin Metalfist was elected as Kon Belben's first leader, holding the title and powers of the position known as the Ceannard.

Thorgrin Metalfists's Ceannardship

Having taken leadership at the very beginning of the Outpost's founding, there was not much Kadol was able to concretely establish in law or deed. He aided the local smiths in setting up a Guild and began discussions with Khestor Thidirlun to form an Outpost molir for protection and law enforcement. With the Outpost developing quickly, Kadol stepped down from his position, no longer believing that he was the right dwarf to lead.

The Lower Chamber under Overseer Ubbul

Industrial Matters - Lokro Surjah

Religious Pursuits - Sigmarr Thoruva

Runner-Up - Ogrona Frontik

Kell Kalastra's Overseership

Overseer Frontik took the reins of outpost leadership straight after Kadol’s resignation, having put herself forward for the purpose in an Outpost meeting. From the beginning, it was agreed that this was only a temporary government in place only until an election could be organized.

While there was some debate over Ogrona’s intentions, a new election was indeed held several weeks later, with the only candidates being Ogrona Frontik and Khestor Thidirlun. The election closed with Khestor securing a landslide majority.

Notable Policies

The Public Contributions Act - Introducing a form of taxation into the Outpost, planned to be used to pay for the Outpost's Molir, as well as public infrastructure projects and festivals.

Freedom of Information Act - Allowing citizens to gain access to any non-classified government document by requesting it from the Public Affairs Office.

The Official Guilds Act - Incentivising guilds to work together and with the government through a number of means.

Controversies

Early into his Governorship, Khestor was approached by Grabhol Faulkrunn, a local Jeweller, who offered an opportunity for Khestor to join him in running a criminal enterprise in the Outpost. Khestor believed that this would allow him to keep an eye on the Outpost's underworld while also allowing him to profit off of it. Eventually, this partnership fell through after the murder of the mad dwarf Yorbear Greenfoot by Grabhol and Khestor. Khestor ended the agreement, which led to Grabhol started a quasi-guild with likeminded Dwarves, which he named the Umbral Hand. Its membership included Grinamor Yelsik and Har Bohn.

The guild quickly became an anti-Khestor faction which was advocating for a new election and an overhall of Zietal Mar's political system. Commanded by Khestor, the Outpost's molir raided the Umbral Hand's headquarters but never found evidence of criminal activity or a planned insurrection. Grabhol was killed by Grol soon after, and the Umbral Hand disbanded with his death. Unfortunately for Khestor, Grabhol left several diaries behind which detailed the history of their agreement. He used his relationships in the Outpost to have the diaries decreed as nothing more than slanderous lies, which soon became the accepted belief. With that, Grabhol Faulkrunn and the Umbral Hand became little more than a memory, and Governor Khestor's political dominance of Zietal Mar was assured.

Economy

The economy of Zietal Mar was quite varied. The nature of the outpost's isolation left them with little connection to Bormar's extensive trade networks. As a result, the Outpost was entirely self-sufficient, and a great variety of goods could be found in its walls.

Religion

Kon Belben was home to Cleric Dogor, a follower of the Church of All who brought his beliefs to the Outpost. In the Outpost's earliest days Cleric Dogor established a modest church in which he housed and fed many of Kon Belben's Dwarves for no cost at all. No one god was worshiped above any other in Kon Belben, with each and every god worshiped equally, and that was most likely due to Cleric Dogor.

Notable Locations

Fort Thidir

Fort Thidir was the stronghold of Zietal Mar, located in the area known as the "Upper Holding". The fort was designed to act as a final line of defense for the Outpost and is a central hub of its government. Its initial construction was commissioned by Marshal Khestor and designed by Sigmarr Thoruva, who was designated its Chief Architect. Despite never being completed, Fort Thidir saw repeated use by the Outpost in the dangers that it faced, including the final assault of the Grol and the last stand of Zietal Mar.

Fort Thidir had the following features:

"The Tube", a one-hundred-meter spiraling staircase.
The Government Wing, a corridor for the offices of the Zietal Mar Government.
The Bunker, complete with security systems and escape routing.
The 'Anvil Gate' Portcullis - a final door able to be formed out of fallen anvils.
The 'Airlock' doors to verify the identity of those wishing to enter, and to trap those unwelcome.
External Lava pools to push attackers into.
Pathway flooding to slow the progression of attackers.

The Outpost Public Library

While not the most glorious building in Zietal Mar, the Outpost Public Library held the vast majority of the writings of its resident Dwarves. While not unexpected at an Outpost of this size, the one in Zietal Mar was particularly populated due to its well-written populace. The Outpost Public Library was managed by Ogrona Frontik, and its catalog contains tomes such as:

Timeline

The first settlers arrive.
A perimeter is established, along with a mine.
The Grol are discovered living in the Red Hills.
The Outpost is ravaged by two thieves, who are immediately executed.
The dangers of Forest Trolls are discovered, with the death of Urrin.
The Outpost upgrades from tents to proper houses.
The Public Servant, the first Outpost publication, is written and distributed by Ortho Berukahs.
Moddoh Surjah establishes the first Bank, with its coinage starting to be established.
Ortho Berukahs is driven from Zietal Mar and flees back to Bormar.
Kadol Ubbul is elected as the first Overseer.
The Outpost is officially named: Zietal Mar, roughly translated in Old Dwarven as the "New Mar Mountains".
Zietal Mar's Molir is established with Khestor Thidirlun as its Marshal.
A mighty storm rolls in, signaling bad weather for weeks.
A plague of Swamphoppers descends on the island.
The Dwarves trek to the swamp, to put an end to the Bog Kings and the plague of frogs.
Lokro Surjah, Grandin Thorsbane, and Bram Tuthil contract the Black Quiver disease.
The disease spreads to a handful of other Dwarves, and an effort begins for the purpose of finding a cure.
Librarian Ogrona Frontik scours the island and unearths musty journals with clues to a cure.
The Dwarves delve into a magma spout to obtain an ingredient for the cure.
The Black Quiver disease is eradicated within Zietal Mar.
Khestor is voted in as Overseer.
Fort Thidir begins construction.
The Umbral Hand Guild begins to gain more power to itself.
An Amanita Colossi is discovered and swiftly dispatched after an attack by mushroom-infected Jerl Bulls.
Ogrona Frontik and Ilzar Goldspit marry.
The various ruined journals and tattered pages found around the island are finally pieced together.
The dark history of the island is discovered.
Lord Voman Stoutheart is declared an enemy of the Outpost, by Khestor.
Zietal Mar begins its fortifications.
The chamber containing the All-Gem is found.
The chamber is opened after an encounter with the Grol and the All-Gem is recovered.
A lengthy vote on what to do with the All-Gem begins.
The Dwarves vote to destroy the All-Gem and flee the island on The Cuckoo.
A fleet of ships is spotted approaching from the east.
The Dwarves board The Cuckoo and abandon Zietal Mar.
Alekan Indrothath elects to stay behind, joining Kogan Gemesh.
The Fate Of Zietal Mar.

Notable Residents

A detailed census was kept by the government of the Outpost, in order to keep track of alive, missing, or deceased Dwarves.

Gallery

A map of the Outpost.
Zietal Mar in its infancy.
The Alchemist's Guild.
The Church of Zietal Mar.
The library.
Oldenkurn's Tavern.

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 In its earliest iteration, the Outpost was nothing more than small hovels built in an ancient ruin. Some foundations of the old buildings were used for new ones, while others were dismantled and replaced with more solid structures. A crumbling wall surrounded the ruins, providing some protection for its growing population of '''[[Dwarves]]'''. Eventually, they began expanding outwards, particularly towards the coastal cliffs.
-Later on, the Outpost would be refurbished, including a new wall and a realignment of its four entrances. There were two distinct areas of Kon Belben: the Inner Outpost, and the Outer Outpost. The Inner Outpost was everything built upon the original ancient ruins. This section was walled and was the beating heart of the Outpost. The Outer Outpost was everything outside of the walls and included just as many homes, businesses, and structures as within.
+Later on, the Outpost would be refurbished, including a new wall and a realignment of its four entrances. There were two distinct areas of Kon Belben: the Inner Outpost, and the Outer Outpost. The Inner Outpost was everything built upon the original ancient ruins. This section was walled and was the beating heart of the Outpost. The Outer Outpost included everything outside of the walls having just as many homes, businesses, and structures as within.
 == Government and Politics ==
 === Early Days ===
+For many weeks since its founding Kon Belben had no government whatsoever. This changed when a fight broke out in the Outpost resulting in the death of the Apothecary Roslyn Vidluf at the hands of Ankoth Reknor, a Dwarf-At-Arms. Calls for justice were heard through the Outpost, but due to there being no laws to judge Ankoth, it was decided that a government must be organized first.
-In the first few weeks of the Outpost's existence, where most living spaces were still tents, Zietal Mar lacked any government, leader figure, or law enforcement. Over time it was deemed that a leader should be elected, with Zietal Mar’s lone priest Sigmarr Thoruva initiating the proceedings. The election resulted in the declaration of Kadol Ubbul, to the position of Overseer.
+After a long and tiring cycle of elections, Thorgrin Metalfist was elected as Kon Belben's first leader, holding the title and powers of the position known as the Ceannard.
-The Overseer would be supported by a Lower Chamber made up of a leader of the Outpost’s industrial matters, and religious pursuits, and a third position by the election’s runner-up to act as a check on the Overseer’s power.
 ----
 === Thorgrin Metalfists's Ceannardship ===