Khaldunheim

Khaldunheim was founded during the March of Mortals, a period of time some millennia ago in which man and its humanoid cousins alone dominated the land. Legend has it that every brick used to construct what is now known as the Crown of Stones—the bastion residing at the heart of the city—was hand-placed by a man known as Torran the Grim to counter the influence of other warlords in the region. One such warlord, the infamous Black Naru, attempted to overthrow Torran out of jealousy. The city was nearly razed to the ground, but was saved after Torran undertook a ritual blacker in nature than Naru's reputation—which was dark indeed—in the central garden of his bastion. It is thought that the old king rebuked his own humanity to save his people, giving him the strength to slaughter Naru and his warband.

Because of his sacrifice, it was thought that Torran was no longer among the living after the battle. His people mourned his passing, believing that that would never find security like what was provided under him. This is how it was for years, and a new regent was chosen to fill the royal void. This is how it was, until a rumor that one of his former personal aides found him face down in the bastion's garden, in that central circle of stones. Legend has it that the old king was ashamed of his disappearance and could never face his people again, opting to remain in the shadowed halls of the Crown of Stones. When pressed about such rumors, subsequent monarchs are known to deflect and claim that they are the supreme law of the land, and that they are no one's puppet... but the legend never truly died.