The Shadow of Nalgrith

In 4300 BGW, while excavating deeper into the Nak-Tharud Caves beneath Kharak-Dur, dwarven miners uncovered a vast and hidden chasm thought to be untouched since the early days of the mountain. As their hammers rang against the stone, they awakened something long thought to be legend—Nalgrith the Hungerer, a colossal serpent believed to have slumbered since the forging of the world.

The elders whispered of Nalgrith, recounting old stories that claimed Dumathar himself spoke of the creature:
"Nalgrith, who lit the heart of the earth with flame, coils beneath stone and waits for the day the hammer stirs his slumber."

Nalgrith, driven by hunger and rage, rose from the shadows of Nak-Tharud and devoured entire mining parties, leaving nothing but empty tunnels in his wake. The serpent’s black scales shimmered faintly with the glow of molten veins that twisted beneath his skin, and his very presence caused torchlight to falter.

The Call to Arms

News of Nalgrith’s awakening spread swiftly to Dumatharun. The Forgefathers convened in the Hall of Embers, and it was decreed that Nalgrith’s return could not be left unanswered. If left unchecked, the serpent’s hunger could consume more than the mines—it could collapse entire halls and sever the Gilded Paths connecting the dwarven clans.

In 4298 BGW, during the Festival of Forge Song, the forges of Thrangrim burned brighter than ever. Over seven days and nights, the finest smiths of Dumatharun crafted the Spear of Nalgrith’s Doom from a single shard of Drakthorite unearthed near Nak-Tharud. The weapon was said to burn cold, with a point so sharp it could pierce the heart of stone itself.

The crafting of the spear was seen as a divine answer to the serpent’s rise, believed to carry the blessing of Dumathar, the Veinsmith. As the festival ended, the spear was presented to Threlyn Stonegaze, grandson of Brammek, who would lead the hunt to drive Nalgrith from the mountain’s veins.

The Deepguard and Threlyn Stonegaze

Leading the hunt was Threlyn Stonegaze, commander of the Deepguard—an elite order of warriors sworn to defend Dumatharun’s deepest halls and unexplored caverns. The Deepguard took a solemn oath to pursue Nalgrith into the farthest reaches of the mountain, knowing the serpent would not fall easily.

For eight years, Threlyn and his warriors tracked Nalgrith through the labyrinthine tunnels of Nak-Tharud. In that time, more lives were claimed by the serpent’s hunger, but the Deepguard pressed forward, leaving runic markers along the tunnels to guide future generations through the shadowed paths.

The Final Battle

At last, Threlyn and the Deepguard followed Nalgrith’s trail to his lair—a molten cavern deep beneath Kharak-Dur, where rivers of liquid stone coiled around ancient bones. The echoes of Nalgrith’s breath rumbled like distant thunder through the chamber.

Threlyn, wielding the Spear of Nalgrith’s Doom, descended alone to face the serpent. The battle shook the stone halls of Nak-Tharud, and it is said that the very mountain trembled as hammer met fang and steel met flame.

With a final strike, Threlyn drove the spear into Nalgrith’s heart, slaying the ancient serpent. The Deepguard, watching from the cavern’s edge, sealed the lair by pouring molten silver into the tunnels, entombing Nalgrith’s bones beneath layers of metal and stone.

The Lingering Shadow

Though Nalgrith’s body was vanquished, the dwarves believe his spirit lingers in the deep places of Nak-Tharud. Miners claim to hear faint whispers in the tunnels—echoes of the serpent’s hunger—leading some to fear that one day, Nalgrith’s shadow may rise again.

To this day, the Spear of Nalgrith’s Doom rests in the Hall of Embers, a reminder of dwarven perseverance and the cost of disturbing the forgotten places beneath the mountain. The Deepguard continues to stand watch, ever vigilant for tremors in the dark, prepared to face whatever else stirs in the heart of Kharak-Dur.