Ironcrown:In the Dwarven Homelands

From Cyradon Wiki

Millennia ago, when the Dwarves helped the Cyrads build their city of Belynar, and helped setup the portals for the Royal Roads, part of the payment for that aid was the knowledge of how to access and use the Royal Roads to travel the world.

Approximately five hundred years ago the Royal Roads closed abruptly. Nothing that the Dwarven magic users, the Trallen, did would re-open the Roads. As the years passed, very few Trallen passed down the knowledge of how to operate the Royal Roads to their apprentices. A small group of Trallen, calling themselves the Gatekeepers, were the only ones to keep the knowledge alive. They kept watch over Royal Roads, developing spells and magics to alert them if the Roads were ever activated again.

Then came one winter when the wards and spells watching the Royal Roads were activated. The Roads had flickered, come to life for a few seconds. However, for some reason the various gates that the Gatekeepers watched over had all been set to a single destination: Belynar, the ancient capital of the Cyrads.

After much discussion, the Dwarves decided to send a party through the Royal Roads should the Gatekeepers determine that they were fully active once again. With the destination of the Road set for Belynar, the Dwarves decided that they would make this a colonization party who would relocate and re-inhabit Blackflame, a city situated near some of veins of several different magical metals. Long ago played out, the mineral deposits should have more than enough time to fully regenerate. Among this group would be several of the Gatekeepers, so that the Roads could be opened back to the dwarven lands whenever the Dwarves wanted to send material back.

Volunteers were gathered and materials prepared. Lots of material, food, and other equipment were packed and made ready to be sent through the portal when or if it opened. Everything was in readiness and would be able to go with but a few days notice.

Then it happened! The Trallen Gatekeepers were right, and not only was an open Road detected, but it was open for a long time as well. The Gatekeepers were beside themselves with joy. Final preparations were begun!

The Gatekeepers worked their magic and for the first time in over five centuries, the Dwarves once again had access to the Royal Roads. As the Dwarves marched into the portal, the Gatekeepers fell in place with them. Minutes later they marched out of the portal upon a scene that they had never imagined. Belynar was in ruins, there were humans everywhere, and there were a bunch of Elves as well. But besides all that, the Dwarves had a problem - none of the Gatekeepers that entered the Royal Road came out of it on the Belynar side; although other Trallen among the group did. Once the last of the dwarven party came through with all of their gear, the Road immediately shut. The Dwarves in Belynar had no way to return home.

Back in the dwarven lands of Anias, the Road closed shortly after the last of the colonization party passed through. Moments later, it opened back up on its own accord, and out tumbled the Gatekeepers who had gone to Belynar. All they knew was that they entered in their proper place and order, when suddenly they had the sensation of falling only to land back in the dwarven homelands.

#4300 Cyradon, page 36