Thorbardin & the Kharolis Mountains – War of the Lance Era

The Kharolis Mountain Range hosts a number of interesting locations including the ancient kingdom of Thorbardin. Let’s learn more about this dwarven home and more! Buy War of the Lance: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/3164/War-of-the-Lance-35?affiliate_id=50797

https://youtu.be/nF6LLdZE-Rg

Transcript

Cold Open

The Kharolis Mountain range is home to much more than just wildlife.

Intro

Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about Thorbardin and the Kharolis Mountain range in the War of the Lance Era. I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this channel, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing the Tales of the Lance boxed set and the War of the Lance sourcebook for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!

Discussion

Southern Ansalon is home to some truly amazing sights, but none are as naturally wondrous as the Kharolis Mountain range. This range spans from Abanasinia in the north to a mere twenty miles from Ice Mountain Bay in the south. Within this one hundred and seventy miles rest the ancient dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin, Skullcap, Pax Tharkas, Qualinost and Solace! I will cover the kingdom of Qualinesti and the region of Abanasinia in separate episodes.

The region has a vast array of weather patterns, as is common among mountain ranges. In the north near Abanasinia the mountains remain cool most of the year, but they do enjoy every season. South near Thorbardin, the climate is much drier and colder. Hot summers are short, only lasting from Corij to Reorxmont, and winters extend from Phoenix to Chistlemont. It enjoys more snow than rain, with its flora sustaining from the wild runoff in the spring. The southern tip of the Kharolis Mountains are the same near arctic conditions of the Plains of Dust.

There is an estimated population of one hundred and twelve thousand residents in Thorbardin.  While ruled by the Hylar, twenty-two percent of its population is actually Neidar, with Hylar at eighteen percent, Theiwar at sixteen, Daewar at thirteen and the remainder percentage broken up between the Daergar, Klar, Aghar and others. It is ruled by a council of Thanes. While the gates have remained closed since the Dwarfgate Wars, the War of the Lance will see them opened and Thorbardin will build an alliance with Solamnia, and is settling a similar treaty with the Qualinesti. In the wake of the War of the Lance, Thorbardin plans to restore Pax Tharkas and continue adding cities and mines to its underground kingdom. It is a kingdom that eventually opens to adventurers and will be a land of opportunity for those of good will and stout heart. Thorbardin willingly trades with Tarsis and Qualinesti. Pax Tharkas has maintained its mines to help pay for its own repairs.

Thorbardin itself is one of the few wonders of the world residing beneath the Cloudseeker Mountains. These three massive peaks spread over fifty miles with each summit towering over twelve thousand feet above sea level. Sky’s End Peak in the north is another three thousand feet above that! The kingdom of Thorbardin spans twenty two miles underneath the Kharolis Mountain range from north to south and fourteen miles from east to west. Within that territory there are seven major cities, three farming warrens, two governmental areas and its own burial area.  Connecting the cities are cable-ways running a...