Kayolin Locations

Sometimes spelled Kaolyn, Kayolin is a Dwarven nation to the south of Solamnia set in and around the Garnet Mountains. Only a few towns and fortifications are visible on the surface, but the vast number of it’s settlements and it’s larger cities are all underground, deep within the mountains.

The settlements of Kayolin were founded shortly after the Third Dragon War, when the dwarves of Thorbardin were granted mining rights in the Garnet Mountains by the Knights of Solamnia as a gesture of peace and gratitude for their aid during the war. The dwarves were happy to accept this gift, and named the mountain range as a colony of Thorbardin and quickly set to excavating and developed into one of the richest mining operations in Ansalon. In 500PC, the colony declared itself an independent nation, though remained on friendly terms with the kingdom of Thorbardin, but these ties were severed after the Cataclysm created a sea between the two realms.

In the years that followed the Cataclysm, Kayolin learned to survive on it’s own, maintaining strong links to it’s neighbours in Solamnia, trading in metals and manufactured goods and becoming northern Ansalon’s primary source of many common metals. This friendship also saw Kayolin ally with Solamnia to keep the rebellious people of Lemish at bay, the mountains forming an effective defensive wall.

Kayolin is ruled by a single governor, elected from amongst the population (though usually meaning a member of one of the richest and most powerful families). Other important roles are appointed based solely on merit.

In the early days of the colony, Kayolin was jointly held between the Hylar and Daewar clans who took orders from the king in Thorbardin. Following the Cataclysm, the mountain nation accepted refugees from the Neidar and Aghar (gully dwarves), though it does not go beyond notice that the governor has always been a member of the Hylar or Daewar. Kaylong is a more open society than it’s southern cousin though, with more mixing and intermarriage between clans, resulting in dwarves who are members of more than one clan. This has aided in the clans of Kayolin living peacefully together.

On orders of the governor, Kayolin has recently closed it’s eastern and northern gates and blocked passages through the Garnet Mountains. With the Dragonarmies moving freely into Lemish, the dwarves remain extremely concerned about an attack from the east and so have heavily fortified their eastern border, whilst doing what they can top keep the west open so that materials can continue to be shipped to the Knights of Solamnia.

Plans are still being made however, to close the mountains entirely much like Thorbardin did after the Dwarfgate War. New tunnels have been dug and food hoarded to endure an extended period of occupation.