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Overview

Sungold Pass lies high in the Opascari mountains. It was one of several sites of interest discovered by the Empire in the wake of a terrible storm that wracked northern Varushka shortly after the Autumn Equinox 381YE. Almost immediately, the pass became a source of contention between the Empire and the orcs of Otkodov; its position high in the mountains allowed both nations to claim it as part of their own territory.

In Summer 382YE, the Imperial Senate laid claim to Sungold Pass and the ruins there, apparently in response to reports of Thule scouts undertaking their own exploration of the area. Several bands of independent captains - mostly Varushkan - took it upon themselves to keep a watch over the area. Tensions increased as the orcs of Otkodov refused to give up their claim to the high pass and the mine ruins, culminating in the arrest of a small number of civil service explorers engaged in gathering information about the ruions. The situation was eventually resolved in Summer 383YE when the Imperial Senate agreed that the pass belonged to the Thule as part of the Sungold Treaty with the northern orcs.

Restoring Sungold Pass

Restoring the ruins would have required a commission. It would have cost 20 wains of mithril and 10 wains of weirwood, with labour costs of 30 crowns. It would have taken a season to open the mines, restore the smelting facilities, and perhaps even replace some of the damaged sections of mithril designs. This would have created a title - Warden of the Sungold Pass - and the civil service suggested that it would function as a sinecure providing 20 ingots of orichalcum each season. The well worn path for appointing this title would have been through the Imperial Bourse - either a private ballot by the mine owners of Varushka if it were national, or a public auction if it were Imperial.

In the end, the Empire chose to go a different way. It is assumed that the Thule will undertake this commission themselves following the [[Ratify_Sungold_Treaty|ratification of the Sungold Treaty.

The Pass

In the wake of the great storm in later 382YE, an avalanche rumbled down the eastern foothills of Opascari. Prospectors and wagon raiders keen to explore discovered that the rock fall had uncovered something entirely unexpected. Above the treeline on the side of the easternmost peak, known for centuries by the peculiar name of the Traveller, they found the remains of an outpost carved into the stone walls of a high and hitherto overlooked mountain pass. Excited archaeologists and scholars were quick to declare that the structure was almost certainly Terunael in origin! Some Thule remains found in the ruins suggested that the archaeologists were not the first people of the modern age to come here - but were still the first people to come here in the last century.

The exploration uncovered the remains of both orcs and humans, as well as a few minor trinkets that seem to date dating back to the time of Chaos after the fall of Terunael. Perhaps even more interesting was the discovery that these ruins were part of an extensive orichalcum mining and smelting operation. The peak is tricky to reach, and very cold indeed, but it was clear that with a little effort the mines could be reopened, and the primitive smelting facilities updated and expanded.

Some of the explorers also discovered what appeared to be peculiar decorations - inlaid mithril designs that wound and swirled across the parts of the ruins. Quite by chance it was discovered that when these designs were warmed - by a torch or brazier or even by extended contact with human skin - they held that heat. Furthermore, if the heat source were strong enough, the warmth would spread slowly through entire sections of the ruins. It seemed obvious that these designs were intended to combat the bitter cold of the high mountains.

Obviously, there was some interest in these ruins among the Navarr. Speculation suggested that this ancient Terunael outpost was most likely connected with the city of Emrys in Sküld, the existence of which had only recently been rediscovered by Navarr scholars.

Escalating Tensions

The Imperial Senate staked a claim to Sungold Pass in Summer 382YE. Almost immediately the Thule ambassador to the Empire, Rak , Rak Who-Speaks-For-The-Dragons-Undivided has formally announced that the Thule do not accept the Imperial claim. They believe that the mountain known as the Traveller lies partially in Opascari in Volodmartz and partially in Kógur in Sküld, and that the "Sungold Pass" is on their side of the mountain. As such, the resources there are theirs to exploit and the presence of Imperial forces is neither welcomed nor appropriate.

The Thule ambassador has agreed that the orcs will not begin to build there until the dispute is settled; he expects the Empire to provide the same assurances. Given that he is due to attend Anvil during the Winter Solstice to discuss the matter of slaves, the Civil Service have suggested that negotiation about Sungold Pass may be included in the agenda then. They are quick to caution, however, that the Senate declaration has a certain weight of law behind it - it would not be illegal under Imperial Law to begin work on exploiting the resources of Sungold Pass in light of that declaration.

The Henk Incident

In Spring 383YE, the Minister of Historical Research, Caleb of the Cenotaph, commissioned historical research into Sungold Pass. As part of the commission, Snowstorm Henk of the Imperial Orcs lead a small team of orc researchers up to the pass. While exploring the area, the civil servants were taken prisoner by the Thule who accused them of espionage.

While captive, Snowstorm Henk was able to pass some information about the Pass to a civil servant allowed into the Thule camp to ensure the Imperial citizens were in good health. Thanks to the intercession of Yevgeni Katzev, Ambassador to Otkodov, the orc and his companions were released unharmed shortly before the Summer Solstice.

On his return, Snowstorm Henk set to work compiling his notes as part of a report for the Imperial Archivist about the Pass, and the provenance of the mines beneath.

The Orichalcum Mines

Further Reading