Nal Gorgoth is a large settlement in the northernmost known area of the Spine. Situated in a mountain valley, it is the home and base of the cult known as the Du Eld Draumar, led by Bachel.
Description[]
Nal Gorgoth is located deep in the Northernmost reaches of the Spine, at the northern end of the Bay of Fundor. According to Umaroth, it is a terrible place where the ground grows hot beneath the feet of all who tread there. The buildings looked dwarvish-made with an elvish grace to them, with strange runes adorning them. The roofs of the buildings were domed, unlike any other architecture seen in Alagaesia. Sculptures resembling snarling dragons were cut into the cornices, giving the village a sense of being predatory, and the sculptures were covered in hypnotic patterns.
Nal Gorgoth was ancient, with the possibility of having existed since the time of the Grey Folk. Much of its architecture was worn and weathered with age. Bachel's temple was particularly badly eroded, as were many other the sculptures and structures, giving them a foreboding, unforgiving look. Caverns and tunnels beneath the mountain near the temple led into Oth Arum, the so-called "heart of the world". Foul creatures dwelt here in Oth Orum, such as fingerrats and shadow spiders. It was also a source of the magic known as the "Breath".
Among the more notable structures here was Bachel's temple, which was located inn the center of the village and had a vast complex of dungeons below it to hold prisoners or those the Daumar wanted to enslave, which was done using a combination of the Breath and the magic-inhibiting drug Vorgethan. The atrium of Bachel's temple was vast enough for a dragon like Thorn to move about freely. Not far from the village lay a cave system leading to Oth Orum. The cave leading down into Oth Orum was filled with passageways that were large enough for a dragon to walk through, and Murtagh nearly got lost within the caves, having to use his inner eye to sense Bachel in order to find his way through the dark labyrinth, with bioluminescent slime growing throughout. The Breath made the air hot and hard for most to breathe unless protected by Azlagûr's power. Oth Orum itself was a vast room filled with monolithic crystal spires that were huge and often quite sharp. A vast hole within the center of the floor allowed the Breath to seep out. The space below Oth Orum was too dark to see into, but may have been Azlagûr's lair, as Murtagh was able to sense his vast, rage-filled consciousness. The Tower of Flint in which the crows were kept and harvested by the Draumar to create their totems of magical protection were located was also a notable piece of architecture.
Nal Gorgoth was largely destroyed by Thorn, Murtagh, and Uvek during their fight against Bachel, with Thorn leveling many if not most of the buildings or lighting them on fire. It may have been even further destroyed by Azlagûr when he was awakened.
History[]
Little is known of Nal Gorgoth's early history, and even less of its origin. It is rumored to have been standing since the time of the Grey Folk. At some point in its history, Bachel's mother, an elf who fell in love with a human woodcutter, settled near the area. She would become speaker of the Du Eld Draumar, and lead them until Bachel killed her mother herself to take her place as the speaker for Azlagûr.
At some point, Angela met with Bachel under the alias of “Uluthrek” (her title among the urgals). This was the first time she had ever used her powers to move the ground in Nal Gorgoth's Vale of Dreams, but when she encountered the herbalist, Bachel did what she had never done for anyone else and met with Angela outside the walls of Nal Gorgoth, which stood as a testament to Angela's power.
At some point Galbatorix was sent out to find Nal Gorgoth, under the orders of the Dragon Riders, and appeared there after his dragon and companions had been killed. Bachel lied to and manipulated Galbatorix, sending him back to the Riders after “whispering in his ear” to increase his madness and demand another Dragon.
Galbarotix and Morzan returned later with the Dragon Hatchling Shruikan during their exile and Bachel sent them as her thralls to destroy the riders. This plan almost entirely succeeded, with only Brom, Oromis and Glaedr surviving, as well as the Eldunarí that Galbatorix had captured and those under the command of Umaroth surviving hidden in the Vault of Souls on Vroengard.
Bachel also met Durza when he came to Nal Gorgoth and spent time at the Well of Dreams. According to Bachel, this expanded his vision beyond the normal scope of a shade, making him far more cunning and dangerous. Bachel claimed Durza had spent years at Nal Gorgoth, where it is likely he helped teach Galbatorix some of his magic.
Later still, Bachel had dealings with Saerlith, a member of the Forsworn serving Galbatorix. Not much is known about this point in Nal Gorgoth's history except that Bachel had manipulated him and apparently worked with him as she had with Galbatorix and the other Forsworn.
Galbatorix apparently led a campaign against the Draumar at some point in his reign because he viewed them as a threat, but they managed to survive his and the Forsworn's assaults.