Oratu Iru

• Previous
• Next

Oratu Iru is a great wall at the center of a rugged mountain pass called Goldrah Fusvok Rahn. It was built in the God Era by Tharuz, son of Danzar-Khâl, along with thousands of dwarves and hundreds of stone giants. The dwarves were those with skills at working stone and construction that far out shined their skill with sword and board. As a result, they were relegated to the task of building defenses and armaments for the war effort. Many of the stone giants were descendants of those that served Geb in the Creation War. To make amends for his actions in that war, Geb encouraged those that formerly served against the angels and gods, to now come to their aid in the Demon Spawn War.

The dwarves and stone giants did the meat of the work raising Oratu Iru. Angels and others with magical talents aided in the construction by magically fortifying areas of the wall that were not protected by bands of naanabrak. The builders used up all of this type of stone in the pass and considered getting more from Ag Krenok. Tharus wanted to make the entire wall out of this anti-magic stone, but was overruled by Asmodeus when he was told that there was not enough time to build a perfect wall.

Oratu Iru is almost a mile long, with the lowest fighting deck 50' above the ground. The base of the wall is 400' thick. The wall is sloped and tiered with 5 separate fighting decks, each 50' apart. The wall was modeled on the design used by Naraz-Nâru at Nâzel.

The hordes of Orcus are advancing, closer and closer each day, an endless stream pours out of Ghak.

- Tharuz, from his field journal, "Observations of the War"

In the Hoof Front, Oratu Iru was assailed numerous times by hordes of demons. They never breached the fortress-like wall. The most harrowing time of the seemingly endless siege against the place was the Nightmare Onslaught. This battle occurred at night, and under the cover of deep fog. Nearly 10,000 demons attacked the wall and succeeded in getting troops inside where a massive melee went on for six hours. The battle was turned when Asmodeus teleported to a safe teleportation zone and joined in the fight, battling all manner of demons, side by side with Tharuz. Outside the wall, Bahamut and his retinue of gold dragons made strafing runs against the demons clambering up the wall to openings rapidly being dug out. These opening were being made by demon worms that they aptly referred to as bores. These translucent worms were far less resistant than the demons to fire, they burned in a smoke so foul that even the demons around them could not hold in their last meal. Oratu Iru held on that day and long after the demons bypassed the place.

When Orcus's forces reached Agiid Hil, Oratu Iru was 150 miles behind enemy lines, and still under daily attack. Five months later, in Operation Crab Advance, the defenders of Oratu Iru were relieved when they saw the banners of Asmodeus coming up the pass. Their supreme general mounted on a huge dinosaur battletitan, saluted them, and then said in magically loud voice - "Open the Gates". It was the first time that the gates of Oratu Iru were opened since they were set into their thresholds.

After the demons were driven back to the Abyss, and the gods and angels left the realm to the mortals, Oratu Iru lay abandoned to the wild. It came to be the home of stone giants that stayed around after the Demon Spawn War. It also became the home of wild beasts, and anything else seeking a secure home for it is truly a massive place inside as well as out. The living areas of the place once housed a garrison of fifteen thousand across dozens of levels, some two hundred feet underground or in the adjacent mountains. Some of these areas were built maze-like so as to handle any enemies that got inside.

The stone giants of the area have used the wall to control traffic coming through Goldrah Fusvok Rahn. They have charged tolls to travelers since as long as anyone can remember. This was broken during the March of Resalth when Balfroglemis captured the wall. When this empire fell, the stone giants returned to the area and once again began living in the great fortifications of Oratu Iru, and charging tolls for those passing through the valley.