The Outpost Eolmu (from the Thergerim "EolMuccot", lit. "the Eastern Cave") - most often referred to as "The Outpost" - is a shelter for caravan guides in the middle of the Teruin Zsharath desert in Nybelmar. The dwarves call it their own and they keep it a secret exactly where it is. The Outpost started as just a room cut out in the rock, but during the years it has grown to a small society. Since 315 a.S. the meetings between the three dwarven tribes of Nybelmar, the Kiingerim, the Kavogerim and the Chaorim, are held there.

Description. The main thing you will notice when you come close to the Outpost is that you most likely won't spot it and without help you'll definitely miss it. The entrance is well hidden with both magic and craftsmanship for an obvious reason: the Chyrakisth do not wish for the dwarves to have a safe-house in the desert. In case the outpost would be discovered and overrun by the enemies, the dwarves have created many secret tunnels that lead out in the wilderness. The tunnels are filled with traps that will catch, and in some cases kill, any who tries to follow the dwarven.

The whole structure has no light-shafts and only small air-shafts. The air-shafts are covered on the surface with a creation the dwarves call “mushrooms”. The holes are covered with a lid, a lot bigger than the hole itself. The edges are kept above the ground so that air can pass in and out through the hole.

When you enter the Outpost you first get into a small room when yet another door is shut in front of you. That door can only be opened from the inside by a guard. The room you then enter is the first room cut out from the rock. At first it was used for sleeping, eating and as a storage, all at the same time. Year by year the room grew inwards.

Straight across the room is a much smaller room with a well. From the well the dwarves can bring up fresh water every day. To your left you’ll se many small doors that lead into the bedrooms. Each bedroom has only room for a bed and a chair.

Directly to your right there is a stair that takes you down to the smithy. Down there is also the weapons storage. The smoke from the smithy is led outside by many small smoke-channels. The channels split up the smoke and make it harder for others to see it from above ground. The holes on the surface are no more than two nailsbreadths wide.

To your right you have the tavern where the dwarves eat and meet to talk about the life in general. Inside the tavern a stair leads down to the food storage.

In the middle of the main hall is a large table with room for at least 40 dwarves sitting comfortably. This is where the meetings between the three clans are held since 315 a.S. They are held every five years. Every time a meeting takes place, the dwarves at the table cut their initials in the walls of the room. So far there are more than 12.000 runes carved in and that leaves no space for other decorations.

Location. The Outpost is located in the centre of the continent Nybelmar. On the east side of the Zharkanion Peaks there is a pass called “The Gate to Safety” by the Kavogerim and “The Gate to Danger” by the Kiingerim. On the eastern side of the pass there is a small mountain-chain. That is where the Outpost is located.

People. The Outpost is the only settlement where all three dwarven clans of Nybelmar, the Kiingerim, the Kavogerim and the Chaorim, are represented. The five Kavogerim who live there are mercenaries who are in charge of safety. They are often veterans, tired of wandering around in the desert, protecting caravans.

The Chaorim have one or two smiths, with families, there to run the smithy. They are usually young smiths, about 50 years old, who want some experience of other cultures. For that purpose the Outpost is perfect as they get in contact with all sorts of caravans and companies.

The Kiingerim are traders and chefs and they take care of the food, water and storage. The two or three posted there are put there by the Traders Council, the government of the Kiingerim, as there is not much profit to make in the desert.

At most there are fifteen dwarves who live in the Outpost on a permanent basis. When a meeting is held there can be up to 70 dwarves there.

Function of the Building. More and more functions have been added to the Outpost over the years. At first, around 200 a.S., the place was founded simply to be a place of shelter for the caravan guides.  The Outpost was by then merely a cave in the mountain where the their Kavogerim caravan guides, could seek refuge from the sandstorms of Terruin Zsharath.
 
After a few years four Kavogerim mercenaries made the Outpost their home and they constructed the main hall as it exists today. In there, they lived and guarded it from thieves and bandits.

The dwarves never invite other races to come to the Outpost. They don’t even show them the nearest route as that would be to lead them too close to the Outpost. Whenever a dwarf wants to go to the Outpost he or she must be very careful not to be seen.

After a few more years they opened a large well in the mountain and the importance of the Outpost grew further. Now the guides would have a solid place where they could get water.

The word spread to both the Kiingerim and the Chaorim about the Outpost and finally after a few decades a smith from the Chaorim settled there. Together with the Kavogerim soldiers he cut more rooms out of the rock. Now all of them had their own rooms and the smith had a smithy.

When another 40 years had passed two Kiingerim brothers came and opened up another few rooms. A tavern, food storage and more bedrooms were added.

The fact that representatives of all of the three clans had settled there made the place a perfect meeting-place. So in 315 a.S. the first meeting was held with members from all three clans. A larger hall was cut out to meet the demands of such a large meeting. After that no more rooms or functions have been added.

	Time Table of the Outpost Eolmu The Age of Change (-50 b.S.-500) ca. 200 The Outpost was opened as a simple place for the caravan-guides. 236 The first permanent residents settle there, four Kavogerim soldiers. 264 The smith from the Chaorim settles at the Outpost with his wife. 300 Three Kiingerim brothers settle (ordered by the Traders Council), opening the storage of food and the small tavern. 315 The first meeting between the leaders of all three tribes is held in the Outpost.