Khazaddûm

Khazaddûm, also known as Moria, was the greatest and most ancient kingdom of the Dwarves in Middle-earth, founded by Durin I, the Deathless, in the First Age. Its vast halls and deep mines stretched beneath the Misty Mountains, a testament to the immense craftsmanship and wealth of the Durin's Folk. The kingdom was renowned for its abundant mithril, a precious metal highly sought after by all races. For centuries, Khazaddûm flourished, a center of trade and culture, its halls echoing with the songs and hammers of its people.

However, this golden age was not to last. Driven by greed, the Dwarves delved too deep into the earth, awakening a Balrog of Morgoth, a creature of shadow and flame. This catastrophic event, known as the War of the Jewels, led to the fall of Khazaddûm. The Dwarves were forced to abandon their magnificent home, leaving it to the darkness and the Balrog, who became known as Durin's Bane.

Despite its abandonment, Khazaddûm remained a place of legend and a formidable obstacle. In the Third Age, the Fellowship of the Ring famously traversed its perilous depths, seeking a passage through the Misty Mountains. Their journey through the ruined halls was fraught with danger, encountering Orcs, Goblins, and the Balrog itself. Though the Dwarves never reclaimed their ancestral home, the memory of Khazaddûm endures as a symbol of their lost glory and the terrible price of unchecked ambition.