Mithril Helmet

Would Dowdun Reach be standing without mithril? At the very least, it would be standing elsewhere. And since "elsewhere" would put it in the path of dragons, the Withering and Saradominists at various points in Ashenfall's timeline, you would have to surmise that no, Dowdun Reach would not exist.

The Children of Shadows were once little more than a disaffected rabble. They gathered with the purpose of plotting against Saradominists, but, in truth, most of their time was spent infighting. But even infighting demands a forum, and the Children of Shadows chose Fellhollow Mountains.

The mithril in Fellhollow Mountains (known at the time as Dowdun Mountains) was discovered by a young Zamorakian who wanted to make a raven habitat, something similar to a dovecote. She mined rock and hit a mithril seam. The shimmering metal stunned her, as it has generations of dwarves.

She hid her discovery. We do not know why, but we can guess that greed played its part, as it is wont to do. Yet, her discovery was discovered and the young Zamorakian was killed, left to be picked apart by her ravens. Ravens are an unsentimental bunch.

There followed a period of mutiny and general Zamorakian chaos. Once it had passed, the Children of Shadows had mithril, a metal desired by many. And desire is such a wonderful tool for sowing discontent.