Friday, January 28, 2011

Adventuring Locations in and near Lykaedia

The Anvil contains a myriad of adventuring locations of various sizes and types.  Some of these are described below:

The Ruins of ArtemiaThe ruins of this once prosperous town are located near the tomb of the Burning Priest.  The town was abandoned and fell into ruin after it was evident that the ruins of the old chapel and the tomb below it were haunted.

Black Rock Warren – The tower of the wizard Thord Mirion is located here near the headwaters of the North Fork of the Kuoros River according to a map that was given to Rekk the dwarf.  He lived long ago and is rumored to be long dead.

Area West of Chapoi – Sybilla contacted us about possibly hiring us to attempt to recover a very powerful and dangerous tome that was lost when an airship went down on the way to Harbor Reach.  The ship is believed to have been downed near the village of Chapoi accross the Forger’s Runnel River.  The Ancient Tome has beaten brass covers and is 16” x 12” x 6” thick and was stored in a chest with a latch.  To the west of Chapoi, a two days hike, the Wild Moon tribe of goblins holds sway and may have something to do with the downing of the ship.

Crypts South of Demeteros – Argus Norviadras, the guy that sold Lucias the Sword “Hope Blighter” in Ptoleph told us that he found the sword while adventuring in a "ruined keep with burial crypts" south of Demeteros which could either be the Tower of Zinglis or the tower to the southwest of Medea’s Gate.

The Grand Oryx Way: This is the main trade road that stretches all the way from Grand Oryx to Ptoleph to Medea’s Gate and to the fringes of the trench.  It is also sometimes referred to as the King’s road.  This area has seen the rise and fall of many egalitarian castles and fiefdoms over the years.  Many successful individuals of named level or beyond have built their castles and tombs in the area some of which have since fallen into disrepair and ruin.  These ruins are often populated by new tenants and some contain hidden treasures making the Anvil a popular spot for adventurers of all stripes seeking wealth and glory.

The Hill of Limus Town – A monster infested hill Across the Khouros River from Limus Town on the outskirts of civilization.  The hill is teaming with humandoids and other monsters and is a very dangerous place to travel.  It is also rumored to contain riches beyond imagining, a hobgoblin king and his followers and a pair of witches living upon it.  Many adventurers seek out the hill but very few of them ever return.

The Maw of Torment: This legendary lair of necromancers is rumored to be near the pass at Hell’s Peak or Herrari. It is rumored that a necromancer resides in the lowest depths of the catacombs where the maw erodes and torment souls until all hope is lost. The rumors go on to say that souls are drawn there to be sent on their way to the underworld and that an entrance to Hell, Hades or Elysium can be accessed from its deepest levels. It is also rumored that there are places within its halls where it is not safe to sleep due to the powerful enchantments on the place. There are writings within about an old god named Parafor the crippled which may actually be a front for an arch demon or devil of some sort.

There is said to be more than one delve, more than one way in and more than one complex of halls within. One of the towers at the Maw of Torment is more recent than the rest having been built by the founders of the Confessors Guild long ago who at that point in time were know to deal in wizardry. This tower complex was built to take advantage of the rich mineral resources in the area but the the gods were not pleased by this. It is whispered that this part of the complex is not necessarily all vile and evil and holds surprising secrets. The legend says that in the Hall of the Blind one will find only madness and death and that only the bold or those chosen by the gods can survive there.

The Pass at Hell’s Peak – This dangerous mountain pass is near the small town of Herrari and connects Medea’s Gate to Limus Town.  Travelers often take the long route around the mountains or a boat ride down the river to avoid the dangerous creatures and inhabitants of this pass.  It is located near the giant statue to Hephaestus which looks back with hammer poised to strike towards the frontier lands around Limus Town at the edge of Theban civilization.

The Ruins of Hell’s Peak – Below the Giant statue of Hephaestus at Hell’s Peak lie the ruins of an ancient keep or fortress city on the high ground that dominates the pass.  This strategic location was the home of some ancient civilization that used its heights to fend off invaders or to control commerce through the pass but has long since fallen into ruin.

The Ruins North of Winterholm – Oberon Remik searched for ruins rumored to be north of Winterholm but never found them.

The Ruins of Scarhold – The ruins of this once great fortress city is near Ptoleph.  There is rumored to be a dungeon below the ruins of the city.

The Wizard’s Tower of Zingalis: The ruins of this massive wizard’s keep and tower is located in the forested hills northeast of Medea’s Gate.  It sits on a hillock which is ringed with massive basalt walls covered with runes from some unknown language.  The tower overlooks the headwaters of the ladies finger which is one of the small tributaries to the Dormant Lady Lake.  The Wizard Zingalis was known for his sense of humor and lived shortly after the advent of the dragonship.

The Wizard’s Tower of Mysterica:
This intact tower and the ruins around it are located southeast of Limus Town. It looks like the outer buildings were sacked at one point and most of the roofs have long since collapsed but the main central tower remains intact. The group found this tower while traveling back from the Trench to Limus Town. We battled Wyverns and spiders in the ruins but couldn’t get into the tower. The front door is guarded by a powerful ward of Burning Hands. There is a large cavernous opening in the ground nearby where there is evidence of an old wooden stair case (iron spikes in the cavern walls) which has long since rotted away.

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