74 rooms · levels 41–51
You have entered Grimheart's training grounds. Beware, as he is known to keep a number of nasty beasties about.
The air is starting to grow colder, and a brisk wind blows from the north. To the west the trail heads back to civilized land, and to the north the trail rises through a dark, dense forest.
The trail is steep and rough, and, through the trees to the north, the peaks of the Wub'i mountain range can be seen. The air is beginning to thin, but is otherwise cool and invigorating. Off to the side of the trail, a sign is nailed to a tree.
The air grows cooler as the trail climbs. The forest is alive with the sounds of insects and birds and, of course, the occasional forest toad. The mountains ahead, rumored to be the home of the Hill People, seem nearer with every step. Thick brambles crowd in on either side, and the trail itself is the only clear way: north toward the hills, or south, back down the slope.
As you push through the brambles, you see a majestic fir towering over a tidy campsite. Perhaps it is a good place to rest your weary bones before traveling on to the Land of the Hill People.
The trail leaves the densest part of the forest here and climbs steadily north, toward the hills. The air is cooler and thinner, and a brisk wind comes down from the mountains. To the south the trail drops back into the dark woods and the brambles.
The forest thins out, and through the last of the trees long, rolling hills can be seen, stretching away to either side as far as the eye can follow. The land looks deceptively safe, but it is said that whole armies can hide among these hills, unseen from a mere hundred yards away. The trail goes on north into the hills, and south into the forest.
A strong wind blows down from the mountains, bringing a thick, gray fog with it. The trail from the forest ends here, at the foot of the first hill, and paths of trampled grass lead away through the fog: north, up toward the fortress; east, along a windswept hillside; and west, into a grassy meadow. The forest lies back to the south. Scorched hoofprints are everywhere.
The wind tears at the fog on this open hillside, now and then showing a glimpse of the mountains before it closes in again. Patches of grass have been burnt black where something has grazed. The path runs west, back toward the forest trail, and east to a grassy knoll.
The path winds between two low hills, the grass beside it trampled and burnt by flaming hooves. Visibility is poor, and the fog makes it hard to keep any sense of direction. The path climbs north toward the fortress and descends south toward the forest.
A strong wind blows down from the mountains, bringing a thick, gray fog with it. Through it, high above to the north, the dark shape of a fortress can just be made out, and a well-worn path climbs toward it. Other paths cross here: east to a warm hollow, west along a ridge, and south, down through the hills toward the forest.
Loose stones and burnt grass make the footing treacherous on this steep slope. It climbs north to the western hilltop and drops south into a sheltered dell.
A wide meadow lies between the hills, its grass rich and green where it has not been burnt. A strong wind blows down from the mountains, bringing a thick, gray fog with it. The meadow runs east toward the trail from the forest and west into a sheltered dell.
A narrow ridge runs east and west here, its sides falling away steeply into the fog. On a clear day it would make a fine lookout over the hills; today it is all a gray blur. East, the ridge leads down to the crossing below the fortress; west, it climbs to a hilltop.
The fog settles thickly in this narrow draw between two hills, and sounds carry strangely: the snort of a horse seems to come from every side at once. The draw climbs north toward a slope strewn with boulders, and opens to the south onto a grassy knoll.
This is the highest of the western hills, crowned with a ring of old stones. The wind is fierce, and the fog races past. A ridge leads east, and a steep slope falls away to the south.
From the top of this knoll a tracker could watch the hills around for anyone hunting the fire horses that roam them, if only the fog would lift. The grass is pressed flat where someone has lain in wait. A path runs north into a draw between the hills, and another leads west along the hillside.
The hills close around this little dell, and for once the wind drops. The grass is cropped short and scorched in patches, the sign of fire horses grazing. A slope climbs north, and a meadow opens to the east.
The Fortress of the Hill People lies directly ahead, up the path to the north. The winds coming down out of the mountains carry the sounds and smells of a busy marketplace, and the scent of the Hill People's famous smoked meats. On either side the ground rises into steep, impassable slopes. The path descends south into the fog-covered hills.
The Hill People have built a fortress that melds into the mountains around it. Steep mountain walls on either side both protect the fortress and give well-placed archers an excellent view. Through the gate to the north lies a courtyard filled with activity, as it seems the Hill People enjoy trading with their new-found lowland neighbors. The path leads south, down into the hills.
The Hill People have begun trading with the flatlanders, and this is their primary marketplace. Various goods and livestock have been brought here to trade for fine furs. To the east and west stand platforms looking out toward the southern hills. Ahead, to the north, lies the main fortress.
Huge iron doors open to the north, leading into the inner fortress. A current of warm air flows out of the doors, accompanied by the pleasant aroma of roasting beef. A small wisp of smoke or steam is escaping out of a small, covered vent located just above the doors.
The activity in the courtyard seems undiminished, even here, under a huge wooden defense platform. Steps lead up to the platform and to the north and east are more of the courtyard.
This area is oddly warmer than the rest of the outer keep. It has been rumored that the Hill People use natural steam vents to heat their keep, allowing them to thrive in the harsh northern climate, but there is no evidence of any such steam heat nearby. There are steps leading up to a wooden platform, and to the north and west are more of the outer courtyard of the fortress.
The Hill People have mounted some defenses here, in the form of two massive catapults. While it is unclear who it is that they are protecting themselves from, they appear to take the "Better safe than sorry" approach to their defense.
Two iron broadswords are hung over sturdy wooden doors to the north. The sounds of clanging swords and hearty voices calling out indicate that the young hill people warriors must be learning their craft beyond those doors.
This eastern defensive platform holds a huge, black, steaming cauldron, eight feet tall and some ten feet across, set at the platform's eastern edge above the wall. Oddly, there is no fire beneath it, yet it is quite hot, warming the chill mountain air. Across the courtyard stands the other platform with its catapults, and beyond the wall the fog-covered hills stretch off to the horizon. Steps lead down into the courtyard.
The vat is full of siege oil, but by hanging on to its side carefully it is possible to examine the oil more closely. The fumes and the heat make it hard to breathe. The rim of the vat is within reach: a careful climb west over it leads back onto the platform.
This cavernous room is at least one-hundred feet long, and 50 feet wide. Tapestries and paintings cover most of the walls, depicting battles, dragon slayers, and rescued fair maidens. While the artwork is somewhat simple, it is clear these people admire that which is heroic.
This corner of the courtyard is filled with the smell of livestock, and it seems to be where meat and animals are traded. A well built chicken coop is set into the eastern wall here, clucking contentedly. The courtyard continues west, toward the doors of the inner fortress, and south, toward the eastern platform.
Many furs have been hung along the western wall of the keep, most of them much heavier than anything found in the southern lands. Behind them, the tightly fitted logs of the inner keep's wall close off the courtyard's north side. The courtyard stretches east, toward the doors of the inner fortress, and south, toward the western platform.
This is the inside of a chicken coop, built into the eastern wall of the keep. It smells a lot like chickens live here. The Hill People seem to be concluding that the flatlanders are, indeed, an odd sort. The little back door of the coop opens west, onto the courtyard by the eastern wall.
The tapestries here depict what appears to be a flight of dragons moving above a mountain range. A lone figure in armor stands at the bottom of the tapestry. A small heating vent at the floor allows a warm current of air to momentarily take the mountain chill out of your bones.
A long, wooden trough runs along the wall here. Steaming, warm water flows into the northern end of the trough, and empties at the southern end. A small stand holds a bar of soap, which seems to have a pleasant scent.
The eastern wall here is dominated by an 18-foot tall polar bear pelt. Below it a plaque has been placed, describing the exploits of the king as a young man. Apparently he defeated this foe single-handedly.
A detailed tapestry covers most of the western wall. A pack of winter wolves occupies the center of the tapestry, and a massive dark warrior, wearing an antler horned helm, sits atop a massive steed, galloping through the pack.
This vent, unlike most of the others, is just large enough for a person to hide in. It narrows quickly beyond, impassable to anything bigger than a rat. The grate below opens back into the great hall.
The sounds of clanging swords echo here. The sturdy timbers creak, and footsteps can be heard coming from above, where a stair climbs to the upper hall. The wide, poorly lit corridor of the training halls runs east and west, and the door south opens into the great hall.
A set of large, wooden, iron-bound doors stands to the north. The hall is filled with the sound of clashing swords and of pounding footsteps overhead. The upper hall runs east and west, and a stair leads down to the training halls below.
Racks of practice swords and battered shields line this wide, poorly lit corridor, and the floor is worn smooth by years of drill. The hall runs east to the foot of the stairs and west toward the sound of a master swordsman's voice.
The timbers overhead creak under the weight of a training platform, and a ladder climbs up to it. A sword's ring and a sharp voice correcting a pupil come from above. The training hall runs back east.
This open-air wooden platform is perhaps fifty feet square and is bounded by sturdy bleachers. Across the training halls three other platforms can be seen, two of them higher than this one. A ladder leads down into the hall below.
The wide corridor of the training halls is poorly lit, and smells of sweat and leather. The heavy tread of boots on a platform somewhere ahead rolls along the ceiling. The hall runs west to the foot of the stairs and east beneath a platform.
Sawdust drops now and then from between the cracks in the ceiling, and loud, pounding footsteps roll across the platform above, where a ladder climbs. The corridor is wide, and the odor of working men is prominent. The hall runs back west.
This open-air wooden platform is perhaps fifty feet square, and is bounded by sturdy bleachers. An enormous stuffed red dragon sprawls across one side, a practice target for those who would learn to knock the wind out of one. Across the training halls three other platforms can be seen. A ladder leads down into the hall below.
The upper hall ends beneath a high platform. Every so often the timbers above groan as if something enormously heavy had been set down on them. A ladder climbs up to the platform, and the hall runs back east.
The most noticeable feature of this platform is the massive metal statue of a dragon standing at its edge. Other heavy weights have been scattered about, and many of the floor planks have been replaced recently. From up here the other platforms can be seen across the halls. A ladder leads down.
The upper hall ends beneath a high platform, from which a calm, steady voice is lecturing. A ladder climbs up to it, and the hall runs back west.
Unlike the other platforms, this one is plastered with drawings and diagrams of dragons in a variety of attack stances. The other three platforms can be seen across the halls, below. A ladder leads down.
A low wooden platform covered with fine white furs occupies the western end of the room, and a massive wooden table stands against the eastern wall. The king has mounted a few trophies on the wall but, otherwise, the area is quite simple and spartan.
This area is open to the sky, but remains comfortably warm due to a pool of steaming water occupying the center of the room. The pool has been carefully constructed of tight-fitting stones, separated only by small vents to circulate in fresh water.
The water is quite clear, and visibility is excellent. Minerals in the water have lined the walls of this natural tunnel with a bright green coating. Strong currents of hot water rise from below, where the tunnel goes on down; above, a loose stone covers the way up into the pool.
The water grows warmer as the tunnel descends, but is still pleasant enough. The current from below is getting stronger and, far above, the light of the sky is still visible. The tunnel goes on down a long way, and climbs back up toward the pool.
The water is getting warmer, but is still pleasant enough. The current from below is getting stronger, and, far above, the light of the sky is still visible.
The water is getting extremely hot now, and efforts to move any further down could get disastrous, as even the heat here is enough to make any hardy adventurer light headed. The minerals coating the walls seem to have some sort of reaction to the heat, giving off a faint green glow that grows brighter from top to bottom.
The smooth rock walls here are covered by a dense green layer of minerals. The water seems to be cooling to the north, while steam bubbles are clearly visible to the south.
The water is starting to feel a little cooler as the cave appears to open, finally, to an open-air chamber above. The cave continues south, but there are no other apparent exits.
This cavern must be at least two or three hundred yards in diameter, and has been filled with a variety of barrels, chests, and crates. From the looks of things, it is possible that most of the hill people could live right here in this cavern for an extended duration. The inner heat of the mountain seems to be keeping the shelter comfortably warm.
The innards of this deceased dragon have been removed, creating a small chamber in which a person could relax. It does, however, smell funny in here.
The water here is really unfortunately warm.
The air here is noticeably warmer than elsewhere in the hills, and the fog swirls in odd, disorienting eddies. The ground is warm to the touch. North, the hollow ends at the foot of a sheer cliff; east, a slope climbs among boulders; and west lies the crossing below the fortress.
Somehow the druids have guided the growth of this majestic fir so that it holds a chamber some twenty-five feet across. No axe or saw has ever touched it: the walls are living wood, covered with drawings and glyphs that tell of the cycles of life and nature, lit by a curious glowing fungus that gives off a warm orange light. The bark door to the campsite is in the south wall.
The fog which appeared soft and fuzzy from so high above now seems a little less pleasant as it approaches so rapidly. Flames from the hooves of a group of fire horses indicate that the ground must be quite near.
The gods are merciful to those who land here: the fertile, damp soil of this slope cushions a fall from any height. Amongst a pile of boulders stands a round target mounted on a tree stump, scorched by flaming arrows. The slope runs down to the west into a warm hollow, and south into a fog-filled draw.
A black pool of water occupies the center of this dark cave. While the water in the pool seems clear enough, there is no bottom in sight. Other than the bones scattered along the perimeter of the cave, there is nothing else remarkable here.
The Hill People keep their weaponry well-oiled and clean. The smoothness of the iron bowl might even cause one to consider the possibility that it is dwarven made. As you enter the bowl, the catapult shifts slightly, causing the cover of the bowl to come down.
Somebody must have accidentally hit that launch lever! The wind is deafening but this location does provide a remarkable view of the keep below.
This is truly a remarkable flight, unparalleled in velocity by any magics. Far below and behind stands the Hill People Fortress. Small plumes of smoke and steam rise from the vents that heat the keep.
At this point, further upward travel ceases, and a rapid descent begins. Just to the east, an enormous bird swoops close by. It must have a wingspan of 150 feet, and, while this is likely the least of your troubles at the moment, the bird does appear to be considering your viability as a food source.
Straining eastward, you actually manage to soar close enough to the bird that it decides to grab you in its monstrous talons! It now appears to be flying further east, providing a moment in which to reflect on decisions made.
As the bird flies further east, an enormous nest comes into view. While it is likely that this nest will provide a soft landing, movement in the nest, accompanied by the hungry cries of young rocs, indicate that your current mode of transportation might also have some drawbacks.
This nest is nestled into the face of a steep cliff. The cliff walls above provide no support for climbing, and, below, clouds pushing against the mountains obscure all vision. Bones of various beasts are strewn about the nest, and an odor proportionate with the size of the birds that make this place their home permeates the area.
This appears to be one way of getting down to the ground, although the slightest mistake will probably be quite costly. Directly upward is the roc nest, and, far below, an adept climber might be able to reach the ground from here.
Steep rock walls shoot up to the north, east, and west. To the south, thick fog engulfs long, low, rolling hills. The ground and boulders here are quite literally covered in roc droppings, providing a distinctly foul odor.