02 - Iron Kingdoms W.. - Captain Spud Is Amazing

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maintained in case of any eventuality. The surrounding
mountains are heavily trapped and full of hidden
murder holes and fortified positions.
Issyrah: Originally Issyrah was home to the Fane
of Ayisla. After the gods disappeared, the city entered
into a centuries-long decline. By the time the dragon
Everblight whom the elves call Ethrunbal began to
prey on Ios, there were tens of thousands of elves living
in the city. It was here in 390 AR the Iosan army finally
destroyed the beast, but not before it had decimated
Issyrah and killed its entire population. Once the
beast lay slain, its athanc was cut out and sealed
away in a hidden location “at the top of the world.”
What remains of Issyrah is a blasted wasteland where
nothing grows.
Knot, The: The Knot is an impossibly complex,
mist-shrouded roadway from the Gate of Mists through
Mistbough that loops back and forth across itself.
Ingeniously devised by House Aiesyn as both a defense
and trade route, the winding Knot is so complex even
most Iosans are unable to navigate it. Only the builders
and highly trained scouts of House Rhysslyr know the
secrets of its passage, and trespassers quickly find
themselves lost
Mistbough: Mistbough is a strangely beautiful
and haunting wood of mist, brush, and hundreds of
hidden archers from House Rhysslyr. The forest is
dense with aspens and rolling hills affording plenty
of hiding holes for ambush sites as well as pitfalls
and snare and net traps set for the unwary. It is also
believed that hidden Retribution of Scyrah bases exists
throughout Mistbough.
Moon Arch: The Moon Arch was a great scrying
devise built to locate the Vanished. It consists of a
great arch spanning an enormous pool of water. As
the moons move over the arch, they pull the water in
various directions creating pictures and scenes of far
off places, and the power of the arch waxes and wanes
with the tides. The arch was abandoned after it failed
to locate the gods after hundreds of attempts. The
site is still maintained by members of the Seekers sect
who yet believe the Moon Arch may prove useful in
locating the missing gods. The highest-ranking Seeker
of the area is Shaela Hallyr (female Iosan Clr12/
Wiz6), an attractive woman of indeterminate age and
unswerving faith and devotion.
Rhul
We are entering a strange and
wondrous age. Momentous things are
happening beyond our mountains: new
amazing machines invented, distant
lands discovered and explored, and
unimaginable perils and horrors
met with courage. We must guard
our heartland, but I hope our people
will bear witness and help shape this
coming age. I am too old to play a part,
but I envy my sons, my grandsons, and
my granddaughters. Let us be willing
to send them out even into certain
peril to make their lasting mark upon
the world.
—Stone Lord Guvul Godor to the
other Stone Lords
Rhul is a great expanse of soaring peaks, rugged
mountains, sheltered valleys, and deep gorges. The
landscape is both beautiful and terrifying, for the
Borokuhn Mountains, Silvertip Peaks, and Glass
Peaks boast some of the tallest mountains in western
Immoren. Crossing the outer barrier mountains
from the south or west requires knowledge of the
dangerous icy roads and trails created by the dwarves
over the centuries. Some roads lead into chokepoints,
run under massive fortifications, or twist back on
themselves as they climb the mountains, allowing
watchers to observe those venturing inward. The outer
dwarven clans take their duties seriously, and only
those who ask permission and offer friendly greeting
are given easy passage. Nestled safely within these
barriers, the great and ancient Armsdeep stabilizes
the harsh northern weather and provides life and
livelihood for over a million dwarves and a hundred
thousand ogrun.
The greatest cities of Rhul rest on the shores of
this lake. The timeless capital of Ghord and its sister
city Ulgar are sprawling complexes of unfathomably
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