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

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In times of need the waterway can close to
incoming traffic via a gate of massive, slow-rusting
iron alloy bars rising from the riverbed on gigantic
chains and gear works. The fortress garrison searches
suspicious ships before being allowing them to journey
onward. Horgenhold integrates an impressive array of
telescopes to watch incoming vessels. A number of fast
river vessels are also kept at the ready in case smugglers
attempt to make a run for it. Since the start of the war,
the fortress’ already large garrison has been heavily
reinforced. Even the Khadorans understand any
attempt to bypass or lay siege to Horgenhold would
come at the loss of a tremendously disproportionate
number of troops.
Foundation: High between the peaks of three of
Rhul’s highest mountains is an enormous crevasse
nearly a mile wide and of uncertain depth. This was
named “Foundation” after the belief that the Great
Fathers climbed through here to Caen from Kharg
Drogun to sire the dwarven race. Ancient shrines
remain at both the west and eastern limits of the
chasm in homage to the Great Fathers, and some
pious dwarves make the pilgrimage to see them. The
crevasse is of interest and concern to both of the
Guard cities being roughly equidistant between them.
There have always been stories of strange creatures
emerging from the many caves in its depths, and
these reports have increased in frequency over the last
couple decades. Some believe the dragon Scaefang, or
Scylfangen to the Rhulfolk, may have made a lair for
itself in the depths of the Foundation.
Lakeforge: As its name suggests, Lakeforge is a
center of industry and more of a shared foundry and
prison than a proper military fortress. Outside of
Ghord, more Rhulic weapons and armor are crafted
at Lakeforge than anywhere in the kingdom. It is also
home to several shipwrights who make sturdy boats to
ply the Armsdeep. Lakeforge is particularly noted for
its excellent cannons built by Master Builder Ortun
Uldar (male dwarf Exp11/Ftr4). Ortun’s Lakeforge
cannons are shipped throughout Rhul and found
anywhere from Griddenguard to Horgenhold.
Leadership of Lakeforge is shared between the
Uldar and Dovor Stone Houses although a dozen
other clans have settled and work the community that
now sprawls around the fortress along with many of
the best ogrun crafters in Rhul. In fact, it is a mark
of distinction to be welcomed at Lakeforge, and new
craftsmen must actually petition to work there. Aside
from this ongoing industry, it is the responsibility of
the defenders at Lakeforge to patrol the Armsdeep
for unauthorized ships or boats—an occurrence very
rare but not unheard of—and guard the few Rhulic
prisoners who are sent to the remote Dungeon Tower
located on a sea stack several hundred yards out in
a surging current of the Armsdeep overlooked by
Lakeforge proper.
The Bloodstone
Marches
No place in western Immoren seems more desolate,
lonely, and forbidding than the Bloodstone Marches.
It is an enormous desert land of parched rock, gravel,
and shifting sands. Its coastline, inhabited in places
by the Protectorate of Menoth, is treacherously
fogbound. The fringes of the coast that are home to
both Sul-Menites and Idrians is a harsh landscape of
desert scrub and rugged brown hills of exposed rock
sandblasted by the wind and backed by a chain of
mountains.
Around the hills stretch wide-ranging plains
scattered with gravel as well as low-lying salt pans
and undulating dunes. It is difficult to say how many
countless broken bones are buried in those sands.
Valleys and deep gorges mark the courses of what
may have been rivers once upon a time. Though
most of them have long since dried, water usually lies
somewhere underground within reach of plant roots,
and in places it rises to the surface as waterholes. One
must have a care at such spots, for dune prowlers (see
entry MN1) often lie in wait for prey around these
watering sites.
The water off the Bloodstone coast is unexpectedly
cool. This chill is due to cold ocean currents that lend
to the coastline its distinguishing fog. Dense banks of
mist usually hang offshore hiding the ocean beyond.
Mariners who skirt the shore in these areas curse the
precarious sea fog known to cut off visibility in mere
seconds. Suddenly blind on a sea of strong currents,
World Guide 363