Bones of the Earth & River of Blood

Artwork by Ray Bender

The City-State of Kossuth claims two mountain chains, the Everdusks and Thule, and one major waterway, the Rubyrun River.

Rubyrun River

The Rubyrun is a wide and deep fresh water river rich in iron giving it it's ruby red look. The water is fresh and clean. There is much river traffic. The river acts as a major trade route to the south west into the lands of Hykiria and Bryndor. Most halflings in the City-State are river folk. They live on barges, and fishing boats traveling up and down the length of the river. Two major threats exist on and below the water. The first is the river pirates that plague boat traffic and raid riverside villages. Despite an increase in the City-State's naval presence the pirates always seem to be one step ahead. The second, and less frequently encountered threat is the Crayfish-men that live in villages below the river. Something has been causing them to be more active recently, though what that might be is anyones best guess.

River Encounters

Roll 1d10

1. River Pirates

2. Halfling River Barge

3. Fishing Boat

4. Crayfish-Men

5. City-State Naval Patrol Boat

6. Funeral Pyre Boat

7. Giant Pike

8. Goblin War Raft

10. Floating Debris

The River Road Encounters

Roll 1d10

1. Human Merchant Caravan

2. Gnomish Merchants

3. City-State Legionnaires

4. Highway Bandits

5. Elven Blockade

6. Bloody Paw Goblins (see Tharzad-Dul, Mountain Door)

7. Farmers

8. Woad Barbarians

9. Broken Down Carriage

10. The Black Rider (See the Witchmire)

Everdusk Mountains

The Everdusk Mountains act as a natural border for the City-State and divides it from the Yoshan Empire to the East. These mountains hold many mysteries and have yet to be fully explored. Like the underworld of Aerd, the high places of the world tend be have thin borders to other worlds and gateways to the weird. Giants and Yeti crawl the mountains as well as other more bizarre creatures hailing from from far away lands.

Everdusk Mountains Encounters

Roll 1d10

1. Dreaming Monk

2. Yeti

3. Giants

4. Dusk Drake

5. Prospectors

6. Explorers

7. Shantank

8. Mountain Goats

9. Moon-Beast

10. Black Sky Barge

Sites of Interest

Hydra Mountain (Hex 1716)

Hydra Mountain, a place of power, riddled with caves, dungeon levels, and secrets. Location of the mega-dungeon of Tharzad-Dul.

The Dungeon of Tharzad-Dul (Hex 1716)

The eponymous mega-dungeon. Once the home of the dwarves.

Giant Fortress (Hex 1720)

In the days before the first cataclysm this was was a might fortress from which the giants ruled the surrounding lands. Today it stands in ruins and is held by the most powerful and charismatic of the Giant Warlords. Their is a faction of these giants that seek to overthrow the current leader. They plan to do this by brining back a powerful giant warlock from the grave. All of Giant-Kind ounce hailed from the world of Yotaurus. Their history tell of a time when they were much more than the barbaric tribes that they are today. Prophecy speaks of a future day when the glory of the giants will return.

The Valley that Time Forgot (Hex 1723)

This valley has remained hidden from the world. This is because an enchantment on it acts as a temporal trap. Creatures and people can go into this jungle paradise, but cant leave. This powerful enchantment was placed on the valley in order to trap a terrible God and imprison it here forever.

The Demonsbreath Pass (Not shown)

This dangerous pass is used by bold travellers to navigate the mountains in order to have a quicker route to the Yoshan Empire beyond.

The Monastery of Orsoom (Hex 1808)

This difficult to reach monastery teaches martial arts, meditation, and other mysteries to those that they deem worthy. Usually this involves the potential acolyte to perform some sort of dangerous mission. Even then success does not necessarily mean entry. The library here contains many rare texts and histories.

Yotarian Gate (Hex 1805)

This deactivated gate leads to Yotaurus, the home world of the Giants. It is protected by yeti and other monsters. Some time in the near future the gate will open and the true Giants armed with powerful magic and weapons will arrive bent on conquest. They will use their barbarian brethren as shock troops and do not consider them to be true giants, but some pathetic throwback.

The Thule Mountains

High in the Thule mountains lives the wizard Lhurwyn, his magic is powerful and many come to him for advice. Deep below the Mountains lies the ruins of a once glorious city of minotaurs who's barbaric descendants war with a race of ogres and orcs augmented with a variety of body enhancing implants.

Thule Mountain Encounters

Roll 1d10

1. Xarlum Minotaur

2. Steelspine Ogre

3. Pilgrim

4. Shriek Hawk

5. Silverfoot Faun

6. Night Gaunt

7. Goat Shepard

8. Ironhand Orc

9. Crag Monkey

10. Lhurwyn the Mad

Sites of Interest

Xarloon Minotaur City (0214)

The Xarloon minotaurs are another race from Yotaurus. At their peak they were great magicians and warriors. Now few if any of this race can cast the simplest of spells.

Tower of Lhurwyn the Mad (Hex 0613)

Lhuryn the Mad, can see into the future and perform great feats of magic. He is a lewd and disagreeable old man. He has no need for money and will only aid those who bring him young nubile women and men for him to sate his lusts. He is served by enchanted crag monkeys who perform a variety of tasks including spying, cleaning and fetching things for him. His tower is guarded by magical guardians and traps.

True Lair of Khysophax (Hex 0711)

The true lair of Kysophax is located deep in the mountains here. It can be reached by descending a deep fissure in the mountain, or by long twisting cave tunnels back to the Shadowheart forest.

Vault of Ersetu Sheen (Hex 0313)

Ersetu Sheen is a hybrid of machine, man, and centaur. He is obsessed with creating and augmenting life. His two greatest creations are the Ironhand Orcs and the Steelespine Ogres. The Orcs all have their right hands removed and replaced with a random weapon, including circular saw blades, flamethrowers, shock-flails, or a iron fist mounted on a chain that can retract back into the arm. The Steelspine ogres have a reinforced spine surgically implanted on their backs. They typically have regenerating steel spikes that can be launched at targets at range.