Points of Interests

Structures

Gate City: Formerly known as Eastgate, Gate City is located at the eastern end of Royal Pass and marks the only access to High Castle. It gets its name from the enormous gate at the entrance to the pass. Gate City is the largest city in Dunedan, boasting over 10,000 residents within its walls and at least that many living close by. As the closest city to Lord Dulsaneís seat of power, Gate City denizens feel his oppressive boot the most. Spellcasting is highly restricted, as is the type and number of weapons allowed per resident. Thievery is punishable by death (there is no Thievesí Guild). Also, city taxes are extremely high.

Wayside: Originally a trade stop along the Great Road, Wayside quickly grew into a bustling city. Unfortunately, with the destruction of the bridge, trade fell away. The populace turned to other venues to maintain their now-decadent lifestyles. The Thieves' Guild, which had been infiltrating key positions in the city government, suddenly found itself in charge. Over the years, the thieves have become legit...relatively speaking. Any form of vice, debauchery or generally unwholesome passtime can be found here, for a price. Entry is easy; getting out is another story.

High Castle: Lord Dulsane's home and seat of power. The High Castle was once the central point of a great mountain pass. Most of those mountains were destroyed in the cataclysm; the High Castle was saved through the sacrifice of the High Priest of Pelor. Now the castle sits atop a high mesa, an island unto itself, with only a narrow promontory connecting it to the mainland. The promontory connects with the remains of the Royal Pass and ends at an immense gate. The gate, which leads directly into Gate City, is bordered by two guard towers. Only those granted entry by Lord Dulsane are allowed in; the gate rarely opens.

The Broken City: Originally the primary entry point to the kingdom, the city of Erendell was laid waste in the cataclysm. The great bridge that spanned the Wide River was broken, cutting Dunedan off from the eastern lands. Now called the Broken City, Erendell is said to be haunted. Even the barbarian tribesmen stay away.

The Great Road: The Great Road was laid in ancient times, linking the lands to the east across the river to the western lands beyond the mountains. It is still in remarkable condition, though some sections have fallen into disrepair. There used to be a number of inns and waystations along the Great Road, but Lord Dulsane no longer provides support for them. A few are maintained by followers of Fharlanghn, but not always the same few.

Gnomish Cliff City: Before the cataclysm, there was a Dwarfhold in the mountains south of Royal Pass. The cataclysm destroyed much of it, and the Dwarves soon abandoned the remains. A family of Gnomes moved in and made it their own; over the centuries it has grown into something marvelous. The western cliff face is studded with mechanical lifts and balconies, walkways hundreds of feet in the air, etc. Down at sea level the Gnomes maintain a small seaport, and are the only race to have made or maintained contact with outside lands...or so they claim. Note that the Gnomes have a different name for this city; as with most Gnomish names it is very long and takes quite a while to recite, much less memorize. The other races have taken to using the descriptive name instead.

Geography

Coastal Mountains: Thanks to the cataclysm, this mountain range borders directly on the sea. Much of the western (seaward) face is sheer cliff hundreds or thousands of feet high. The water directly west, where the rest of the range used to be, is riddled with underwater rock formations, reefs and other hazards. The peaks north of Royal Pass have recently seen increased goblinoid activity.

Grand Mountains: This massive range towers over Dunedan. Its peaks are even higher than the Coastal Range pre-cataclysm and are virtually impassable. The Dwarves of the kingdom made their home here until the cataclysm. At that time the Dwarfholds were sealed, stranding many dwarf clans in the kingdom. The southern mountains have been overrun by goblinoids and other evil creatures, causing most to believe that the Dwarves have completely abandoned this part of the world.

Hot Plains: One of the effects of the cataclysm has been a noticeable reduction in river flow. Although the land to the south and west remains arable, the northeast plains have become arid. They are home to tribes of nomads and savages.

Enob Dray: This area, on the border of the Hot Plains, is thought to be either an ancient battlefield or a massacred village. All that remains is an inordinate number of burial mounds.

Western Forest: So named because it was originally the western end of the Great Forest. The widening of the Raging River created a massive rift that separated the Western Forest Elves from their kin. The Elves of the Western Forest are extremely reclusive, and have placed powerful magics on the forest to keep out unwanted visitors. Anyone trying to enter quickly finds themselves lost, always returning to the Forestís edge.

Elf River: One of the few rivers still flowing in Dunedan. The Elf River is so called because it flows through the Western Forest on its way to the sea. Because the inhabitants of the Western Forest are extremely territorial, only Elves are allowed to ride the Riverís waters past the Forestís edge.

Dark Forest: The only large forest in Dunedan besides the Western Forest, the Dark Forest has little else in common with it. The Dark Forest gets its name from both its appearance (predominantly dark-tinged foliage, stunted or odd-looking plants) and from the pervading sense of unease felt by those unlucky or unschooled enough to enter. A single stream of black water flows from the Dark Forest and empties into the Raging River.

Raging River: Once known as the Wide River, this too was altered by the cataclysm. Originally, the Wide River was one mile across and, though swift, was passable. A massive stone bridge was built across it to facilitate trade and travel. During the cataclysm the Riverís speed and volume increased dramatically. This had the immediate effect of flooding the banks and destroying the bridge. Over the centuries, the powerful flow has eroded the banks to the point that the River is now just over two miles across and sits at the bottom of a deep canyon. All of these factors (speed, width, depth) make the Raging River impossible to cross. The Riverís mouth is a minefield of sandbars, rapids and other treacherous hazards.