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Gazetteer
The Godoruk Road runs north into the Blackstorm Mountains. The Tethemir Road runs south into the Forests of Sylvaria. Both roads are the same, depending on which direction you are facing. Godoruk is a tent city of Orcs. Tethemir is an arboreal city of Elves. You have heard of more distant cities from travelers such as the fabled city of Dwarves (Mordarag), the subterranean city of Halflings (Tunnelmore), the coastal city of Goblins (Buggerad), the mushroom city of Gnomes (The Great Stump), and the swamp city of the Lizardmen (Shazaladar). There are no standing Human cities, the last (Pharysis) having been destroyed centuries ago.
Maps
The map(s) below are provided to give players (not characters) some idea about what surrounds their characters. The maps are by no means complete. For purposes of scale, consider that two hexes can be walked in a typical day. On some days and in some terrains that distance may be longer, on other days the opposite will be true. When determining distance traveled the DM will use PHBp164 as a guideline.
Hex map coordinates may not be immediately intuitive (they weren't for me). The hex-columns of each map are identified by a letter-number located at top of the map (easy enough). Down the right-most column and then clockwise across the bottom is a number which indentifies a diagonal row proceeding NW from the number. For an example, consider this excerpt from Map-001: The Darkfallen Hills.
We now know that the Felllight Caves are located at "001(J2,6)".
Map-001: The Darkfallen Hills
The following map details the environs at the beginning Motherhackers Game.
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Areas of Interest
- Alehaven (T1,25) - A thriving Human settlement until Orcish raiding parties burned the town to the ground. The inhabitants of the town were massacred. Many of the Alehaven women appear to have been taken back to the Godoruk mating stalls. When standing, the town was popular for its brewery.
- Blackgate (N1,24) - A large iron gate stands between two cliffs along the Godoruk Road. Two iron-reinforced towers serve as the gate posts. Though the gate has not been closed in an age, Blackgate still serves to mark the southern border of the Orclands. All races other than Orcs and Half-Orcs must be fettered with heavy chains to pass inside.
- Bonethorn Forest - A densely forested area notorious for its Bonethorn Locust trees. The white spines of the Bloodthorns have the reputation for being able to open the flesh of the unwary, to the bone. The forest would be a relatively peaceful area if not for the creatures that percolate up from the Drowning Pits.
- Endless Caves (V1,27) - A day's walk from the Happy Hog Inn one can find a series of hillside cave entrances. The ground outside the caves is littered with the skeletal remains of explorers that appear to have been vomited back by the earth. The remains have long ago been picked clean by the less adventurous.
- Glinter (V1,32) - A hilltop Gnome town that overlooks the Fenmoor. Glinter is a bustling mining town. It is speculated that there are so many mine shafts dug into the town's hill that one day the entire place will collapse into a giant hole. The Gnomes of Glinter are too busy to worry about such things, producing the most striking gems in the region.
- Godoruk (G1,22)- The largest Orc city in the "World" lies at the foot of the Blackstorm Mountains. Built upon the floor and slopes of the Blasted Vale, Godoruk is a great mosaic of painted leather tents. All Orc tribes send one delegation to Godoruk every ten years to give tribute at the Tomb of Gruumsh.
- Happy Hog Inn (T1,29) - The inn is a rustic waypoint along the Godoruk Road. It offers private rooms, clean and comfortable beds, good food, and surprises that arise from the fact that the proprietor has no idea how extensive the hillside inn truly is. Despite a history of strange occurrences the remote inn remains popular with travelers.
- House of the Shalm (Z1,24)- A quiet walled monastic compound devoted to Obad-Hai. The monastery wall is surrounded by fields of flowers and hundreds of bee boxes. All peaceful visitors are welcomed to the Great Hall where they may sample Bonethorn Mead. The monks also sell this libation for the modest tithe of 10gp a bottle.
- Karak (P1,20)- The warren town of Karak hosts a large Kobold community and is believed to secure a tunnel entrance that leads deep into the Blackstorm Mountains. There are rumors that the Kobolds have raised (and now serve) a dragon within their warrens.
- Tower of Tolkemir (Y1,33) - A large squat and empty stone tower on the northern shore of the Swiftrun River. It is believed to have been built by a Gnome wizard wishing to protect himself from intrusions that might interrupt his grand designs. As the years passed, Tolkemir grew mad and discharged his staff. He was last seen on the Tethemir Road begging travelers to help him. A passing merchant took him to the Town of Yelob but he died in transit. Since then, travelers avoid the road around the tower at night due to stories of the grotesque aberrations that dwell there.
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