Lore - Axe Glacier

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AXE GLACIER - LAND OF ICE

Axe Glacier, one of the coldest spots in the known lands. Just climbing the mountainside is an adventure. Many creatures have adapted well to the colder climate, and can only be found near the glacier. If you decide to adventure in Axe Glacier, make sure to come prepared with some protection from the elements. Without any enchantment protecting you from the cold, just walking on the glacier will damage you every round, until you eventually freeze to death. When you first enter the glacier, you find yourself in Axe Town. Thieves will immediately like the town because there is no Sheriff to take keep law and order, making doing business much easier. The trainers here can train to much higher levels than those of Kesmai town can. Silvermoon, the blacksmith, keeps his secret forge just North of the Wizard’s hut. There you will find a gate that requires you to wear a moonstone ring and enter only at night.

If you are not of lawful alignment, extreme caution is advised in entering Axe Town. Mother Opal, the priestess that watches the portal area, is highly skilled in the ways of martial arts and has no mercy on wrongdoers. There are also several statues positioned around town that can pass out instant death to those who stand next to them and are not of a lawful nature. Thieves, due to their disguise, can safely pass the guardian statues with no fear. Of course, since there is no wandering Sheriff, or any other wandering law enforcement, sometimes the forces of chaos get bold and walk right into town. Just West of town is Sun Lake, formed when some of the waters from an ancient waterfall were mysteriously frozen in place. The waters are icy cold. The water flows from the lake South into another river that leads beyond the glacier into completely unexplored territory. Across the lake to the Southwest is a small expanse of caverns, inhabited by Orcs, Kobolds, Goblins, Wights, Wraiths, and an occasional Wyvern. It is not much tougher than what you would expect to find on the second level of the Kesmai dungeon. To the North is the frozen waterfall. Several places have had handholds carved to make climbing easier (though they all require that both hands be used in the climb). Most of the climbs lead to the lower glacier area, sixty-feet above the base of the waterfall. One climb, the farthest to the West, leads to the Griffin's nest, eighty-feet above the base of the waterfall.

A caution to Thieves at this point; do not put you faith in your hide spell. The chill in the air is such that you will lose your hide, and the Ghods of Murphy have decreed that you will always lose it when you most need it.

Many years ago, the Demon Asmodeous built a great castle in Axe Glacier and the entrance to this castle can be found on the sixty-foot level. The immense beauty and magical flying buttresses give an unearthly quality to the castle, and even having been built by the powerful Demon Lord, it still has something of a graceful beauty. Years after the castle was built, and Asmodeous was banished from the realm, Poraph, the father of Giants, claimed the castle as his own. His descendants still rule from within the castle, around which you will encounter many of his minions, skilled with axe, dagger, and hand. Some are even well versed in the magical arts. Within the castle are more of his minions. The entrance to the castle is well guarded, requiring night to enter and an axe in hand. As an added measure, the entry portal has a stunning effect on all who pass through it. Finally, it is a one-way portal.

To the South of the castle is another cavern structure. Many Wolves wander through the caverns, along with Hobgoblins, Wraiths, Spectres, Ogres and Rockworms. Some of the lesser creatures also wander the caverns as well. Deep within the caverns is a stairway that leads to the eighty-foot level. The entire East side of the area is an immense glacier, left over from when the river that flowed from the top of the mountain was instantly frozen by whatever power chose to punish this land. Few creatures live on the ice itself, though you might find an occasional Ice Lizard wandering the area.

Eighty feet above the bottom of the waterfall one can find the Griffin’s nest in the Southeast corner, near the climb up from the base level. There, a lawful Griffin resides and keeps watch over the pass on the East side. Around to the North side of the pass is a climb up to Porphyry's Pub, then the path continues along the West side, where it becomes Rose Pass, named in honor of a group that was responsible for many of the adventures a long time ago. As you follow Rose Pass to the North, you can see the upper levels of the Giant’s castle. Rose Pass terminates to the North with a climb up to the one hundred twenty-foot level. The second floor of the Giant’s castle is also located eighty-foot above the base of the waterfall. Here, the Giant keeps his throne room. On the altar outside the throne room, the forces of law, in an attempt to provide some balance, cause a special Returning Hammer to appear from time to time. In addition, within the Giant's throne room is the Goose that laid the golden egg.

From the Giant’s throne room and across the bridge, is a special temple shrine to Asmodeous. It is well maintained in case of the Demon Lord’s return. Thaumaturges keep the sacrificial flames burning bright and Warriors work hard to keep the riffraff from desecrating the temple. Across the gorge from the temple is the Lightning Mesa. Here you will find a simple altar and a few zealots that still follow the ways of lightning. Be careful if you enter here, for they attack like lightning (hard and quick). To the South of the pass is a smaller set of caves. The ZAP caverns contain more of the riffraff that seem to like the caverns. (primarily because they are warm). In addition, it is rumored that a king among Wolves likes to wander near the entrance to the caverns and that this King Wolf carries the much-sought Obsidian Egg.

A long time ago, there was a great hero of Axe Glacier, Porphyry of that which is C.U.R.E. He was a very valiant Warrior, but had a weakness for certain spirits that were served at this particular pub in Axe Glacier, not to mention the rather attractive barmaids that worked the place. The POR family had frequented that bar for many years (and in fact had been some of the best patrons). One day, the proprietor met with an accident while heading home. In his will, he left the entire bar to the POR family as a token of his esteem for his favorite patron. To this day, one can find POR propped up at a table, leaning back in his chair (or sometimes he's on the floor, depends on how far back in the chair he leaned). Of course, the original proprietor never liked keeping tabs, so he arranged to have a branch of the Kesmai bank moved in so his customers would have convenient access to their cash. And as a service for his customers, he provided balm and recall agents, figuring that the best customer was a living customer, and with recalls set for the bar, he'd have a good supply of repeat customers.

Above the eighty-foot level is an immense cavern system, with the frozen river running in a valley between the caverns. Ogre Caverns, West of the frozen river, contain many more Hobgoblins, Spectres, Wraiths, Gargoyles, Ogres, Wolves, Rockworms and Ice Lizards that roam the frozen river area. At the North end of the frozen river is another very high cliff where the river forms another great frozen waterfall. Climbs have been made that lead up to the highest level of the glacier. For those that have trouble with the climb, there is a stairway up to a sloping passage to the East of the river. There is also a climb up to the Harper Woods in the Western caves, and stairs that lead up to a chaotic temple built into the mountain overlooking those same woods. In the Eastern caves is a climb up to Lockpick Town, so named for its one unique item that is unavailable from any other source, and their primary means of trade. Just South of the climb up to the town, there is another stairway leading to the Caverns of DOOM. On the one hundred twenty-foot level is the entrance to the Axe Glacier branch of the Thieves’ Guild. Buried in the Northeastern corner of the Skull Caverns (so named after a notorious group of Thieves), the entrance is well hidden so that only a Thief may trigger it. The outside of the guild entrance is usually in the middle of a large zoo, so it is prudent to use extreme caution when leaving the guild. It is a short, if dangerous, trip from the guild to Lockpick Town, which can be safely accomplished with cleverness and copious DARKNESS spells. From Lockpick Town a Thief can quickly access the upper glacier area (Drake, Ice Dragon and Yeti lairs) by jumping down from the North end of town. There is even a little known jump-down that explosively transports you to the Axe Town portal complex.

Formed many years ago by pools that ran off the river (when it was not frozen), the denizens of the area have spent many years carving the walls straighter and adding the finishing touches for their evil abodes. Legend has it that many years ago, a group of Fighters discovered the original caves, and used them as a base to launch a series of attacks against the Yasnaki Brotherhood in Axe Glacier. Unfortunately, most of the Fighters were killed, and when the Brotherhood discovered their hiding place, they came in and, with powerful magic, changed all of the inhabitants into Orcs, Hobgoblins, and Ogres. A few of the Brotherhood's Fighters stayed to take charge of this new force and descendants from that disaster still inhabit the caves. Of course, one of the inhabitants DID manage to escape, but not before he was turned into an Orc himself. Hiding out for many years, Rocky.T.Orc has finally come out of hiding and has set up a shop on Kesmai Island, where he hopes to put the memory of that disaster behind him. Above the Skull Caves, Lockpick Town was established. Thieves first established the town in order that they could train and do business without local law enforcement officials constantly trying to end their meager existence. During the reign of the Brotherhood, the Thieves of Axe Glacier were ignored, and the Thieves likewise ignored the Brotherhood. Moreover, the town flourished. When the Brotherhood was finally eradicated and others finally moved back to Axe Glacier, they tried to establish law and order in all of the towns. Of course, the residents of Lockpick did not like this, and they showed their displeasure in many ways, until those of the law finally took the message and left Lockpick to it's own devices (but not before at least establishing a temple there). There is a tree stump in the center of town, charred and scorched, but still standing. This is left as a reminder, to all, of what happens to Sheriffs in this town. Legend has it that the last person to hold the job as Sheriff was taken, tied to the tree, and then Okerneal himself cast a concentrated FIRESTORM on the tree and immediate area. When the maelstrom had cleared, nothing was left but the charred remains of the tree.

On the one hundred eighty-foot level in the Northwest corner of Harper Woods is the portal to the Underkingdom. Thought to have been permanently destroyed, it was reactivated by King Kookoo to allow adventurers to come to the aid of his people. The old Yasnaki settlement and temple occupy most of the rest of the area. The town itself is overgrown, but still a few remnants of the old order may be found wandering around, those who managed to hide deep within the woods when the Muian Thaumaturges came through and eradicated the Brotherhood. In the center of the settlement is a small pond that is home to a unique creature. This magical creature will aggressively guard what is left of the once thriving settlement. Deep in the temple to the West is a portal to Kesmai, where the order performed many of their greatest experiments.

The source of the frozen river can be found high in the mountains. Whatever force froze it, must have been very powerful indeed for the fish and everything are there in the waterfalls, suspended for all time. Soon after the river was frozen, four of the nastiest, meanest, and most powerful of evil forces took control of the caves that served as the source of the river. They have killed many a valiant Warrior, and the treasure found in their lairs is second to none. In the lowest section, easily reached from the waterfall, lives Sparkles, a very powerful blue Drake. His skin is silvery and toughened by the cold so that only magical, blue-glowing, edged weapons can penetrate his hide. The electric charge of his breath is such that it can kill all but the most powerful in one blow, and those that do survive are often stunned by the charge. Usually with the Drake (although it does tend to float around) is a Presence of ice, which has developed immunity to non-magical weapons. From time to time, intruders, especially hidden Thieves may be lucky enough to observe the banter between the Drake and the Presence as they frolic in almost a juvenile manner.

Above the Drake lives a great white Ice Dragon, known as Mama. She is arguably the single most powerful beast ever to exist in the known lands. Her skin is so tough from the cold that only the Silver Great-Axe or the ICESPEAR of a powerful Wizard can penetrate it. The ice of her breath is so cold that even with the best protection, the damage is serious. Her teeth are razor sharp, and her claws can rend flesh effortlessly. Her favorite meal is human flesh, and she tends to make a regular diet of it. Finally, above Mama in the most remote accesses of the glacier, is Yoric the Yeti. Yoric's breath is as bad as Mama's and his damage with tooth and nail is nothing to trifle with. He also can only be touched with magical edged weapons. With the Yeti is a giant Polar Bear that can cause serious damage with tooth and claw. Also, a few Goblins can be found with Yoric, but that is just because he has not got around to eating them for dinner. Of course, he prefers human meat when he can get it, but with Sparkles and Mama, not very much gets up to him. In addition, roaming around on the same level, are two of Yoric's pet Ice Lizards. If Mama is around, she enjoys occasional visits with Yoric, and will fly up to visit him as well. As an act of compassion, the Ghods have placed a Confessor Ghost on the glacier top not far from the climb up to Sparkles lair. This gives any hero that wishes to confess their karmic burden the opportunity before they go and face death with The Trio (as they are commonly known).

Vulcan, a blacksmith of great renown, moved up to this level with his daughter, Alia, to get away from the crowds of the city. If you can find an Obsidian Egg and take it to him, he will craft for you an axe of great quality, which will return to the hand that threw it. Beware of Alia, though, for she, too, covets the egg, and would steal it (or just about anything else) if she could. The entrance to Vulcan's forge is hidden behind a rock wall. The teleport mechanism requires the use of a moonstone ring and can only be activated at night.