Zelkor's Outpost

Rumors about the Rappan Athuk dungeons will not always point adventurers directly toward the Mausoleum at Rappan Athuk, but toward a remote, semi-fortified inn known as Zelkor’s Outpost. The wilderness around the Mausoleum is known to be extremely dangerous, and lower-level adventurers may very well choose to base themselves—at least in the early stages of the expedition—in an outpost of civilization, however small it might be. At the very least, Zelkor’s Outpost offers a place to re-provision, to rest with some safety, and possibly even to hire some men-at-arms or baggage carriers. These benefits might be of little importance to a higher level party that has access to its own magic and healing, but for a lower-level party the resources of a “home base” could very easily mean the difference between life and death. One reason why there are more rumors about Zelkor’s Outpost than about the Mausoleum is quite simple; most adventurers who enter the Mausoleum never return to tell the tale. On the other hand, the cellars and dungeons beneath the Mouth of Doom are not quite as lethal as the central levels of Rappan Athuk where the catacombs beneath the Mouth eventually lead. The citizens of Zelkor’s Outpost have seen, with their own eyes, adventurers who have returned alive from this part of Rappan Athuk with treasure and strange tales. These adventurers soon go to explore the dungeons further—and generally never return—but their shiny gold and mysterious tales remain behind, evidence of the dungeon’s riches and actual existence. The Outpost is a small cluster of buildings surrounded by an deteriorating wooden wall that once served as a border fort. It is now an inn and a small trading post for occasional overland travelers traveling along the northern foot of the Manforge Mountains and not using the Coast Road. The Outpost is also the most convenient place for adventurers exploring Rappan Athuk to make a safe landing, so although the settlement is small and the caravan traffic is infrequent, merchants do arrive here from time to time, looking to trade in some of the booty retreived by adventurers. The journey overland to Os Gulch and the Coast Road is quite dangerous, and requires guards; escorting one of these small caravans is a possible side adventure for the player characters to undertake if they choose to do so. The settlement itself is little more than the inn, a smithy, and a merchant trader for those who desire to exchange goods. Nevertheless, Zelkor’s Outpost is a place of comfort and safety compared to the hungry wilderness that surrounds it on all sides.

Type

Hamlet

Included Locations