Valley of Thanes
This dreary, barren valley lies between soaring peaks of the Kharolis mountains. Burial cairns dot the landscape, the desolate mounds breaking the monotony of the naked ground. Far away, in the heart of the valley, there is a small patch of green. An awe-inspiring tomb rises from it, forming a stony pinnacle.
The sun seems a strange sight after many hours underground, but the valley still seems confined; heavy clouds hang low across the valley, creating a cavern-like feel which somehow seems even more claustrophobic than the underground environment the party have just left.
As travelers enter the valley, the low-hanging clouds begin to drizzle freezing rain, soon covering everything in a thin layer of ice. The rain continues until travelers reach “The Garden,”.
If travelers decides to investigate any of the tombs which line the edge of the Valley of Thanes, they will find, rather than the loosely stacked stone cairns they appear to be from afar, most of them are sealed tight with five-foot-tall round doors shaped like stone plugs. Tomb plugs are made of thick stone and can be opened by the Tombwarden, the designated groundskeeper for the valley but he is, conveniently, not present. The doors to two of the tombs in the valley are already broken: the “Tomb of Rakthar” and the “Tomb of Spectres".
Areas of Interest
The Garden
An oasis, oddly green in the autumn gloom, surrounds a lake at the valley’s center. Stone tombs, covered with ice from the freezing rain, fill the oasis. As soon as the party enter the oasis, the rain ends and the sun comes out. As the clouds clear away, they see, looming above the lake, a giant floating mountain crowned with a castle—the tomb of Duncan. A ruin is visible on the opposite shore of the lake, and one tomb - The tomb of Grallen - stands empty before you on the near side.
The Tomb of Grallen
A fifteen foot obelisk stands on the lakeshore. Behind it is a statue of an armoured dwarf, arms spread, bare head thrown back. The pedestal bears runes that read: “Raised to honor Prince Grallen, hero of the final assault on the fortress of Fistandantilus.". The party returned the Helm of Grallen here, where they were instructde to step through the 'an unbroken arch'.
The Broken Gateway
The ruin across the lake is overgrown with lilies, jasmine, and snapdragons. The ground is carpeted with petals. In the ruin’s center stands an arch, broken in the center with nine stone fragments scattered about it. Each piece can be uncovered, along with a stone plaque engraved in Dwarven runes. It reads, “I wait and watch; he will not return. Alas, I mourn for Kharas.". The party rebuilt this arch, crating a device that teleporrts to Duncan's Tomb. Whether it is still activated is unknown.
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