It was difficult to navigate the terrain. Rocks popped out of the earth like chopped pieces of lumber; thick shrubs cluttered the paths, and narrow ravines were hidden beneath the thickets. Now and then, the occasional mountain goat could be spotted watching the hapless explorers with curious eyes.
Excitement began to creep in as the group moved closer to the mountain. The first expedition was a success and there were all sorts of stories of this rugged wilderness. Of caves, tunnels and winding paths that were virtually never walked. The mountain had caves that were supposedly home to unseen creatures, both beast and man. There were rumors of magical creatures trapped inside. Some tales even suggested that the creatures were so powerful that they stopped the destruction of the world before, and now they are demanding a price for their protection. It was even said that the mountain was the base of operations for the great mage who stopped the destruction. And some even claimed that the mage still inhabited the mountain and all the creatures inside were under his control. This attracted the attention of all kinds of people, from adventurers to the young scholar of magic.
he first expedition was a success
The first expedition was a success and there were all sorts of stories of this rugged wilderness. Of caves, tunnels and winding paths that were virtually never walked. The mountain had caves that were supposedly home to unseen creatures, both beast and man. There were rumors of magical creatures trapped inside. Some tales even suggested that the creatures were so powerful that they stopped the destruction of the world before, and now they are demanding a price for their protection. It was even said that the mountain was the base of operations for the great mage who stopped the destruction. And some even claimed that the mage still inhabited the mountain and all the creatures inside were under his control. This attracted the attention of all kinds of people, from adventurers to the young scholar of magic.
The group was a rag-tag bunch of adventurers, joining together to fight the evil of the land. As the group neared the opening of the first cavern that led into the mountain, they were stopped by a fearsome figure. He had a sword and shield, but a spear in his hand as well. The figure was said to be an old warrior who had fought in the great war and escaped into the mountains. He was searching for magical treasure when the war broke out. If he had been born of magic and could live forever like them and had absolute control of his magic, he would have fought the war.
Poisonous snakes and giant spiders
The warrior told of the many dangers that lurked in the dark caves of the mountain. Most were harmless, but some were poisonous snakes and giant spiders. Then there were some giant bats that came out at night. And the more intriguing story of an ancient beast with seven heads called The Killer from Beyond. This creature had the head and body of a bird, but the body of a snake, venom dripping from its razor sharp teeth. The fighters in the group scoffed at such stories, but the scholars gave nods of affirmation.
However, there was an even more troubling hidden danger. A few months ago, a group spotted nine brightly colored bows and a crate filled with arrows. The arrows were tipped with a night-black substance. It glowed and shined with some type of light that nobody could explain or identify; the light hurt the eyes when looking into it. The arrows flew faster then any arrow in the realm and would cut through nearly anything. It is said that a wall of fire is no barrier to an arrow like that. The first crew to find the arrows tried to shoot it into the wind, but to no avail. The arrows simply vanished into thin air
after that, the explorer who first found the arrows kept a close eye of the sky
But the explorer who first found the arrows kept a close eye of the sky. The thick clouds soon became thicker and lumpy; lightning became frequent and more violent, nature’s fury seemed to have awakened. One day, the explorer sent a messenger to the village with a request that was very unusual. The man asked, “Tell the Council of Wizards that my son is missing. I need to search for him, but I cannot do that on my own. Please send someone to help me.” Nobody really knew why the man had been so adamant about his request.
Finally, the crowds thinned as the group started to move towards the front of the mountain. The path was clear of rock and covered with new fallen snow. They worked their way towards a large cave that led to the mountain’s summit. The Caves that were within the mountain were all marked by the letters G, T, S, O and N. The G would bring you to a few simple caves that were to serve as Nests for the eggs of a few harmless birds. The T would take you to a cave with some special berries that were said to udergo special properties.
