Help on: area dwarven demesne

Long, long ago, when the children of Human and Dwarf were few, there existed between Mareldja and the neighboring Dwarves a sense of peace. As both groups prospered and grew in number, the peace eroded and vanished beneath a growing scarcity of arable land. Goaded onward by the thought of hunger and starvation, the people of Mareldja rose up and struck out against the Dwarves.

The battle lasted long, and longer the war. The hills and plains north of the city, once covered with crops, now boasted scorched grass and the forgotten dead. For decades the conflict continued, first waxing, then waning, always foremost in the thoughts of both peoples.

Eventually, a hero rose amongst the Mareldjans, a man of fair face and raven curls, born of an illegitimate branch of the ruling house. Knighted for his many victories, Salazar succeeded in driving the dwarves from the hills and into the mountains and caves.

Their defenders decimated, their lands laid waste, the Dwarven people turned to the darker gods for solace and power. Those of more noble nature were thrown bodily from the cliffs, and the priests of greed and terror began their rule. A handful of warriors escaped the wrath of the new order and banded together on the northern edge of the hills. Embarking boldly on what could only be their final journey, they made their way southwest, traveling then westward, parallel to the Telemacus.

Coming upon a small party of humans at rest, they ambushed the group and brutally massacred every man. The Knight Salazar was among the dead, and, recognizing his garb, the Dwarves slung his corpse over his own horse and returned in grim and vengeful victory to the mountains.

Seeing that they could no longer maintain a presence in the hills, the new leaders called upon their evil deities, offering as sacrifice the spirit of Salazar. Casting charcoal symbolically from the mountaintops, the Dwarves cursed the lands for eternity, destroying any chance of future fertility.

The scourge of the curse devastated the city. Many starved as field after field failed to bear fruit. Others left in great crowds for other lands: Oldgate, Napenthe, the fabled Southern Empire.

Although most of Mareldja had depended on the croplands, many others were able to survive on the fruits of the nearby sea. These few remained, and over time, the city healed and became again prosperous. Seers and oracles trickled into the city, and with them rumors arose that the secret of the curse lay in the tortured soul of Salazar, buried deep within the mountains.

Many would-be heroes sought vainly for the secret, but none succeeded. Most died alone among the hills, vanquished by the minions of evil that have since the time of the curse grown numerous in the blackened lands. Of note is one Narcin, who found an entrance to the great mountain of the Dwarves, but was killed before he could make it known. His body was buried in a small glade near the mountains, the only bit of land in that area to escape the curse.

To this day, the curse lies heavy on the land. Perhaps you will be the one to lift it?

NOTES: Recommended Levels: 4-10 Group Size: 1 (restricted)

At level 4, you may have some difficulty getting in, and you will probably have to be around 10 to complete the quest. This is a solo zone, and you must play alone (you're welcome to try other ways if you want, but the rooms are almost all 1-person, and the quest is designed for one person).