Chapter #1211
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic VI +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and other +
+ terms used in these stories are the property of Wizards of the Coast +
+ which has in no way endorsed or authorized their use. Any such +
+ property contained within these stories are not representative of +
+ Wizards of the Coast in any fashion. +
+ The player characters depicted in these stories are copyright +
+ 1991-2026 by Thomas A. Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these stories is permissible under +
+ the sole condition that no money is made in the process. In that +
+ case, I hope you enjoy them! +
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+ THE BRIGHT ALLIANCE +
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+ Alindyar 18th level dark elven wizard +
+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ Dexitheseus 17th level human wizard, jack of all trades +
+ Kronos 22nd level lich wizard +
+ Lyra 14th level female drow wizard +
+ Pallin 18th level grey elven wizard, teleporter +
+ Parekh 18th level female human wizard, innovator +
+ Shemeya 19th level human sorceress from ancient Sulm +
+ Wu 18th level human wizard, transmuter +
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+ Date: 4/15/587 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late morning +
+ Place: the Brass Hills, within the Bright Lands +
+ Climate: hot and dry, with a clear sky +
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+ "I am tired of seeing things as they are and asking why, of dreaming +
+ of things that never were and asking why not. I have the power to +
+ make my dreams reality. And that I shall do." +
+ - Magneto, from _The Uncanny X-Men_ #150 +
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MCCXI. Another Reconvening
The archmagi of the Bright Alliance were about to have their first-ever
meeting within the massive citadel at the center of their fortress. That
building was surrounded by the wizards' individual towers (or would be
once they were all complete) but stood higher than any of them. At an
impressive 600' long, 400' wide, and 200' high, the citadel held (among
other things) all of the areas where magical collaboration would take
place: library, workshop, foundry, armory, and lyceum. It consisted of
ten floors, not counting the stout tower that jutted up from its center
to extend another two hundred feet into the sky. That spire - the single
highest structure in the fortress and the Brass Hills - served as both a
watchtower and an observatory, the former having an outside walkway near
the top, the latter being a domed roof above that.
However, the observatory and its capability to study the night sky (or
the surrounding desert) were not the crux of today's gathering. On the
tenth and highest floor of the citadel, in the center of the southeast-
facing side, was the meeting chamber of the Bright Alliance. None aside
from those archmagi would likely ever enter this unique room, and none
save perhaps the gods could discern happenings within. The chamber was
basically a box of thick granite, infused with lead and other, far more
unusual materials - and then shielded yet further by multiple permanent
enchantments and countermeasures. Although all of the Bright Alliance's
wizards had some degree of experience creating places that defied scrying
and teleportation, they had also found and incorporated additional such
knowledge from the notes of Cespedes. The result of this cooperation and
information-sharing was a singular place on that topmost floor, within
which no known means of scrying could intrude, no form of teleportation
could penetrate, and no plane-shifting methods could access. The rather
flippant appellation that Shemeya had initially given to this protected
room - "the Sanctum" - was already being used by several of the others
to refer to the unique, powerfully-enchanted location.
Parekh: (looking around the room, whose luxurious appointments and fine
decor mask the fact that the walls are immensely thick and secure from
all sorts of intrusion) This may be our first significant magical
collaboration as a group.
Lyra: It's definitely unique.
A heavy table, fashioned from a single massive piece of beautiful dark
oak, was surrounded by chairs for each of the wizards, each seat unique
and of a style and material chosen by that individual to suit their own
taste. The table was round but uneven, about fifteen feet across with a
smooth, polished top surface. It was possible that at some point in the
future, a mighty scrying artifact (such as Pallin's Eye of Fharlanghn, a
sphere which held vast knowledge about the entire world) would be brought
to this table for the group's use - if they could find a way to employ
such an item while still maintaining the chamber's security. For now,
the table was simply a focal point, around which they could all sit to
have important discussions in confidence. A large wooden cabinet, as
ornate as it was sizable, rested against one wall; this held dozens of
libations ranging from cold water to hot tea, wine to beer to ale to
brandy, even magical potions to enhance focus and vitality. There were
no foodstuffs or servants (not even magical ones) here; if someone wished
to eat while in this place, they could simply bring their own food.
One entire wall of the chamber - facing northeast and looking out onto
the city and farmlands below and the vast desert beyond - was specially
ensorcelled such that it was transparent from within facing out. This
allowed the room's occupants a sweeping view of the outside world without
disrupting all of the protective measures here. Further illumination, if
needed, was provided by magical light-globes positioned about the outer
edge of the chamber.
Kronos: A sanctum, indeed.
Dexitheseus: Although something like a battering ram, or a golem, could
eventually smash its way in.
Wu: (holds up one thin finger) Ah, but only if it was two hundred feet
above the ground.
Dexitheseus: Point.
Pallin: Protection against teleportation and such is less complicated
when one isn't concerned with physical security, against brute force.
Belphanior: Though if this place is ever attacked, we won't be sitting
in here hiding.
Alindyar: I pity anyone foolish enough to assault this citadel...or our
fortress, or our city, or our land.
Kronos: I lack even pity for such fools. They will go down in history
as a minor footnote in the lore the Bright Lands.
Parekh: Indeed they would. (she sets her jaw) Let us now proceed to
business.
Belphanior: And we should keep our updates short and succinct.
Parekh: (thinking of certain updates that may be long and complex) At
at least where that's possible. Alindyar?
Alindyar: Aye. The farmlands now exist, where none had before, and the
crops have been planted. Time will tell, of course, but Peyote says
all is looking promising on that front. (he frowns) If he were here
with us, the half-elf could tell us more.
There had been a bit of previous talk - though nothing formal - about
exactly who should attend these meetings...specifically any non-archmagi
who had major roles and responsibilities in the Bright Lands. However,
the issue had yet to be directly addressed and decided.
Alindyar: And the smaller curtain wall around the entire farming area,
to offer it some protection from the desert, is nearly complete. Aside
from that, the only other pressing problem involves finding some means
of keeping wind-blown sand out of the fields and crops...a simple but
vexing problem. (he nods to Belphanior) The solution to which may
soon be forthcoming, thanks to the scroll found in the desert recently.
Belphanior: Aside from the coinage found in the yellow dragon's buried
lair - which I already added to our treasury - there was a scroll that
held a spell to part sand, much like other spells would part water. I
showed it to Neera and she believes it can be reverse-engineered into
an incantation that repels sand...and perhaps made permanent. She and
her team are working on that even now.
Lyra: Her team?
Belphanior: The novice wizard Arusha and the gnome Judhon. Both are
brilliant in their own ways, and their skills will compliment Neera's
own as she pursues various research efforts, now and in the future.
Parekh: (smiles at this news of Neera's continued success) Excellent.
(to Alindyar) Anything else?
Alindyar: (shakes his head) Nay.
Parekh: Belphanior?
Belphanior: I'll focus on the various diplomatic efforts. (he frowns)
Be advised, there are a lot. (he clears his throat before continuing)
Externally, we are on solid footing with the nearby kingdoms of Nyrond
and Urnst.
Dexitheseus: Which Urnst? Duchy or County?
Belphanior: Both.
Dexitheseus: (nods, pleased)
Belphanior: We also have friendly faces among the rulers of Furyondy and
Keoland, not to mention the former Lost Lands of Sterich and Geoff. As
for Greyhawk...an alliance is unlikely since there are areas between us
and them that both sides covet. A lot will depend on how the Oligarchs
rule on the proposal I recently sent their way, stating that we'll build
and maintain a safe route from our lands north to Hardby...a route that
both sides would benefit from. I think there may be some larger-scope
concerns on their part, about us becoming a new power, but I played it
tough. We're ALREADY HERE and there's nothing they can do about it, so
their next-best option is to accept us as a fellow positive contributor,
positioned as a protector and buffer between Greyhawk and the multiple
hostile lands to the south. Only fools would turn down that type of
free help.
Kronos: Well-played. And correct in every way that matters.
Belphanior: Damn right. And I made sure to remind Nerof Gasgal that
there's an ever-growing number of powerful nations that look favorably
on the Bright Alliance and the good things we've done in the last year.
Alindyar: (ESPing to Lyra) Incredible, how things change. There once
was a time when he was considered a criminal by the Free City's ruling
body...and now he meets their Lord Mayor as an equal, representing a
different and potentially rival world power.
Lyra: (ESPing to Alindyar) The irony.
Belphanior: But overall, I feel optimistic about this. We definitely
have some allies in the city and its environs...aside from several of
the Oligarchs themselves, there are the Gedlands, ruled by Nenya and
Deryck.
Parekh: What about the Circle of Eight?
Belphanior: Hard to say. They don't speak for Greyhawk, nor do they
control it. As we all know, a couple of them came here a while back,
to talk with us, and that seemed to go well. (he frowns) Or as well
as it could have. Given that group's careful and cautious approach
to...pretty much everything, I wouldn't expect any trouble out of them
anytime soon.
Parekh: (suppresses a snort) And even if they did decide to oppose us
somehow, it would take them a year to decide what to do, and another
year to actually do it.
Kronos: You truly dislike that group.
Parekh: (realizes that wasn't a question) I suppose you could say that,
but it's not as much the _group_ as it is their _leader_. I was - and
remain - fully convinced that Mordenkainen personally worked to deny me
membership to the Circle when I attempted to join many years ago. (she
looks around) But I want to be clear here. That denial ultimately led
to the formation of this group, which is not only composed of...better
people but has accomplished more in a short time than the Circle has
accomplished in decades. (she sits back) Enough talk from me - it's
not my turn. (to Belphanior) What of the hostile lands?
Belphanior: I haven't yet tried dealing with the Pomarj or the Scarlet
Brotherhood, because I doubt those talks would go well. I suggest we
keep an eye on them for now, but make no overt moves.
Dexitheseus: Absolutely.
Belphanior: As for those within this region...I've secured cooperation
and some measure of goodwill with the hillfolk and the centaurs, and
made a compelling argument for the nomads to pursue peace. It seems
most of them actually want to, while a few just want to fight for the
sake of fighting.
Alindyar: (frowns, shaking his head) How idiotic. If they wish to
misbehave, like children...then they will be treated like children, and
dealt with. Harshly. There is violence enough in the world, and thus
no need to create more without good reason.
Belphanior: That's basically what I implied last time I was there and
spoke with the chiefs of all those tribes. They may well police each
other, too - that's why I tried hard to convince the leaders of the
few largest tribes that the infighting had to stop. We've certainly
strengthened our own position by removing a number of threats from the
desert.
There were numerous nods of agreement from the others seated around the
great table, for that list only seemed to grow as more time passed. They
had done a lot and they knew it...and by now, everyone else within the
region (and beyond) also knew it.
Belphanior: Anyhow. The key to successful relations, with all of these
disparate groups that predated us in the desert, is simple. We need
to stay out of, and away from, the land each of them has occupied for
generations. We can build this place, and our roads, and a few other
forts in remote areas - all in the name of the overall security and
defense of the Bright Lands. But we need to leave the majority of the
region alone, to those who have always lived there...the centaurs in
the eastern reaches, the hillmen in the Abbor-Alz hills to the north,
and the nomads...most everywhere else. (he looks around the table) I
see no reason for us to expand into all that space anyway. There's
only so much farmland, and only so many people, we can establish and
support. I daresay we're near our limit right now.
Pallin: Agreed. We need to stop building things after all the current
projects are complete, and instead fortify and stabilize what we have.
Alindyar: (nods) Aye.
Lyra: Double aye. I can't wait for the road-building to be over. It's
tedious...and even though it's the basis of all other infrastructure,
overseeing it is quite taxing.
Kronos: All good points. (to Belphanior) You have yet to discuss the
remaining unusual sites in the desert and hills.
Belphanior: Yes, that's the final part of my summary for today. Those
located in the northwestern Abbor-Alz have all been dealt with. The
team I sent to the haunted Ghost Tower of Inverness found it empty of
whatever used to be there...and you all know of our recent success at
the Pits of Azak-Kil, not only getting rid of the undead and securing
a powerful evil artifact, but also the massive quantity of ores - both
covertly and then in open agreement with the dwarves of Irongate - that
we gained from the mine. (he pauses) And continue to gain.
Pallin: This is why we built such a massive vault below this fortress.
Although I will admit that it is filling up rapidly.
Dexitheseus: Let's not forget, we also gained another potential ally,
in Irongate.
Belphanior: (nods) True. So there are four other places of interest
further east in the hills to the north, which Shemeya and I visited.
Shemeya: I was happy to help. I've watched for far too long; the time
has come to actually do something.
Belphanior: First is Lake Marstefel, which lies close to Knife's Edge
Pass and whose few hundred residents thus cannot remain remote and
unknown any longer. It looks like they're willing to let our forces
use a minimal amount of water from their lake as needed, in return for
us keeping travelers on the road and away from the lake and settlement
there.
Shemeya: Second is the great five-spired castle of the paladin Lady
Karistyne and her companions. They are a powerful force and have done
much to make the area safer; while they swear fealty to no one, they
will remain friendly to us as long as we do no evil and leave rulership
of the nearby hills to them.
Belphanior: Third is Storm Keep, a fair distance west of Karistyne's
stronghold. They have wizards, and griffons, and plenty of both. And
they're basically an extension of the Free City of Greyhawk...and thus
neutral to us.
Shemeya: And fourth, further along the northern pass closer to Urnst,
is the mountain dwarf fortress of Dumadan. They are independent and
mysterious, and wish to be left alone. Which we can do since they have
no real bearing on anything else we're doing.
Belphanior: So that's that for the Abbor-Alz hills up north. We still
have a few unexplored places of significance in the desert itself...
the Plain of Spears, the ruins of Darkbridge Temple, and the Necropolis
of Unaagh. All three are likely sources of magic and treasure, and all
three are also populated by large numbers of undead.
Kronos: I would like to research these sites and develop a plan to deal
with them.
Lyra: (ESPing to Alindyar) Of course he would.
Alindyar: (ESPing to Lyra) To be fair, he is best suited for that work.
It is possible that he can make alliances and retrieve useful treasures
without a conflict. If he wishes to delve down into those dark places
and deal with their denizens...I say better him than us.
Lyra: (ESPing to Alindyar) Hmph. We will see.
Belphanior: (glances at Kronos) Sounds good to me.
Parekh: Yes, just keep us apprised of your progress. (she turns to
Belphanior) You have been quite busy dealing with all of those.
Belphanior: I sure have. (he takes a drink of water from the flagon on
the table in front of him) And that's all I have to report.
Parekh: Dexitheseus, what news of our military strength and deployment?
Dexitheseus: Short version, we have a total of 2300 soldiers under Lord
Marcus and another 2000 mercenaries under Nigel Bloodstone, for a total
of 4300. In the long run, the mercenaries from Perrenland will be gone,
but a number of the other soldiers will probably stay here as citizens.
(he frowns) Lord Marcus could likely tell us more, if he was sitting
at this table.
Alindyar: (smiles faintly)
Dexitheseus: (checks the figures written on a parchment) For comparison
purposes, the city, fortress, and environs are currently home to about
3100 people - all the farmers, skilled tradespeople, workers, plus the
battalion of soldiers assigned to this area.
Parekh: So 7400 people, total, associated with Bright Alliance efforts.
(she frowns) One wonders how many others there are...those who lived
here before us?
Dexitheseus: One did indeed wonder. (he consults his papers) Estimates
put that number at about 6000 we could confirm if we tried...somewhere
around 1500 total nomads in the western and central desert, about 500
centaurs in the eastern desert...some 3000 hillmen and 1000 dwarves in
the Abbor-Alz hills to the north. (he looks up, frowning) Of course,
these numbers don't account for the hostile folk dwelling in the depths
of the hills...duergar, plus reported gangs of trolls, hill giants, and
ogres. All those are isolated and not a major threat, but they are out
there.
Belphanior: They're not a major threat unless they unite.
Dexitheseus: Unlikely. It seems that they're perpetually at war with
each other, as well as the hillmen from time to time. (he regards the
elf) My suggestion would be for you to talk to your friends among the
hillfolk and learn more, and decide what if anything needs to be done.
Belphanior: I'll handle that, for sure.
Parekh: Very well. (she turns to Kronos) What news from your end?
Kronos: You've already heard the update about Azak-Kil; the odd blue
ellipsoid that seemingly drove the spread of evil there is now secured
until our vault for such items is ready. Aside from the task I just
took on - planning the next steps for the three desert sites inhabited
by undead - I have nothing else to speak about today.
Parekh: (to Lyra) What of the new roads? I feel like we're hearing a
lot of good news there.
Lyra: Get ready to hear some more. The two currently under construction
will be complete by the summer; one will will link Kalundi to our new
city and then continue onward and northwest to Ul-Bakak, and the other
will link Kalki's Leap to Histak in the southeast. After those two
are done, we will commence work on the final two major roadways: one
from Ul-Bakak northward through the hills toward Hardby, the other from
Kalki's Leap due west to the furthest peninsula jutting into Woolly Bay.
Dexitheseus: The first will provide the region another major trading
route. The second will be the gateway to the future fort to serve as
our military presence on that peninsula.
Lyra: (ESPing to Alindyar) And my days of supervising the building of
roads will finally be over. I'm not looking forward to the summer heat
during that final stretch of work, but at this point I just want it to
be over with.
Alindyar: (ESPing to Lyra) 'Tis fortunate that we have magical methods
of protecting ourselves from the sun's light and heat. I shall never
get used to that.
Lyra: (to Parekh) So that's it. The work continues. Wu has recently
begun lending his assistance to the building of these roads; it seems
that several of the exotic Western dragon species he likes to shape-
change into have powers and abilities well-suited to the fusing of new
stone. And to be honest, every bit of help there is welcome.
Wu: (just smiles) That is my report for the day, then.
Lyra: Sorry. I didn't mean to steal your thunder.
Wu: (shrugs)
Parekh: Many thanks to all who have worked on those roads. They are a
crucial part of the future here - even all of our magic would not have
served the entire region's transportation needs for years and decades
to come.
Kronos: Centuries.
Parekh: Hmm, true. We have to plan long term. Speaking of which...(she
nods to Pallin) How goes the work on the fortress and city?
Pallin: I am...weary. (he takes a sip of vitality potion from a small
flask, then continues) All stonework for the fortress is now fully
complete; someone else can deal with the interior finishing, woodwork,
furnishings, and so forth. The central underground vault is also done
and secure, as you all know.
This was true; like the room they sat in now, the treasure vault far
below - while built of the same stone and metal, albeit with much thicker
walls - was protected by an intricate combination of powerful magical
wards to which they had all contributed. As far as they collectively
knew, nothing short of a divine power could detect anything within that
vault, much less breach it (and if such a breaching did occur, the one
responsible would find themselves assaulted with multiple defensive
magicks shortly before being confronted by nine angry archmagi).
Pallin: (continues, flatly) The special vault for dangerous items is
not quite complete yet, and will require some additional spells and
such from all of us. As for the city, it _is_ largely complete, with
many already living there even as work continues on the other areas.
It is my understanding that all of those there, even if their skills
lie in areas other than construction, are working together with great
efficiency to move things along. Peldor, formerly of Greyhawk, seems
to have a deft hand with planning and implementing such efforts. And
before anybody asks, he is still working on drafting laws for the city
and environs...simple laws with simple language, easily understood by
all, easily enforced due to their clarity. (he pauses) Peldor himself
could elaborate further, if he were here before us.
Parekh: (slightly annoyed) Okay, okay. I think we all get it...there
is benefit to having certain other key people in these meetings. We
should discuss this and reach a decision.
Alindyar: (ESPing to Lyra) Finally.
Belphanior: We just need some sort of plan, something quick and easy.
Alindyar: Allow me. I have thought this over as things developed and
changed with our efforts here, and so I say...why wait? My proposal
now is simple and logical: the ruling council of the Bright Lands
should consist of the wizards whose efforts birthed it - the nine of
us in this chamber now - plus anyone else in a role with any degree
of major responsibility. The names I would suggest are Lord Marcus,
representing the military...Peyote and the high priests of Trithereon
and Istus, representing the three deities we have cooperated with
here...and last but not least, Peldor, representing the city and land
below, with all the associated people and needs.
Parekh: Hmm.
Dexitheseus: (nods) Seems reasonable.
Belphanior: Seems like the right people to gather for the planning of
important matters...yet it still gives the wizards - us - the majority
vote if that was ever needed.
Wu: Agreed - both the larger group and the assured secret majority.
Kronos: In theory, it should work.
Pallin: That's fourteen - a potentially problematic number in the case
of a true tie vote.
Belphanior: Which should - in theory, as Kronos suggested - happen seldom
if ever. While I don't expect all nine of us to vote the same way every
time, I suspect most or all of us will on many matters.
Dexitheseus: We won't know how well this structure works until it's put
into effect and used for a while.
Kronos: I suggest we try. The total roster could change at any time...
if we add more wizards, or if someone perishes. These numbers are but
temporary, while real power - such as we are building here - is eternal.
Alindyar: (quietly wonders what measures the shorter-lived wizards might
take for extending their lifespans to match those of the lich and the
elves among the group)
Parekh: I assume none are opposed, then? (she and everyone else look
around at each other, but no one voices dissent) So be it, then.
Dexitheseus: (drily) Our first major ruling.
Belphanior: (frowning) This gives me another idea. (he puts his hands
up) No one need worry, it doesn't involve this group. But I think in
the long term, we should have some sort of recurring council with the
leaders of the hillfolk, centaurs, and nomads...and perhaps others.
Not to make the key decisions like we're doing here, but more just to
give them a voice, a place for their peoples' concerns to be heard.
Dexitheseus: That's a good idea.
Belphanior: Just basic diplomacy. Best case, we actually work closer
with them all...worst case, at least they get the illusion of having
a forum to talk.
Parekh: I trust you'll take this idea and figure out how to make it
happen?
Belphanior: Yup. (he thinks about how he might delegate this to Otto)
Parekh: So what else do we need to discuss?
Pallin: I would suggest that all of you - if you have not already done
so - start thinking about building your towers outside. The sites are
ready, and it will doubtless be a great deal of work, and we need to
avoid our various efforts interfering with each other.
Shemeya: Mine will be in place by week's end.
Parekh: (her eyes widen in surprise)
Shemeya: Well, I already have a tower. I just haven't brought it back
from the strange temporal flux it's been trapped in.
Dexitheseus: But you're here...
Shemeya: It's a lot easier for me to leave that place of flux - now that
I _can_ leave it, thanks again to all of you - and venture out into the
world. I've been working out the means to shift my tower back here as
well, but first I needed to know where I'd be putting it. (she looks
around the table at the stunned expressions on several of the others'
faces) There's no need to be surprised at my power. Rary wasn't the
only one who could move an entire tower from one place to another.
Parekh: That's quite the feat, regardless.
Shemeya: You have to remember, I had two thousand years to watch the
world, think about problems to solve, and then think up ways of solving
them. (she smirks) Which reminds me, I may have a solution to one of
our other concerns, a solution that would...how do you say...hit two
targets with one arrow.
Belphanior: (intrigued) Oh, really?
next: mystery from the past
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/Bright-Desert_1203.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 5/29/2026
notes: I thought about having the Bright Alliance's meeting room
deep in the heart of the citadel, away from all windows and protected
(shielded) by a great deal of the huge building's structure/materials.
That's how it would be in real life (the military calls that a SCIF)
but this is a large group of really powerful wizards with decades (in
two cases millennia) of experience, so it stands to reason that their
super-secure meeting chamber can somehow have a window to look out over
the land.
I know talk is cheap and I need to make some maps to really convey
the overall layout here, but actually drawing such maps continues to
prove challenging. In the meantime, this basic summary should help:
REGION
- the entire region (see map linked above) is the Bright Lands
- within that, they are in the Brass Hills' eastern edge
- their base there consists of a city and farmlands at ground level,
over which towers a walled fortress atop a wide, flat plateau-hill
FORTRESS
- sits atop a 2000' x 1000' plateau 300' above the desert floor
- it's also 200' from the next/nearest plateau
- surrounded by outer 50' wall flush with the plateau's vertical side
- that wall features four guard towers of 100' height
- the fortress' inner portion sits atop a 50' raised area and contains
1) another, inner wall (50' high)
2) 8 towers (plus one empty site) for the wizards (all ~100' high)
3) the 600' x 400' 10-story central citadel (200' high)
- this structure contains various magical facilities and Sanctum
- it also has a tower extending another 200' up from its roof
For reference while processing the above, here's a chart showing the
comparative vertical scale/height of various features, with each line
being twenty feet...
|
|---- 750' (top of watchtower/observatory)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---- 550' (roof of central citadel)
|
|
|
|
|---- 450' (tops of 8x wizards' towers)
|
|____ 400' (tops of 4x outer wall towers as well as inner wall)
|
|
|---- 350' (top of outer wall as well as base of inner raised area)
|
|____ 300' (base of overall plateau)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|_____ 0' (ground level, bottom of canyon i.e. base of plateau)
I'll say again, my attempts to put all of this to paper have yielded
only frustration of a headache-inducing level. I know of no good way
to accurately depict a multi-level fortress in just two dimensions, and
I lack the artistic skills to show it in three dimensions.
On a side note, I did some online research on clear-day visibility
from a given height. Assuming that this world of Oerth has the same
size and curvature as Earth (from which the formula derived) then being
at the top of a 500' tower should let you see about 27 miles if there's
nothing obstructing your view. And this fortress' tower is higher, and
those within it will have magical methods. Watchtower, indeed. (Now,
if the Bright Alliance was Sauron, they'd just put a big eye up there.)
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