__Various Rumors of Fortune__
Albino Cliffs
On the northern edge of Big Seal Bay a mountain side rises up like a stretching titan from the icy waters below. The locals speak of a series of caves and underwater chambers hiding the lost treasures of an unremembered flan tribe. These forgotten people were masters of gemcraft and possessed a skill with pottery that none are thought to have equalled since. These two facts alone would not make it of great interest to most adventurous souls. What is most impressive of all are the alien magical artifacts that have been unearthed on the rarest of occasions. The strange eldritch powers ensorceled into the few discovered artifacts are unlike any magics commonly seen in the Flanaess today. The three known items to be recovered include a spear capable of slaying anyone that stands before its wielder, a sarcophagus that bestows the essence of life immortal, and a small sealed crock that can trap the strength of the Four Winds. With such strange and incredible magic to be found, many have braved the dangers of this northern quest, but none that have survived to tell of their adventures has returned with anything save a few gems and too many wounds.
The more mundane items include masterfully worked stone, bejeweled pottery that could easily be worth tens of thousands of gold apiece, fur lined robes that look as if they were just made, and various other minor oddities such as tools and broken weapons. Most of these treasures have been recovered after particularly violent storms. Most scholars of note feel that the tomultous waters must churn up such items from underwater caves and the seabottom. Among the various bits of junk and antiquity to be found was a stone tablet holding a spell of Teleportation that hadn't been seen before and worked in a way that few at the Great Academy of Magic have yet to feel comfortable claiming to understand.
Many are the perils that would be faced if one was foolish enough to attempt to reclaim the treasures. There are rumors of an ancient Frost Dragon making one of the larger caves its home. Others talk of winter wyrms and smallish white dragons sporting against the setting sun while overly agressive rocs circle overhead. Within the waters themselves can be found elementals of foul disposition and para-elementals enjoying brief jaunts into the physical world.
Shrine of Yadril
Drifting slowly over the lands of Oerth is a small island carved from the essence of the para-elemtental plane ice. Standing tall upon this chill white sanctuary is the fabled Tower of Glass that served as the primary residence all powerful magician known as Yadril the Fair. The Dread Mistress held sway over many lands, extorting powerful magics and a fortune in rare objects d'art from any who would oppose her twisted desires. Only when a small band hailing from the Yeomanry stood against the near immortal witch was the Lady vanquished.
For years it was commonly believed to have crashed into the Barrier Peaks with within minutes of it's mistress's death. The horde of treasure lost to impenatrable valleys and quick scavengers of fortune. With her passing in 574cy the tales of the Magus Yadril faded into memories of past glories like so many others of her ilk. However, rumors have begun to circulate again about this beautiful sanctuary dedicated to pain. A hungry bard spoke of seeing the again in early Coldeven (in 593cy) drifting over Bissel and heading towards Gran March, it looked to be caught up in a violent tempest and suffering damage from the deadly storm at least as harshly as the lands below. Most serious scholars discounted his claim, but he did have a bit of glass hard as stone that was supposedly blown off one of the crumbling border towers during the height of the storm. If the shrine still exists, then there would be a fortune in horded wealth and magic for any brave enough to lay claim to it.
The Barrowind Coaster
It was 230 years ago this coaster set sail on her maiden voyage from Marner, the capitol of Ratik. She was a beautiful ship made from the strongest pine found to date growing atop a gently swelling hill deep in the mountain foothills. It carried a good portion of the dwarven horde from the Orthul Mines. Loaded with platinum and adamantine it set out for Rel Astra. Unfortunately it never reached the Aerdy capitol though. A storm had blown up unexpectedly and it was assumed that the ship was swamped and sank to the depths of the sea.
Thirteen years later that a Sea Baron tradesman spotted an odd sail and realized that it was the Barrowind Coaster still sailing south but with no one at the helm. Before he could pull up and claim salvage the ship vanished into another fog bank. Its been sited more than a dozen times over the past two centuries but none had ever come up with proof or treasure to show they weren't to deep into the rum. All told the same variation of the tale, the ship adrift amid broken fog banks, none aboard to guide it or man the rigging, and the ship still in pristine condition. Everyone that claimed to close with it always ended their story the same way, the ship lost in a fog so thick you couldn't see your own mast from the tiller. This all changed though with the coming of the pirate captain Tane Sool.
Capt. Sool saw the Barrowind and managed to actually board it during midsummer 537cy. He tells of how he walked aboard the lost ships deck at high noon and when he felt it was safe, had a score of his strongest and bravest to come aboard and help with the find. Despite their best efforts the ship could not be turned off its course or its sails taken up. Knowing that his time was limited as the ship approached a rather ominous fog bank, he ordered his mean to grab what was nearest at hand and take it to their own ship. His crew brought off eleven large oaken chests perfectly preserved before having to scramble back aboard their own ship. The pirate captain had hoped to follow the ghost ship a while longer, but with the arrival of a Lendoran Picket Ship that had strict orders to seize the pirate vessel and hang all aboard Tane found himself rather focused on his own survival.
The legend goes on to say that Tane made it to safety and took his wealth deep into shore. The hall was so great from the ghost ship that his men all lived like princes in their own petty fiefdoms all the days of their lives far from the reach of the Lendore Navy and never again setting eyes on that bedeviled fog that still holds the Barrowind fast.
Vault of the Poor March
The King of the Drachensgrabs was known to be a vain and greedy man, placing his wealth in coin and mineral above all other considerations. To protect the horde he was accumulating from the greedy fingers of thieves the king hired a score of gnomish master-smiths to devise a vault that none could enter. The pompous king went so far as to thumb his nose at legend and curse that he was to have built the vault into the very hills of the Twisted Forest. Many were the stories of setbacks and reversals during the construction, but when it was completed that unfortunate king had what was considered to be the most secure vault in all the Flanaess.
In time war came to the region as it must to all lands. Dwarves and elves sought to remove the constant threat of the goblinoid tribes located in the Lortmils. The battle was harsh and casualties were great among the good aligned folk in the battle. As the tide of battle appeared to turn against the dwarves they sought help from the free lands of the humans located along the coast. The lords were uncertain and great debate ensued. It is speculated that his fear of being forced to bend knee to a dwarven crown after the victory is what helped to sway the Poor March Palatinate into refusing the Principality of Ulek’s request for aid during the Hateful Wars. His choice and diplomatic skill sealed the fate of all the free nobles ruling within the Poor March.
But this king’s greed did not appear to know mortal boundaries. The few survivors that escaped the onslaught of the forced humanoid invasion told a dark tale of one man’s avarice. When it was clear that his lands were lost the king called back all his soldiers. Instead of charging them with leading his people to safety, the king sent them within the safe chambers of his great vault. When all the desired men were inside he tapped into a dark and malevolent magic that he had discovered hidden within the Twisted Forest. It is said that this power altered the men into strange, horrific, parodies of their former life. These man-things were then forced to stay within the vault as it was sealed so that none could return to claim the wealth that the king claimed was his own.
When his dark task was complete the king fled into the Twisted Forest with his chief magus and the key to the Vault. He never emerged from the other side. Almost a century has passed since the king vanished into the forest and still none have seen him or his sacred vault key.
The Sealed Towers
It was three springs ago that the first tower appeared four days ride south of Greyhawk. Soon after another was discovered along the border of the United Kingdom of Ahlissa. A third was found last winter along the contested lands of Ratik and the Bone March. Most recently, rumors have circulated about a fourth tower materializing within the Vesve forest; unfortunately skirmishes with Iuz have grown so fierce in the area that none can be certain of the story's validity. What is known is that all the towers appear to be carved from a single block of granite and all share the same look and shape. One industrious wizard of the Magic School confirmed through sketch and sculpted illusion that the three that are known are all identical.
Another issue with these towers are their apparent resistance to all forms of magical scrying and brute force attempts to enter. Rumors circulated for a while that a key had been found for them, but sadly if it was discovered the key is lost again to the world. It is thought that each appeared during a solstice although no astrologer or planar cosmologist has yet to determine an origin or purpose for these towers. The more paranoid claim that they are part of some otherworldly secret invasion determined to stripmine the Flanaess of its magic. Others claim that it represents a cabal of wizards from another dimension who chose to set up residence within the confines of the Flanaess. It would make sense given the amount of magic and legend that has built up in the region over time. There are a few of the crazier folk that claim Zagyg the Mad is simply playing another prank on the foolish mortals of the world. Everything is still just rumor and speculation until someone can figure out a way to pick the lock and enter into the towers at large.
There is one curious fact out of Rel Astra that should be mentioned. A rather delusional gnome mage called Zale Waxburn claims to have entered the one nearest his homeland. His story is vague and his companions' word dubious at best, but all claim that the little fellow managed to find his way into the structure through a door built into the roof. Since none have ever found this fabled door it lends little credibility to his claims. If someone does manage to find a way into the towers the secret would be worth more than all the coffers of Nyrond. Such wealth though might pale in comparisson to what magnificent treasures must be securely stored within.
Valley of Disproportional Sizes
Deep within the Crystalmist Mountains a valley has been hidden for over two millennia. According to legend this valley is home to all sorts of strange combinations. cloud and stone giants live peacefully alongside grigs and pixies. Giant cats and monstrous insects roam the open plains within the heart of the valley while minimal versions of cattle, stags, and mammoth find sanctuary in the shadow of flowers. Veins of gold and gemstones litter the walls that serve as barriers of sanctuary for the valley so that it glitters at sunset and sunrise when the light catches just topmost layers of this locked away wealth. The valley is a magical wonder even for the Flanaess but it would hardly be worth a dedicated treasure hunter's time if not for the strange legend of the Ivory Mammoth.
The story places this giant ivory marvel cast in miniature form at the deepest part of the shallowest pool formed by the smallest member of the greatest waterfalls at the nearest point of the most southern edge of the valley wall. There, in that vague location, sits the Ivory Mammoth. It is said to be crafted by the most skilled of the ancient Baklunish sculptors. The Ivory Mammoth is thought to be worth in excess of half a million gold to the Sultan of Zief on its own; but the real treasures lay in wait for the brave beneath the pool. The Mammoth is only the guardian according to the legend of Zei'al Ibn Gaazeim. Zial was supposedly a great planar traveler who acquired the most rare and exotic gems from all the elemental planes. Fire opals made from the essence of flame, pearls formed by the heart of a living ocean, diamonds crafted by the unknowable pressures of the primal earth. Locked away with the unique gems the dedicated hunter could find enough gold to fund the armies of Furyondy until Iuz himself is spent and broken by numbers.
It is unknown why Zei'al chose this mountain range to hide his vast riches or why he selected the unusual inhabitants to watch over his guardian until he desired to return. It is also unknown if he did in fact return to take away his accumulated fortune. It is doubtful for there is no other tale or record of the elemental gemstones after he first laid claim to them. The greatest seers and magi of Greyhawk have never managed to discern the exact location of this valley and wherever the gemstones are kept they are well warded from all attempts to scry. If the wealth is ever discovered there are powerful entities that would pay dearly for the secrets locked away. Provided the fortune seeker gets past the smallish guardian.
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