Felmorian Ruins
Centuries ago when Ysgard was first settled the city of Felmoran was one of the original four, but possibly not the first settlement on that site. Hints still exist in Nagritch Library and Museum that there had been an earlier colony and during an investigation by the Defenders they discovered deeply buried ruins including the first Temple of Sune on this plane. They also met the sorceress Felmora, now claiming to be a Goddess, after who the city had been named and from her displeasure at the mention of Sune and that the temple seemed to have been bloodily defended it seems the transition from that colony to what became Felmoran might not have been a peaceful one.
Historical deductions aside what can be said with certainty is that during the Sundering much of Felmoran was destroyed, or buried, or both and the city was abandoned. Judging from the surviving buildings and the extent across which ruins are still visible this was a grand city that sprawled across a large expanse of what is now desert and the site of near constant warfare between Stingers and Lizardfolk. The trip across this from the mines of Hangate to the end of the Felmoran Road is quite lengthy even without the added distance along that road to just outside Tel.
Notable places
Although the Felmoran Road is grassy near Tel it transitions into a rock causeway above a deep abyss as it approaches the desert. This is notable only as one way to enter or leave and that the Goblin Chicken Farm is close to the Tel end of it. Less friendly Goblins than those at the farm do attempt to impede your passage and Krindel does appreciate your efforts if you clear the road of this impedance.
Travelling south from the end of the Felmoran Road you might notice some steps set into the side of the berg. These lead down to the entrance cavern of an underground Minotaur Village. Narrow defensible corridors lead from this ‘gatehouse’ to their main cavern where you can visit their smith and buy axes of various sizes or a side-cavern with a mute Svirfnebling Rotherd who sells wool.
Continuing south from there you reach the busy southwestern corner of the desert where magic and prayer can be unreliable and which has three possible reasons to visit. A partially buried building, whose available door was perhaps once a window on an upper floor, is now occupied by Formians and a hole in the floor there leads down into the tunnels of their hive beneath. To the east of this building is a grill-door behind a waterfall that leads into a cave with Death Touched Minotaurs who are far less friendly than the normal Minotaurs at the village. These have the misfortune to have gained the vulnerabilities of the undead without gaining any of the strengths but, despite this, they can be formidable foes as you venture down deeper into their caves.
The third reason to visit is more of a choice. Stairs near the building lead up to a hole in the cliff face and beyond that are caves occupied by Werecats. They are little obstacle to the well equipped or experienced but their caves do lead to a passage up to another set of stairs that lead to the top of this small plateau. Here you will find what is known as The View of the Gods, a place notable for its fine view of the desert beneath but more so for the Planetars and Solars guarding against anything coming through the portal there. This portal and the magic around it, the four rune encrusted pillars around it, and the nearby altar are the reason why magic and prayer are unreliable below.
They may also be the reason why entering the other passage in the Werecat caves is even more dangerous. Although magic and prayers work within those caves once you pass into the tunnels that appear to have been disintegrated out of the solid rock those are nullified. Which can be unpleasant when facing the Beholders that lurk within this lair their eye-beams have built for them as it would be good to send energies back at them or be able to swiftly heal the pain they have caused.
To the east of this busy corner is an unpleasant looking building that appears to have become a Stinger stronghold and to the east of that is an ancient temple that has been overrun by Wyverns and their juveniles. Continuing on you would reach the southeastern corner of the desert and a cave entrance that appears blocked. There is enough of a gap however even for a man in full armour and although the sight of a huge skull with blue flames in its eye-sockets and nostrils is unwelcoming, even before it speaks and blocks the way onwards with flame, this is worth seeing. Sufficient warding and healing will allow the more curious to ignore the warnings and continue on and see the skull is actually four set at right-angles to each other, but this can be painful.
As expected the way to Hangate Mines is from the eastern edge of the desert and can be recognised by the ground becoming rocky rather than sandy, by the giant heads, and by the discarded wagons littering the area.
And again as expected the centre of the desert is where you will find Felmoran’s City Centre. The buildings here are almost intact and the Temple of Felmora especially is well preserved, and the basin within to be regularly topped up with red liquid.
