The Dragonforge

The only information found to this date surrounding the Dragonforge is contained in a single yellowed parchment that was complied years ago by the master sage, Baerran DeVolok. Dated just after the fall of the Valmarans the text is in the ancient Valmaran hand and obviously thousands of years old. Below is the contents of that parchment in Common tongue.

Known as the DragonLords, or DragonMasters, the Valmarans rule all of Aerilon from their frozen halls and fortifications in the frigid north, to the summer seas in the south, all that lies between is ruled by their hand. The Dragon HighLord, Draxan….

………………the parchment is damaged………………………….

….lies to the Northeast. To the North of the Frost Fang Mountains lies the Northern Wastes. By following the North Star from the Crag of Bukol, after several days of travel by ship, one can come upon an island and a ring of volcanic mountains. Within this ring of mountains lies the most powerful of Valmaran strongholds, that of the Dragonforge.

Rising out of the frozen waste, the mountain dominates the landscape. A massive road, lined by 50 statues of the greatest Valmaran war heroes, lead up to the entrance of the fortress. Carved into the side of the mountain is the Great Gate and within are the halls of the Valmaran Kings.

The upper levels of the Dragonforge house the barracks for thousands of troops and at the highest levels the accommodations for the Valmaran nobility lie surrounding the dormant volcanic cone. Great halls and walkways are carved into the volcanic rock. Gold and silver adorn even the simplest of archways and pillars. Huge caverns supported by golden columns are commonplace within the upper halls. The upper levels also housed all of the artifacts and treasures that the Valmarans collected from across the lands. It is rumored that rooms of gold and several items of vast power lie within the halls.

But the true power of the Dragonforge lies deep within its bowels. Deep within the mountain lies the great forge itself. Within a vast cavern at the heart of the mountain, the forge dominates all other features. Standing at over 200ft off the cavern floor, the main forge rises almost to the top of the cavern. The volcanic exhaust chamber allows the heat and smoke to exhaust out of the mountain. Along the upper reaches of the forge are several smaller forges that branch off the main forge. Three grand passageways lead from this central cavern to the warrens of the great dragons.

During the times of the Valmarans, three ancient red dragons lay chained to the forge. Only through their magical fire of their breath, could Dragonsteel be forged. The Valmarans used Dragonsteel primarily for their weapons of war and it is only at the great forge where these weapons are made and enchanted.

The master forger would stand at the top of the great forge, and he would use the Staff of Dragons to activate and enchant the newly forged weapons. Through the power of the staff, the fire of the dragons and the Dragonsteel, powerful artifacts were crafted for the Valmaran armies……