100 rooms · levels 48–50
Tall birch trees stand here and there on either side of the twisting path. Birds can be heard singing from the treetops, but they are nowhere to be seen. It looks like this path is used quite often. Many small animals can be seen and heard to the north, whereas it is more quiet southwards.
Many sorts of trees share the space here. The path that makes its way between the many trunks lies in deep shadow many places. The breeze makes the leaves rustle softly.
Most of the trees here are oaks. Many of them look very old. Wood sorrel grows among the dark trees. An owl on a branch in one of the tallest trees sits so still, that it is hard to say if it is asleep or not.
The dark forest path makes a sharp bend here. The woods looks more dense north of here, whereas it thins out to the southwest. The plants growing there are mainly pine trees. It is very quiet here.
The path through the woods ends here. The ground is covered with pine needles, from the tall pines at the edge of the forest. To the south the landscape opens up and reveals a lake with steep cliffs on the east side, near where you are.
Tall black cliffs tower above you to the east and the waters of Crystal Lake stretch as far south as you can see. The ground is sandy and soft to walk on. There is a pier leading a bit out in the lake southwest of here.
Lots of reed mace grows on either side of the pier south of you. The soft moist ground bears marks of many feet going back and forth between the small wooden pier and the path leading through the trees to the north.
The ground here is very wet and swampy. Grass grows all the way into the dark water. Little turfs here and there offer foothold further out in the lake, but look like they cannot carry much.
The water here is a little muddy and hard to see through. Little green frogs sit here and there on the turfs and croak. From time to time ripples on the water show that fish swim around under the surface.
The water here gives justice to the name of the lake. It is a lot clearer than the water closer to the shore. You can see many things under the surface; Small rocks and plants, shoals of fishes and wiggling little tadpoles here and there.
This wooden pier has seen better days. The slippery black planks it is made of are barely being held together by rope and nails. Tied to the side of the pier is a small boat, with a couple of oars in it.
The reed mace grows plentiful here. Many kinds of insects fly around you. Most are little and dull looking, some are more spectacular. Beautiful dragon flies in bright shiny colors, can be seen flying around and resting on the plants.
A willow standing on the bank dips its leaves in the water, like it was drinking from the clear water of the lake, or looking at its own reflection in the calm surface. Leaves and twigs that have fallen from the few trees near the water are decomposing on the bottom.
It is hard to see much in the water here, because it is very dark and muddy. It also appears to be deeper on this spot than the rest of the area near the bank. A few yellow leaves float on the surface.
The small dinghy that has been tied to the pier here looks like it has been used recently. The oars lying on the bottom of it are still wet. Even though the boat looks like it is old, it seems that no water is leaking in. The pier to the west leads back to the shore.
The rickety pier, stretching out in the clear water of the lake ends here. To the south you can see some rocks, forming an island with a few dark trees on it. The lake ends north of here and the edge of a forest can be seen further to the north.
The water here near the pier is not very deep. You can see everything on the bottom of the lake quite clearly. South of here, towards a small island, the water looks much darker and deeper than here.
Everything is reflected in the still surface of the lake. Now and then something falling into the water or something just underneath the surface makes little ripples. It is too deep for you to see the bottom.
An area of yellowish rush forms a perfect hiding place for the ducks and other birds living near the lake. They have made little paths in it, where they usually swim. The rush is somewhat thicker to the west.
The long slender stems of the rush forms a massive yellow wall all around you. Their tops sway softly when a breeze catches them. The water here is not very deep. A yellow water snake quickly darts away.
To the east a steep cliff wall rises. It goes on south, forming the east side of the lake and north into the forest. Even though it looks pretty void a few flowers and a small tree have managed to survive in small cracks in the cliffside.
A passage of water lies south of here between the rock covered island to the southwest and the cliffside to the east. A river seems to come out of the solid wall of rock nearby southeast of where you are. A pier leads northwards, back to the shore.
The rocky outline of the island to the south rises a bit, forming a small hill. Large rocks lie in the water near it. Moss covers the parts of them that are free of the water. Black leeches swim in the dark water.
A tall tree with dark brown bark reaches up from the water here. High above you can see a bird's nest. By the size of it, a very large bird made it. Maybe an eagle. It is not there now, but the excrements on the tree show that the nest is still in use.
Now and then a bird dives from the sky to catch some of the mosquitos swarming near the surface. To the east, near the rocky banks of the small island southeast of here, a tall tree sticks out of the water.
It looks like someone has been cutting the rush down here. In large areas the stems end a few inches above the surface. A tree lies in the water. Judging from its color it has been there for a long time. The dark shadows under it look like an ideal hiding place.
A tunnel leads out of the cliffside here. Through the tunnel the water of an underground river mixes with the water of the lake. It has washed out large quantities of sand and dirt. These now form banks on the bottom. To the south the sand has piled up so much that you can walk dry shod on it.
The water is not as still as in the rest of the lake here. The underground river leading out of the cliffs to the east sets the water in motion. You can see some dead trees on the rock covered island to the west.
A number of dead old trees stand in a circle here in the stony ground. It seems that someone has tried to chop one of them down, but did not finish the job. Judging from the color of the damaged area on the tree, this happened a long time ago.
This is the entrance to some sort of cave. The smell tells you that something lives here or at least did so until very recently. The remains of fish and other animals lie in a small pile near the opening. The cave goes on westwards.
The unmistakable smell of troll fills the air of the cave. On the walls of the cave some primitive drawings have been made. They depict some dangerous looking armed women. Light can be seen to the east, whereas the cave is even darker than here to the south.
The rush is not very dense here. A strange dark smoke-like mist creeps through it over the water. It looks like it comes from the south, where there is a lot more of it. Some large cliffs rise out of the water to the east.
Banks of brownish yellow sand lie here near the steep cliffside. It looks like someone has been digging here, not long ago. To the north water flows from an opening in the rock wall. The sand to the south looks soft and swampy.
A thin passage of open water lies between a sandy area to the east and the forbidding rocky shores west of you. A light current can be detected in the water, leading away from where an underwater river to the northeast, that supplies the lake with fresh water to the northeast.
The ground rises here. A small path leads up the hill through the rocks and boulders. On the top of the hill it turns north towards an odd little group of dark trees. To the northwest an opening in the cliffs can be seen.
The rock filled island to the north is accessible from this side, although the shore and shallow water around it is covered with sharp cliffs and stones. What looks like a cave lies to the north and a hill rises east of here.
This appears to be where the trolls living in this cave sleep. Some worn bearskins have been spread out on the hard ground. There is a fireplace in the corner, but it is out at the moment. The only exit is north, where there seems to be a little more light than here.
It is hard to find one's bearings in this weird smoke or mist. It burns when it gets in your eyes and throat. It is hard to say if the strange sad voices you can feel, rather than hear, are real, or only in your head.
This is where the personal guard of the amazon leaders live. It seems the guards serve their meals too, as a couple of trays with food and drink, looking a too little royal for simple guards, stand on a table. A door leads east, back to the reception room.
Steep cliffs rise from the still waters of the crystal lake and reach out towards the center of the lake with their reflections in the surface. A kingfisher dives towards the surface, but turns back when it sees you.
A red buoy made from wood floats here, marking the position of a trap. The water is not very deep, so it is possible to see the trap. A couple of eels are inside it, trying to find a way out. Tall cliffs rise east of here.
A multitude of different plants grow in the water here. The first ones to catch the eye are the water lilies with big beautiful flowers. There are more of them to the west. You can see a hill with rocks strewn over it, behind the shore to the north.
The water of the lake is only visible in small patches, because of the leaves and flowers of the water lilies growing here. You see white, yellow, red and blue flowers. To the north the shore of a small rock covered island can be seen.
The big green round leaves of a number of water lilies cover the surface of the lake. Large flowers float on the water among them. Most are white or red. Frogs can be heard croaking nearby, but it is hard to spot them.
It is hard to find one's bearings in this weird smoke or mist. It burns when it gets in your eyes and throat. It is hard to say if the strange sad voices you can feel, rather than hear, are real, or only in your head.
The green walls and many plants all over this room give you the idea, that the person living here longs for the forest. Large open windows overlooking the marsh to the west, let a breeze into the room, that makes the leaves of the plants move. A bed made from straw sits in the far end of the room.
The cliffs that form a wall to the east go all the way down in the water. Under the surface they slope towards the bottom of the lake. There is a dark area among the rocks, that looks like a hole leading down.
The clear waters of the lake reach a tall tower, made from black bricks. From the tower a thick wall, made from the same material leads south. Arrow slits have been placed with an interval of a few feet on the top of the wall.
A narrow passage runs between the two black towers casting their dark shadows from the east and west. To the south you can see a jetty made from stone and further to the south a gate in the wall.
A black tower rises from the lake to the south. A banner hangs from the top. On the banner is a red lioness on a white background. A smoke resembling fog flows over the surface of the lake from the west.
It is hard to find one's bearings in this weird smoke or mist. It burns when it gets in your eyes and throat. It is hard to say if the strange sad voices you can feel, rather than hear, are real, or only in your head.
All kinds of things are stored in this room. Boxes with labels in many languages line the walls, next to barrels of ale and sacks of flour. Also building materials like planks and stones are kept here, along with a few small money chests. Maybe that is why the door was hidden.
A mild breeze sweeps over the top of the watchtower. Looking over the edge of the battlements, you see the lake open under you. An underwater cave can be seen, just to the east of the foot of the tower. The smell of incense creeps up from the stairs leading down.
This jetty is big enough for a few small boats to lie at it at the same time. A couple of stakes stick up from the jetty, for boats to be tied to. A black wall blocks your view to the south, east and west. There is a gate with stripes on it in the wall south of here.
The walls of this watch room have four square holes in it. The smaller three of them face out to the north east and west. They are there to let the guards keep an eye on the area near the entrance to the stronghold. The fourth hole is a door shaped one, letting you go south, back to the battlements.
It is hard to find one's bearings in this weird smoke or mist. It burns when it gets in your eyes and throat. It is hard to say if the strange sad voices you can feel, rather than hear, are real, or only in your head.
The rock here is a strange purple color. Seemingly the amazon workers found the cave of an ancient creature here. Its mind of sheer evil is tearing in your brain. Everything suddenly seems to emanate darkness. It is obvious that the power of this creature is enormous.
The battlements are broad enough for two men to walk side by side here. On either side of you, a sixty feet high wall offers protection and hiding. The one that faces out, away from the courtyard, is designed so you can fire arrows at attackers at the base of the wall, almost without being exposed to their fire.
A gate of great proportions looks like the only way into the stronghold south of you. The walls are much too tall and smooth for anyone to climb. Black and white stripes have been painted on the gate. A large watchtower on either side of you, let the owners of the stronghold monitor who comes and goes.
Through the arrow slits in the wall that faces away from the amazon stronghold, you can see a swamp filled area. Tall spikes have been hammered into the ground a bit away. Some stairs lead down and south to the courtyard and a kind of watch room can be seen in the tower north of here.
The smell of swamp gas is strong here. The ground under your feet looks like it cannot carry too much weight. Little animals move about in the watery spots. It seems there is life everywhere in this lake.
The ground is very wet and soft, but looks more trustworthy than east of here. There are a number of marks in the mud. They look like they come from frog feet, only they are about the size of human footprints!
There are a lot of froglike footprints here and even more to the south. Some green and brown huts can be seen among the small trees and bushes there. A thin line of smoke rises from their middle.
There are tall walls on all sides of you. Exits southwest and northwest of where you are, will let you enter the big tower to the south, or leave the amazon castle. The stairs leading north and up will take you to the eastern battlements.
This is the middle of the tiny courtyard, that separates the front towers and battlements from the main tower, that raises like a little pointy mountain to the south. A couple of steps lead up to a heavy oak door in the front of the tower.
Surrounded on all sides by tall walls, this courtyard sees little direct sunlight. A set of stone stairs lead up to the battlements, north of here. A large gate leads out of the amazon stronghold to the northeast. Some thistles grow here in the deep shadow near the wall.
The frogmen have built a large number of little primitive huts in a circle around a large fireplace. It seems the fireplace is very dear to the frogmen, as they have guards placed around it. The huts have been made from seaweed and birch branches. Some frogmen are working on a primitive boat.
A wide crack in the rock that forms this part of the bottom of the lake, lets you swim down to this cave. You have to watch yourself, so you do not get cut on the sharp rocks. You can go deeper into the cave to the south.
Some mud on the bottom of the cave is stirred up as you swim by. The narrow cave twists and turns, making it hard to go any way but forward, without having to squeeze yourself into the natural holes and cracks.
It is hard to see much in this strange cave. Both because it is narrow and because the light is sparse. You think you see some white eyes in the darkness ahead, but then again it might be your imagination.
The water is totally still in this dark part of the cave. You can squeeze through to the north or west. Some pale bones on the bottom of the cave catch your eye. They look like they come from a large animal like a deer or even a horse. What could possibly drag an animal of that size down here?
Sharp rocks threaten to cut you from all sides. One has to be careful swimming about down here. You suddenly notice that the little fishes that are crowding the other parts of the lake you have seen, are nowhere to be seen here. It is possible to go east or north.
A large censer stands in each corner of this room. Green and yellow tapestries make the room seem bright, although little light comes in through the small windows. A large bed sits in the center of the room and a chair stands next to it. The only obvious exit is up, through a set of stairs.
This small cave is hard to spot from the outside. Some small fishes seek refuge from the bigger fish here. The current has pulled a lot of material from the bottom of the lake into this cave. Most of it is useless rubbish, but some shiny metal catches your eye.
The air in the room seems charged with a mystic energy. There are no visible light sources in the room and yet it is not all dark. Now and then a white spark shoots from one wall to another. A set of stairs leads back up to the watch room.
A banner with the symbol of the amazon's: A red lioness on a white background informs you, that you have entered the amazon stronghold. No strangers are welcome in this closed female society. Not even women from the outside. The gate leads north to the courtyard. You can follow a hallway south.
It looks like the amazons like colors. The walls of this hallway are painted in red and green stripes. You can see the color change further to the south. A low rumbling noise can be heard from somewhere deeper inside the stronghold.
There is a T crossing both to the south and west in this hallway. The walls have stripes in bright colors in both directions. Someone seems to have spilled something white on the floor. It looks like flour.
Two hallways cross here. Both of them have stripes painted in bright colors. The northern one is green and red, while the east-west hallway has yellow and brown stripes. The hallway makes a bend both east and west of this crossing.
The hallway makes a turn here. You can go south, where another hallway joins this one, or east, where yet another hallway joins. The latter will lead you towards the exit, while going south will take you deeper into the stronghold.
Obviously, the amazons do not fancy visitors in their fortress, judging from the number of guard posts and armed guards. This small guardroom is more like a niche in the wall, that lets a couple of guards keep an eye on the hallway. Two wooden chairs let them rest their legs while on guard.
You are standing next to a small guard post. The hallway goes on north and south, where it bends westwards. Torches have been placed in holders on the wall every twenty feet or so. There are no windows to let in sunlight.
This strange room is circular and has rough stone walls. High over your head the sky can be seen, as there is no roof here. Large rocks lie spread over the floor, making good hiding places for the snakes that crawl around and hiss at you. The air is very cool in here.
A hallway runs west from the north south hallway. To the north the hallway makes a bend east. It also bends east south of here. The striped walls make you feel like you are inside a narrow circus tent.
The striped walls here make you feel like you are inside a narrow circus tent. This hallway continues on to the east, while to the west a small room can be found.
Skins from a number of animals cover the walls here. Some of them are from animals you know. Others are not. A niche in the wall to the north makes out a small guard post. You can hear a hissing sound to the west.
The hissing sound is louder here. It comes from behind the heavy wooden door leading north. This part of the hallway seems slightly cooler than the rest. You notice a hatch in the floor.
The heads of many different animals have been put up on the wall. They must be hunting trophies. One of them looks like it is from a small red dragon or a wyvern. You hear a low hissing sound from the east.
The stairs offer exit up or down. They have been built in a strange zigzag manner. It looks like dusting is not a favorite occupation of the amazon. The thought why they do not get some male slaves to clean crosses your mind. A worn door leads south.
The lamps make strange flickering shadows jump around the walls. You see blood on the rock floor. Going south will lead you deeper into the mine, while the much more tempting exit north leads out of it. You cringe as a loud voice of evil in your head tells you to go away.
A passage has been cut into the mountain behind the amazon fortress. Lamps are placed in holders in the rock walls. You can hear a loud squeaking sound, mixed with the sound of heavy picks being swung against stone.
The slaves working in the mine seem to have struck a strange ore here. The rock has a bright purple color, that gets stronger to the south. The feeling of evil is so strong here, that it almost makes you sick. Maybe you should go north towards the exit of the mine.
The slaves of the amazon work hard. They work their way into the heart of the mountain with their picks and hammers. A small tram runs on a rail from one end of the mine to the other. A rope is tied to either end, so it can be pulled back and forth. You feel the presence of something evil nearby.
There is not much light in this narrow dusty passage. A ladder leads up, through a hatch in the ceiling. It looks worn from much use from heavy boots. A black door with a strange white keyhole leads south.
This is where the amazon warriors sleep. A large number of bunks line the walls. A small area with a fireplace and a wash basin serves as a kitchen. It smells like something spicy was cooked there recently. A set of stairs leads up in the far end of the room and doors lead north and south.
This room holds some of the things that the amazons have plundered on their raids on enemy villages. Most of it looks pretty useless: Farming equipment, various furniture and boxes of clothes. The only exit is the door leading north.
The narrow stairwell goes on. Little windows let in a little light, but do not offer much view out, because of their size. You can see that the walls are almost six feet thick and supported by thick wooden beams.
You have reached the broad landing over the stairwell. A window looks out over the front courtyard and the two front towers. You can see some of the lake and the small island in the other end of it. A door with fine golden ornaments leads south into the tower chambers.
This room is kept in bright colors and has various furniture placed around in it. A group of comfortable looking leather chairs have been arranged in front of what looks like a reception desk, with a wooden chair behind it. Doors lead to the east and west. The east door has a golden crown painted on it.
The walls of this room are the same color as a salmon's flesh. The decorated panels are red and purple. A large four poster bed stands in one end of the room. A dresser and a small chair have been placed next to a messy desk. It smells like perfume in here.