Lonely Mountain

MOUNT HOTENOW (LONELY MOUNTAIN)

For information on the mountain's current state of turmoil, click here.

These notes will give you a general idea of the layout of the Mount, including levels, stairways and tunnels, water and light supplies, the central volcanic shaft, undercaverns, mines and quarry. Also mentioned is Rrindabal, the dwarven trading town outside the Mount. For a map of the area, go to the old Clan Axepeak Pages here. Otherwise, read on for the specific information.
This information is intended to be used as a roleplay aid and should give you a general idea of things. Of course the general idea is that the Mount is first and formost a virtually impenetrable fortress and should be treated as such by friend and enemy alike. It is huge, organized and full of activity. Likely some details have been overlooked, but it should be assumed that all of the major features are included.

SCALE Access tunnels and stairways are large enough for two dwarves to walk comfortably abreast at a minimum and are high enough for a human or elf to stand comfortably, though just barely. The residential and work areas will vary in height, from high caverns to personal delves with low ceilings.

SIZE AND DISTANCES Assume that Lonely Mountain's highest peak is 2 miles above sea level or about 10,500 feet high (as a reference, Mt. St. Helens in Washington State was 9677 feet high before it blew its top in 1980). The largest residential levels are perhaps three quarters of mile in diameter, the work areas are a half mile in diameter and the forge areas and Grand Gather are a quarter of a mile in diameter (about 4 football fields). Keep this in mind when you post. The fastest human (ooc of course) runs a mile in just under four minutes and us mortals run them in 8-10 minutes. A dwarf in full plate will take several minutes at least to go from one end of a main level to the other. A trip from the main gate to the deepest levels could easily be a walk of an hour.

LOCATION NOTES

Rrindabal:
Rrindabal is a small trading town run by Clan Axepeak. Though it is walled and defensible, it is usually open to the other races for purposes of trading with the dwarves. This is generally as far as anyone outside of the clan gets. At the opposite end of Rrindabal from the main gate, there is a heavily guarded arch that leads to an access tunnel (shown as the gray and white shaft) and the main entrance to the Mount. The arch can be closed temporarily with a heavy door made of thick timber bound with iron. It is rumored also that it can be closed permanently if the dwarves choose to do so.
Access Tunnel:
The access tunnel is no more than 6 feet high and 8 feet wide. It is the only way reasonable way to enter the Mount. It plunges deep into the rock of the Lonely Mountain and turns abruptly into a long vertical shaft which must be climbed in order to reach a large landing in front of the main gate. The shaft is designed to allow the dwarves to rain all sorts of destructive force down upon any undesireables, should they make it past the Rrindabal arch. It is rumored that the tunnel contains hidden traps which the guards at the gate can set off at will.
The Landing and Main Entrance:
The landing sits atop a sheer cliff several hundred feet up the side of the Lonely Mountain. The main gate is a massive stone structure whose doors are several times the height and width of the guards. The doors are so thick that once closed (an operation that takes just a few seconds) no attacking force or mage's spell is strong enough to open or break them down. The tunnel from the main entrance to the Grand Gather has several switch backs, dozens of murder holes, and at least one set of false doors. Unwanted guests are extremely unlikely to be able to make it very far down this tunnel.
Grand Gather:
(Credit to The Dwarven Nations Trilogy straight up here) The Grand Gather is a huge audience chamber with room enough for all the residents of the Mount. Aside from clan gatherings, this is the audience chamber that outsiders will be brought to in order to "see the Chief." Thus, visitors would not knock on the guild hall door or dismount and enter the chief's office. They would be escorted here, under heavy guard.
Residential, Shops/Social, Work Areas:
Consider these labels generalizations, but with a purpose. Should the Mount ever be invaded, the more crucial areas (mines, forges, offices) are deeper, thus better protected. If you want to role-play that your home delve is right next to your shop on the main level, go right ahead. Individual delves, shops, ale rooms, forges, subterranean farms, training halls, etc. all are housed here.
Stairways, Sun Tunnels, Water:
The stairways are spiral (orange tubes). At this stage, there are no elevators, though the engineers are working on plans. Note that there are very few ways to get from one level to the next. Again this is for purposes of defense. Access to the lower (or upper) levels can be cut off by sealing what few stairways or tunnels join the levels. Water flows freely to all levels from the natural lake atop the Mount. The sun tunnels should be considered a work in progress. The office, residential and work areas have some sun tunnels already.
Volcano Shaft:
Though inactive, the clan has accessed magma deep within the Mount and uses this heat to fire its forges and provide other forms of energy. The shaft cuts through the center of the two biggest levels.
The Under Caverns:
There is limited access to each area, via one main tunnel. The quarry is accessible through the forge level, while the mines are accessible through the lowest work area. There are unsettled or wild areas in the deepest caverns. One place of note is a far off cavern with a natural hot spring and a small fissure or crack, which leads to the Underdark. It is sealed and guarded as a result of the Drow-Dwarf War some years ago.

CREDITS/FURTHER READING Several of these concepts are borrowed from The Dwarven Nations Trilogy, Dan Parkinson, TSR publisher and The Dwarven Kingdoms of Krynn Gaming Accessory also from TSR. For those who haven't read the trilogy, it is heartily recommended.

Tigguhr ~ GM Clan Axepeak ~ Summer 1996

AXEPEAK
HOME-PAGE

MEMBER
PROFILES

AXEPEAK
CHARTER

LONELY
MOUNTAIN

TORSTS
&TALES

DWARF
INFO

OLD-CLAN
PAGES

	MOUNT HOTENOW (LONELY MOUNTAIN) For information on the mountain's current state of turmoil, click here.
	These notes will give you a general idea of the layout of the Mount, including levels, stairways and tunnels, water and light supplies, the central volcanic shaft, undercaverns, mines and quarry. Also mentioned is Rrindabal, the dwarven trading town outside the Mount. For a map of the area, go to the old Clan Axepeak Pages here. Otherwise, read on for the specific information. This information is intended to be used as a roleplay aid and should give you a general idea of things. Of course the general idea is that the Mount is first and formost a virtually impenetrable fortress and should be treated as such by friend and enemy alike. It is huge, organized and full of activity. Likely some details have been overlooked, but it should be assumed that all of the major features are included.

SCALE	Access tunnels and stairways are large enough for two dwarves to walk comfortably abreast at a minimum and are high enough for a human or elf to stand comfortably, though just barely. The residential and work areas will vary in height, from high caverns to personal delves with low ceilings.
SIZE AND DISTANCES	Assume that Lonely Mountain's highest peak is 2 miles above sea level or about 10,500 feet high (as a reference, Mt. St. Helens in Washington State was 9677 feet high before it blew its top in 1980). The largest residential levels are perhaps three quarters of mile in diameter, the work areas are a half mile in diameter and the forge areas and Grand Gather are a quarter of a mile in diameter (about 4 football fields). Keep this in mind when you post. The fastest human (ooc of course) runs a mile in just under four minutes and us mortals run them in 8-10 minutes. A dwarf in full plate will take several minutes at least to go from one end of a main level to the other. A trip from the main gate to the deepest levels could easily be a walk of an hour.
LOCATION NOTES	Rrindabal: Rrindabal is a small trading town run by Clan Axepeak. Though it is walled and defensible, it is usually open to the other races for purposes of trading with the dwarves. This is generally as far as anyone outside of the clan gets. At the opposite end of Rrindabal from the main gate, there is a heavily guarded arch that leads to an access tunnel (shown as the gray and white shaft) and the main entrance to the Mount. The arch can be closed temporarily with a heavy door made of thick timber bound with iron. It is rumored also that it can be closed permanently if the dwarves choose to do so. Access Tunnel: The access tunnel is no more than 6 feet high and 8 feet wide. It is the only way reasonable way to enter the Mount. It plunges deep into the rock of the Lonely Mountain and turns abruptly into a long vertical shaft which must be climbed in order to reach a large landing in front of the main gate. The shaft is designed to allow the dwarves to rain all sorts of destructive force down upon any undesireables, should they make it past the Rrindabal arch. It is rumored that the tunnel contains hidden traps which the guards at the gate can set off at will. The Landing and Main Entrance: The landing sits atop a sheer cliff several hundred feet up the side of the Lonely Mountain. The main gate is a massive stone structure whose doors are several times the height and width of the guards. The doors are so thick that once closed (an operation that takes just a few seconds) no attacking force or mage's spell is strong enough to open or break them down. The tunnel from the main entrance to the Grand Gather has several switch backs, dozens of murder holes, and at least one set of false doors. Unwanted guests are extremely unlikely to be able to make it very far down this tunnel. Grand Gather: (Credit to The Dwarven Nations Trilogy straight up here) The Grand Gather is a huge audience chamber with room enough for all the residents of the Mount. Aside from clan gatherings, this is the audience chamber that outsiders will be brought to in order to "see the Chief." Thus, visitors would not knock on the guild hall door or dismount and enter the chief's office. They would be escorted here, under heavy guard. Residential, Shops/Social, Work Areas: Consider these labels generalizations, but with a purpose. Should the Mount ever be invaded, the more crucial areas (mines, forges, offices) are deeper, thus better protected. If you want to role-play that your home delve is right next to your shop on the main level, go right ahead. Individual delves, shops, ale rooms, forges, subterranean farms, training halls, etc. all are housed here. Stairways, Sun Tunnels, Water: The stairways are spiral (orange tubes). At this stage, there are no elevators, though the engineers are working on plans. Note that there are very few ways to get from one level to the next. Again this is for purposes of defense. Access to the lower (or upper) levels can be cut off by sealing what few stairways or tunnels join the levels. Water flows freely to all levels from the natural lake atop the Mount. The sun tunnels should be considered a work in progress. The office, residential and work areas have some sun tunnels already. Volcano Shaft: Though inactive, the clan has accessed magma deep within the Mount and uses this heat to fire its forges and provide other forms of energy. The shaft cuts through the center of the two biggest levels. The Under Caverns: There is limited access to each area, via one main tunnel. The quarry is accessible through the forge level, while the mines are accessible through the lowest work area. There are unsettled or wild areas in the deepest caverns. One place of note is a far off cavern with a natural hot spring and a small fissure or crack, which leads to the Underdark. It is sealed and guarded as a result of the Drow-Dwarf War some years ago.
CREDITS/FURTHER READING	Several of these concepts are borrowed from The Dwarven Nations Trilogy, Dan Parkinson, TSR publisher and The Dwarven Kingdoms of Krynn Gaming Accessory also from TSR. For those who haven't read the trilogy, it is heartily recommended.
Tigguhr ~ GM Clan Axepeak ~ Summer 1996