Chapter Three: West Tunaria

    As you know from the first and second chapters, my purpose is to acquaint the reader with odd or beautiful places across Norrath. Early on in my life, my attention had been caught by my Great Uncle Tarker Blasetoss’ ability to travel freely across Norrath; for this reason, I followed him in the profession of wizardry. No doubt, if Tunare had willed I be born as a Wood Elf, I would have followed the druidic way for the same reason, for my soul tells me that I am, at heart, a wanderer, a peregrinator. In the first chapter I told of odd places on my home continent of Faydwer. In the second chapter, I told of such places in large island of odious Odus. In this chapter, I will deal with what is now called Western Antonica, but of old was known, and so it is known to the Faithful and the loremasters, as Tunaria.

    Western Antonica is divided into several provinces or areas, dominated by the human imperial capital of Qeynos (which itself consists of three boroughs and its subterranean places, South Qeynos, North Qeynos, East Qeynos, and the Qeynos Aqueducts). Scandalously and sacrilegiously, the humans have renamed the continent after their emperor, Antonious Bayle. The effrontery of naming Immortal Tunare’s creation and domain after a mortal man! Outside Qeynos, one comes to the Qeynos Hills. To the North lies the beautiful hidden glade called Surefall, home of those offspring of the folk of the elves and humans, known as Half elves. To the East, with some greater reverence, the humans yet call the lands by the land’s true lord, Karana, The Rainkeeper: huge West Karana, then small and square North Karana, with huge South Karana to the South, and East Karana to the East.

    To the North and East of Qeynos Hills, lies the cursed hole called Blackburrough, important as an underground pass to glittering Everfrost. >From Everfrost, one can pass North to the Barbarian town of Halas, and East to the cursed halls of Lady Vox Draconis, Permafrost.

    None of these places has very much of interest under this study. The few points are:

    Qeynos: Various roofs can be climbed, particularly with Spirit of Wolf and Levitation. One of the easiest places is the roof of the herb shop near the bank. But beware: there is a hole behind the bank that you can fall in to. If you do, you better be able to gate… Do not attack guards or others from the roofs: to do so is very, very, frowned on by the gods and their servants (bannable “exploitation”). There is nothing particularly exciting in this human city.

    Qeynos Hills: This rather domesticated place, has nothing of excitement for the traveler beyond the occasional monster that wanders here.

    Surefall Glade: I have heard of some travelers that claim to have climbed the walls of this box canyon. However, I have no personal knowledge of such possibilities. Visit the bear caves here, if you dare.

    Blackburrough: Renowned amongst humans for its foul stout, there is little of the unusual here. It is said that there is a secret room, but I have not seen it.

    Everfrost Peaks: Several of the outer slopes can be climbed to the heights, where the Aurora Borealis can be seen (exposed clipping planes). Beware falling, as “You fall for 10,000 points damage” is a common note the god of death pins to your death shroud. Not all know of it, but the NW fork of the river has a subsurface set of caves. Beware! An evil Erudite Lich “lives” here. You enter the caves by a chilly and long swim from a hole in the ice.

    Halas: Being bored waiting for the ferry, I found on my first trip here that Lake Halas can be swum faster than the ferry. There is nothing under the water of note. I have not tried to climb the barren rock here, except around the lake (where I failed to make any progress).

    Permafrost: This warren of the goblin guards of Lady Vox, has a couple of interesting dangers and opportunities. First, the port cullis (movable gate that retracts into the ceiling) is of great danger. If you are standing there when some malicious goblin puts it down, you will then be drawn up into the ceiling’s recess and trapped. If you go to the area known as “The Throne Room”, just before the great doors behind which stand Ice Giants, you will see large chunk of ice in the intersection (before the pennant flag). If you climb on top of this “rock”, and face towards the doors, turn 90 degrees to your right. You will see an opening up on the wall. This opening does not appear to be accessible, but is indeed a route to Lady Vox’ s true Throne Room. If you focus (click) around the lamp on the wall below this opening, you may find Lady Vox’s Spy Hole (and target her!). If you are so fortunate to be a wizard (or a few other magical classes) and have Bind Sight, you can cast it here, and see through the Terror of Permafrost’s own eyes without danger from her! But beware her minions, which spawn all around here, and hate all intruders. Should you be so bold as to proceed further for a “personal audience” with the Lady, I highly recommend a good map showing the many pitfalls to the depths.

    West Karana: Boring and huge, this giant domain is populated by poor farmers, barbarians, thieves, and misguided Hill Giants. There is now little of interest, though once the WK Bypass allowed all to quickly pass through Brell’s Domain from East to West (long since nerfed by the Nameless). One silly feature of note is that the river to the South has NOTHING in it. Ergo, it is entirely safe to traverse the entire zone, East to West, or West to East, once you reach the River of the Karanas. Its bank is also rather safe, as is the Western Edge.

    North Karana: Boring from a climber’s point of view, don’t make the mistake I did when I first returned across here of thinking Antonious Bayle’s Guards in the central tower will adequately protect one from the Griffons, Hill Giants, and other wild beasts. This is Bayle’s frontier, and his guards are not as adequate as in the more Western provinces. Many miss it, but the tower of the Great White Bridge (the route to South Karana) has a stair that can be climbed, and an occasional merchant who sells his wares on the 2nd floor. As in Greater Faydark, Toxulia Forest, and the Dreadlands, the ancient Combine Portal’s tines can be climbed, particularly with Levitation.

    South Karana: Note the South East Corner. Here, in the extreme SE you will find an odd bay. All along the East wall North from here, you will find yourself gazing down into badlands that you cannot enter. The West wall was once fully safe. However, some time ago, the evil Shadowed men arrived, and camp towards the South. Thus, if you run this wall, stay on the wall all the way to the utter South, before you turn to the East and head towards the narrow canyon that leads to the deep and cold Lake Rathetear.

    East Karana: This province is bounded by the Main and North Forks of the Great River of the Karanas. Most do not realize that the Main Fork is the boundary of this province on the South, assuming that the North Fork, which divides the North and East Karanas, is the only continuation of the Great River. Popular with brides, the Great Waterfall is an attraction missed by many. It is found in the extreme South East of the province, past the Barbarian fishing village. One of the world’s wonders is the Great Causeway, a long and sometimes narrow road leading up through the Great Mountains to the human outpost of Highhold Pass. Beware the fall from this road! Should you survive, note that many animals wander into the depths of the Causeway, and being famished, love to devour any who survive the fall. It is very difficult to climb back up, but with Spirit of Wolf and Levitation, it can be done in several places. It is usually easier (if not safer) to exit the canyon and try the Great Causeway again. To the North of East Karana, lies the foul canyon confines known as Beholder’s Maze.

    Lake Rathetear: As I indicated earlier, this lovely lake is to the South of South Karana. To its West is an odd place, where the Rule of the Gods of Order is set aside: The Arena. There is nothing in the Arena of interest, unless you are a ghoul, interested in collecting the body parts of the various supposedly sentient and sapient races of Norrath. However, Lake Rathetear has a feature or two of interest for the traveler. To the extreme South West, you can find an odd fiord where a madman lives. Few come this far, except for intrepid hunters of Aviaks. The walls rise high and sheer from the lake but can, occasionally, be climbed. All the mountains that rise from the interior depths of the lake are climbable, with delightful views. Of far more interest, there is a deep subsurface cavern where the Lake Rathetear Serpent once dwelt. It is now guarded by aquagoblins, with their tower in the extreme bottom. The aquagoblin tunnel can be accessed or exited from either the East or the West. In the West, if you swim due East from the Aviak Dock at the Arena, you will promptly hit an island known as Blue Flame Island due to its ancient and odd Torch Flame on its Southern shore. [Such flames are found in a few other places within Norrath, though none seem to know their origin, fuel, or purpose.] Should you dive beneath the waves when you reach the island from the Arena, and descend to the depths, you will find a tunnel, deep and dark and long. You descend to the East, ultimately coming to the home of the Aquagoblins. Should they allow you to continue (the first time I came here, the unfortunate Frashii was detained and tortured by them), you will exit from the Eastern side of the island closest to the Rathe Mountain Dock (this island has a tower inhabited by a couple of folks who are obviously magical, but who steadfastly refuse to speak with me). By the way, the aquagoblin that carries the Water Crystal Staff spawns in the water below the Blue Flame at Blue Flame Island, after the other aquagoblin that lives by the madman in the South West has been terminated with extreme prejudice.

    Well, enough of our peregrinations for today! Soon we will move further East, discussing the remaining provinces of Tunaria.

Chapter one

Chapter two