The Hoard
The Hoard is less of a city and more of a massive network of interconnected caverns and castles built in and around the Wyrmspine, the mountain range that flows up Norn’s west coast. Many dragons still live in the area and there is a dedicated group called Division Draconic that follows them. Much like storm chasers, they will speed toward any dragon they find even if it puts them at risk.
Gus Grimeclaw has been Grulzrarrenth the Incandescent’s Champion for nearly two years now. An antisocial and immature young kobold, he would much rather spend his days fixing up his massive collection of modified firearms than dealing with the mundane tasks that come with running a city. Be cautious in his Challenge if you value your limbs.
The Hoard has several caverns that serve as the primary residential areas for humanoids. Chief among these is the Wyrmgut, a massive cave in the very heart of the mountains. As with all human-occupied caverns in the Hoard, public transit exists in the form of enclosed minecarts that navigate the mountain range’s internal rail network. For those lacking darkvision, purple motion-activated gems provide light when needed, but go dormant when not in use to conserve energy and avoid disrupting the many pseudodragons that nest in the stalactites on the ceiling. The Wyrmgut used to feature several museums, environmental research facilities, and art galleries. These have mostly been torn down in the past two years. In their place, Gus Grimeclaw has had an arcade, a gun range, and a laser tag facility constructed. While some residents have complained about the cultural losses, more glass-half-full folks have countered by pointing out that you can trade 80,000 tickets in for a laser cannon at the arcade, and if that’s not culture then what is?
Other major caverns include the Wyrmhorn and the Wyrmtail, positioned at the north and south ends of the Wyrmspine respectively. These and many other caverns are connected by minecart, but there are plenty of “off the grid” areas within the mountain range. Spelunking is a popular activity, but always comes with the risk of running into wyrmlings or, in rare cases, the lair of a more powerful dragon. Since the death of Grulzrarrenth, some dragons have fled the continent or been killed. However, plenty of young dragons and some (estimates range from two to twelve) adult dragons still live somewhere within the mountain range. These creatures’ feelings on humanoids range from curiosity and amusement to a deep-set hostility at what they see as the murder of their king.
The territory of the Hoard extends to the surface as well. The most famous building on top of the mountains is Limeshine Manor, a massive limestone castle that Grulzrarrenth lived in when he felt like taking a more humanoid form. The moat has been drained, the firebombs and poison pressure plate traps removed, and the building has been converted into a sort of historical archive detailing the past several centuries of the region with an emphasis on draconic education. Kids can enjoy the “Match the Dragon Color to Damage Type” section while parents stick around to watch the forty-minute documentary film “Coastal Caverns: A Gold-Medal Idea for Bronze Dragons”.
A few miles north of Limeshine Manor is Wyvwright Keep, a refurbished castle that is the current headquarters of dragon chasers Division Draconic. The building is connected to a network of tunnels so that members can follow their targets either by air or deep into the earth. Footage from these expeditions is used on the show “Division Draconic: Wyrm Quest", a Channel 13 property which airs twice a week to tens of thousands of viewers. The main host and leader of the Division is a half-orc man named Gash Knox, winner of Challenger Weekly’s “Most Rugged in a Way Where You Can Tell He Came From Money” award. A larger-than-life figure, Gash can often be seen around the Hoard filming promotions for the show or losing fights at one of the Wyrmgut’s many dive bars.
