The Hoard
The Hoard, the City of Dragons, is one of the thirteen Cities of Norn, located in the west of the isle. It was formerly the territory of the holographic dragon Grulzrarrenth the Incandescent.
The Hoard's Champion is currently Gus Grimeclaw.
Geography and structure
The Hoard consists mainly of a massive network of interconnected caverns and castles built in and around the Wyrmspine, the mountain range that flows up Norn's western coast. The Hoard has several caverns that serve as the primary residential areas for humanoids.
Caverns of The Hoard
Wyrmgut
Chief among the habitable caverns 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. although, these structures were mostly torn down during the reign of the Champion Gus Grimeclaw. In their place, Gus Grimeclaw has constructed an arcade, a gun range, and a laser tag facilities.
Wyrmhorn and Wyrmtail
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.
Surface locations
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, and the firebombs and poison pressure plate traps removed. 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. Children can enjoy the “Match the Dragon Color to Damage Type” section while parents can 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.
Dragons
Many dragons still live in and around The Hoard. 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.
People and culture
A group of dragon-chasers exists named Division Draconic, which is dedicated to following, documenting, and filming the dragons of The Hoard. 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.
Champions
Gus Grimeclaw is the current Champion of The Hoard, maintaining a tenure of nearly two years.
