0X.05: Broken Bastion

Form: A ruined fortress blocks the cavern here.

At First Glance: The fortress blocks the passage northeast from the hunting grounds (0X.02). There is a tall wall, a gate and a keep, all of obviously upper world construction. It is in a crumbling state and appears to be very old.

On Closer Inspection: The fortress is of dwarven design and construction, though who knows who did the labors. Inside the ruins, evidence suggests that the fortress held for some number of years and was manned by dwarves as well as garklings. Eventually it was breached, however, and those protecting it either fled or were carried off since there are neither corpses nor graves here.

Secrets: An unfortunate company of Baelishite dwarves ended up trapped in the underrealm and did their best to establish a foothold while they searched for a way home, including befriending the garklings who lived here at the time. Unfortunately, the dwarves attracted the ire of the Godecho and their fortress was ultimately destroyed by the monsters that serve that entity.

Deep in the fortress one such enemy remains: a wrathful arachnopede dwells still in the depths of the ruins and will attack anyone investigating.

Treasure: During the construction of the fortress, the dwarves came across a vein of deepearth blacksteel, which they used to craft their weapons and armor but of which a few ingots yet remain in the ruins.

Connections: A well is the keep garden connects to a submerged tunnel that leads to both the lake (0X.01) and the garkling village (0X.04), though none realize it. Beyond the fortress a tunnel leads north, deeper in the underrealm (0X.08).