Za-Khazi Run

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The Za-Khazi Run, named after an ancient Vahnatai pillar, is a wild, isolated stretch of caves, running through the lower caves. It terminates at each end with human outposts, Fort Goodling and Fort Cavalier.

Size

The exact size of the Za-Khazi Run has not been fully mapped (due to how hazardous and sparsely populated it is), but the longitudinal span is approximately 250 miles.

Location

The Za-Khazi Run lies perpendicular to the Great Cave in the lower caverns, with Fort Cavalier closer to the Great Cave, and Fort Goodling the farthest apart. The Za-Khazi lies little more than two thousand feet below the Great Cave. The closest avernite city to Fort Cavalier is Dharmon.

Population

Listed by affiliation, race or species:

Affiliation: Kingdom of Avernum

Approximately 200 souls across the Za-Khazi, distributed as follows:

  • Fort Goodling: the fort is fully crewed with approximately 80 avernites, ranging from rank-and-file to trainers, a few wizards and a priest. Notably, it is from here that a brave band of couriers left to deliver the necessary equipment to defend Fort Cavalier from the darkling hordes.
  • Fort Cavalier: the fort held back the darkling hordes with a surprisingly small garrison, approximately with just less than a hundred avernites holding the line. The exact strength of the standing garrison whittled during the Second Slith War, but magical equipment delivered from Fort Goodling ensured that the fort held. During wartime, the fort had a priest and a wizard, both of whose magical aid was invaluable in maintaining the fort.

Affiliation: The Empire

Population deceased, was approximately 50 souls between ~822 - 857 IE.

  • Opal Citadel: during the Empire-Avernum War, a band of elite soldiers took to the waters of Za-Khazi under the orders of attempting a surprise raid on Avernum. However, the ferocity of the caverns took the imperials by surprise, and they got bogged down. The warband was painfully unaware of the ending of the war between Avernum and Empire. Furthermore, upon realizing that no aid was coming, the imperials established the Opal Citadel, had children and passed on the torch to the next generations. It is rumoured that their garrison was wiped out during the Second Slith War. The Opal Citadel is rumoured to have engaged in trade with the undead servants of Morog.

Giants

Population deceased, was approximately a small clan's worth.

  • Blood Glee Clan: despite the clan's fixation on causing and - perhaps even more importantly - receiving pain, it seems they could not withstand the rigors of the Second Slith War. It is likely that they were wiped out either by the Za-Khazi Run Couriers on their way to Fort Cavalier, the darkling slith raiding parties, or perhaps even Broken Fang Clan raiders. Scholars have not been able to find conclusive evidence to the cause of the clan's extinction.

Troglodytes

Population deceased, was approximately hardy 80 souls.

  • Broken Fang Clan: the clan's blockade of a narrow choke in the Za-Khazi river was their downfall, as the Za-Khazi Run Couriers were forced to infiltrate the troglodyte fortress, and manually open the gates theirselves. For all their cunning, the troglodytes failed to realise that commandeering the only way to pass between the southern and northern portions of the upper parts of the Za-Khazi river system with a boat was a double-edged sword: it gave the troglodytes as much power as it made them a strategically vital and a compulsory target for anyone not on their good side.

Vahnatai

The exact number of Vahnatai within the Za-Khazi Run is presently unknown.

  • Spiralling Crypt: a windowless tower sculpted from basalt, with standard Vahnatai interior decor. The tower featured a number of Vahnavoi and Hraithe, as well as ghasts, zombies, eyebeasts and magical traps. The tower was to be the resting place of an old Vahnatai leader, and it was their wish to be ritualistically turned into a Crystal Soul, but due to reasons unknown the lord of the crypt never got their wish granted.
  • Lair of Casser-Bok: a solitary Crystal Soul reportedly resided within a tomb carved to the side of an overgrown and dimly lit island in the middle of a dark underground lake. In life, Casser-Bok was a warlord.
  • Vahnatai Outpost: a number of Vahnatai resided in a concealed outpost during the Second Slith War, under the watchful guidance of a Crystal Soul named Presso-Bok.

White unicorns

Five white unicorns resided within a well-tended, beautiful and serene cavern, about the late first third or the early midsection of the Za-Khazi Run. At around 857 IE (or a little bit earlier), one of the unicorns was slain by the giants of a nearby Blood Glee Clan.

  • Citadel of Unicorns: Presently, the citadel is a home to three white unicorns, and the memorial site of a fourth. Additionally, one white unicorn is rumoured to roam the Za-Khazi Run tunnels, preferring the freedom over safety. The unicorns maintain a gatehouse called (imaginatively) the Unicorn Gate. Only those who have gained the favour or goodwill of the unicorns of the Citadel of Unicorns may pass the Gate, and additionally enjoy a restful picnic within the magically maintained garden upon the Unicorn Gate grounds.

History

The Za-Khazi Run was important in reinforcing Fort Goodling and Fort Cavalier during the Second Slith War.

Geography

Other Sources

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