Stoneheart Mountain Dungeon
In the foothills of the Stoneheart Mountains, just north of Bard’s Gate, lie the ruins of twin shrines dedicated to the virtuous deities Thyr and Muir. During their heyday, pilgrims traveled from far and wide to visit these holy sites. Yet over the passing centuries, the gods’ popularity steadily waned as new gods captured the hearts and souls of eager followers. The shrines fell into neglect and then disuse after Abysthor, the last of the shrines’ great priests, vanished 20 years ago. The absence of good creatures in the area allowed the forces of evil deep beneath the forgotten shrines to surge back to the forefront.
The devotees of Tsathogga, the vile Frog God, long inhabited a religious complex far below the ground. There in the darkness, his deranged tsathar servants conducted their wicked blood rituals and paid homage to their chaotic, demonic entity. However, after centuries of isolation and solitude, they learned they were no longer alone. Ten years ago, the followers of Orcus joined them after the demon prince imparted a vision to his high priest commanding him to also erect a temple in the depths of the Stoneheart Mountain Dungeon. The competing forces quickly struck an uneasy truce as both sought the same end. Each set out to locate the Black Monolith, a potent construct with the power to open a permanent gateway to The Abyss. However, unbeknownst to either party, the dungeon also contains another secret. Even farther below the temples, the spirit of the Stoneheart Mountain can be found in a chamber of earth blood. A lone guardian vigilantly defends both locations until the time comes when other righteous beings stand beside him to forever eradicate the evil infesting the Stoneheart Mountain Dungeon once and for all.
Those who dare venture to the Stoneheart Mountain Dungeon encounter a multi-tiered complex. The dilapidated shrines occupy the uppermost level and are accessible from the surface. Undead and carrion feeders took the place of clergy members and worshippers on this level. A network of caves connects the shrines with the temples and chambers beneath the Stoneheart Mountain Dungeon. At its lowest depths, many believe the tunnels and passageways in its allegedly bottomless pit connect the dungeon to Rappan Athuk and the Cyclopean Deeps.
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