Geography
The main feature of the fort is the hand-shaped hill, between the fingers of which are caves where deserters oversees repairs to several infernal war machines. Around this hill is a ring of debris that serves as a crude rampart. This barrier is 15 feet thick, and its height averages 20 feet.
Description
A fortified compound sits atop a low plateau that rises out of a crater-pocked landscape. At the center of the compound is a hill of rust-colored stone that resembles a hand clawing out of the ground, with gaps between the fingers. A jagged wall made of rock, bones, and metal debris surrounds this hand-shaped hill. Other highlights visible from this distance include a gatehouse, atop which stands a half-dozen small figures on watch.
Built into the rampart is a ramshackle gatehouse. Next to the gatehouse is an iron gong that can be struck to warn of impending attack. A 15-foot high, 20-foot-wide, entryway passes through the gatehouse. A wall of junk on rollers can be pushed in front of the entryway to seal it in case of attack.
Within the rampart, surrounding the hill, are hovels made of junk and scrap metal. These quarters are mostly empty except for a few cots, since most deserters don't require food, drink or sleep, they are rarely used. Amid the hovels are the plundered wrecks of several infernal war machines that have been picked clean for parts.
Gatehouse
The gatehouse serves as the entrance to Fort Knucklebone. Six imps stand guard atop it. One imp yells down at the characters as they approach, asking for the password. After a few moments, a different imp says, “We don’t have a password!” All the imps fall over laughing.
The imps on guard duty give the characters a difficult
Time, asking them to do ridiculous things to gain entrance. After a few minutes, when the characters get fed up with the nonsense, the imps tell them to quit standing around like idiots and come inside.
The area enclosed by the rampart is littered with trash and mechanical parts, some put together in a way that resembles a war machine. Ramshackle structures, built from the same junk as the outer wall, provide shelter.
A platoon of small devil creatures mills about, all looking like feral devils.
Adventure Hook
The leader of Fort Knucklebone, an Arx (devil) named Molach betrayed
Zariel as he and his tropped fled the battle and gathered in Fort Knucklebone. Chancelier
Lazivos know of their location, but has no ressources to spare, yet he wish to bring them back to the
Basalt Citadel to be publicly executed, an example for other deserters.
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