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place

Magstein

Summary

Magstein is a dark-skinned dwarven city and lost-city site, separate from Grimcrag, whose entrance route passes through Magstein. Its underground halls contain a dwarven prison, a huge lava orb or elemental prisoner, the route to Papa Marmaru’s dome, and civic chambers where a long-corrupted government allowed theft, ineffective militia, and intimidating faceplate guards to take hold. The party fought through the Magstein–Grimcrag convoy route, trapped Peridita in Magstein’s narrow passages, and then moved from the dwarven crisis into the Grand Towers control-room crisis.

Known Details

  • On day-53, the party returned from Bridged’s domain to the dwarf city near Papa Marmaru’s dome, where they were accused of liberating a prisoner.
  • Day 43 books on dwarven lost cities referenced Magstein as dark-skinned and Grimcrag as albino, describing the respective dwarves. The same notes referenced a princess of Grimcrag and a princess of the lost ones.
  • The Chorus knew where the entrance to Grimcrag was, but Starling reported the party needed to go through Magstein.
  • The books suggested a missing third city, because each of two books referenced the other city but neither referenced the third.
  • Day 44 notes say the sphinx book by Serpans al Sephira described a parallel place and sphinxes who moved their city underground; this may connect to Magstein / Grimcrag, but the exact link is not confirmed.
  • Day 51 places the dwarven prison material in Magstein.
  • The huge underground dwarven city, lava-orb chamber, scared dwarven prison room, circular dwarf statue chamber, and thirty-dwarf sarcophagus chamber from Day 51 are in Magstein; the lava-orb chamber is the Magstein prison containing the humongous elemental lava orb / prisoner.
  • The dwarven council included High Priest King Calthid Metalshaper, General Tussil Pebblegrinder, Advocate Trinchel Rhinebeard, Ambassador Grunged Thundersinger, and Guild Mistress Anya Blakedurn.
  • The army roll call counted 1,017 soldiers, but supplies were poor: no water, much wine, one day of food, and no weapons, arrows, or other supplies.
  • Morgana found the city damaged, with blood outside the door, then encountered a lone dwarf who became a llamia with ratmen companions.
  • Day 53 Magstein internal locations included the dwarven council chamber, Blakedurn’s oddly repaired Sierra-and-Dunnen-styled house, and the damaged city door where Morgana found blood and building damage.
  • On day-54, the party fought at the Magstein / Grimcrag bridge, freed 26 Grimcrag dwarves, lost 12 army dwarves, and seized wagons containing invisibility-linked shield crystal/copper, poison barrels, and explosives.
  • On day-55, the party left the dwarf army at Grimcrag to recover while they teleported to Magstein and trapped Peridita in narrow passages.
  • The convoy route, bridge-side battlefield, and Peridita’s narrow passages are Magstein / Grimcrag-area locations rather than standalone places.
  • Magstein had been strange for years: the council did not meet, militia were ineffective, theft was common, and faceplate guards intimidated the Crusty Beard pub without paying.
  • The Crusty Beard had a hair wall and a memorial to dead dwarves who drank there.

Open Questions

  • What caused the long-term breakdown of Magstein’s council, militia, and civic order?
  • What is the exact relationship between Magstein, Grimcrag, the two-city door, and the missing third lost city?
  • Is Grimcrag connected to the parallel sphinx city described in the old mage-school sphinx book?
  • Who controlled the faceplate guards?
  • What was the exact destination or intended use of the poison and explosive wagons?
  • How many Grimcrag dwarves remain capable after the bridge battle and recovery?