Author: Justin AlexanderCartography: Justin Alexander

Heraldry Design: Justin AlexanderHeraldry and Symbols: Margaret Frazer

Cover Art: Caspar David Friedrich - Der Watzmann

Copyright 2006 - Dream Machine Productionswww.thealexandrian.net/dreammachine

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For most of the day, the road you've traveled has become increasingly ill-used. Now, only a few hun-dred feet before you, it finally fades completely from sight - lost in the tall prairie grasses which sweepaway from you like an emerald sea.

On the far side of the grasslands - perhaps a half-mile from where you stand now - foothills rise up fromthe earth. And beyond that, cloud-topped peaks stretch from one horizon to the other - grey monolithsof granite, carved in likeness by hands older than any man.

Even at this distance, though, there is no mistaking Mt. Auroch among the rest. The city of Aerie -carved from the mountain itself in two great tiers - rises upon its side, with the famed Griffon Wallstanding in proud perfection and smooth relief against the craggy peak and the mighty Falls of Aurochplunging from its heights.

Entering Aerie

History of the CitySeven hundred years ago, Aerioch was famed throughout the many lands. Although small in size, the kingdom hadprospered under a succession of wise and noble kings. The cities of Aerioch were unmatched in civilization andgrandeur. The kingdom's crafts were unrivaled. Their art was demanded in the farthest reaches of the world.

And watching over this greatness - in loyal and faithful service to King and Country - were the proud Griffon Knightsof Aerioch, the finest warriors of the world. From the backs of their tamed mounts, the Griffon Knights were insurmount-able upon the field of battle. No nation dared to stand against the might of Aerioch, and it seemed that the GoldenKingdom would endure for an eternity.

But, as all greatness must, Aerioch fell. And, as is so often the case, the fault lay with a traitor from within.

Eredred, one of the Griffon Knights' own, misled them for promises of power. He whispered poisoned words into theears of his comrades and his king, and the Knights were dispatched upon an errand of folly. Behind them, Aerioch stoodunguarded. Eredred's foul allies laid siege to Aerioch, and the great city fell. As the news reached them of the kingdom'splight, the Knights raced back to fulfill their duty, but they were too late… the treachery had run its course. The castleburned beneath them, and the King - along with all his sons - was spitted upon the flaming battlements. The era ofAerioch had come to an end.

For a time they fought. But it was a hopeless struggle, and the Knights soon knew it in their hearts. In the end, they fledto the west, bearing with them the memory of Aerioch's glory and their own failure. They also took with them as manyrefugees as they could bear - a painful few in number. They were homeless, and their flight was dogged by Eredred andhis new masters, but in time they escaped and came to the mountains. To Mt. Auroch.

It was here that the long Griffon Flight came to an end. Sick of heart and weary of their journey, the Knights were drawnby the mystic Falls of Auroch. The land all about the mountains was still rough and unkind - populated by the greathordes of orc and goblin-kind. But, nestled behind the Falls, the Knights discovered a mammoth cavern, which theywould come to call Griffon Cave. Here the knights settled, for their great mounts could sail out from the mountain toseek game and food and even trade with the distant nations of the civilized lands.

Time passed, and the memory of Aerioch burned bright in the hearts of its sole survivors. They survived through trade- mining down into Mt. Auroch and forging masterpieces with the few secrets of Aerioch's craft which remained to them.They became known as the Griffon Riders, and - indeed - their survival depended upon those chosen few who could flytheir trade to market.

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A century passed, and the Griffon Riders grew instrength and number. Griffon Cave could no longercomfortably support the entire community. At thesame time, the generation of the Flight - which haddreamed of reclaiming the burnt ruins of Aerioch - wasgrowing old and dying. Their dream was dying withthem, replaced by the dreams of a generation whichhad only known life upon Mt. Auroch.

It was thus that a project of epic scope was undertaken:The carving of a great city from the very mountainitself. Even as their mines plunged down into the heartof the mountain, the Griffon Riders worked back andup from the cave network of which Griffon Cave wasonly the greatest part. Within a generation, the city ofAerie had begun to take form.

At the same time, the Griffon Knights had once morebecome knights in deed as well as name - cleansing theland about Mt. Auroch of the goblins and orcs whichhad once plagued it and placing their protection upona hundred leagues.

It was at this time that the men of Aerie first met thedwarves of Westerdeep. It had been long centuriessince the dwarves had emerged into the light of day,but the tendrils of their mines met those of Aerie deepbeneath the mountains. Their first encounters werewary, but soon a fast friendship was formed: Aerie wasenriched by the treasures of the dwarves, andWesterdeep was enriched by their first contact with aworld they had forgotten.

For the last four hundred years the descendants ofAerioch have prospered and flourished. The CityUpon the Mountain has become renowned. The landsover which the Griffon Knights fly have become boun-tiful. Aerie itself has grown great - diving deep into themountain and climbing high into the sky.

The glory of Aerioch has never been fully recovered,but Aerie retains its pride and strength - and its flameburns brighter with every passing year.

The Serpent QuestThe Serpent Quest. The Errand of Folly. The Doom ofAerioch. It is the quest upon which the Griffon Knightsflew when Aerioch fell. It is the search for the SeptumSerpents: Seven serpents carved into a single statue,each cast from one of the seven precious metals -mithril, gold, silver, platinum, copper, adamantine,and iron - with eyes cut from twin pairs of the sevenprecious gems - diamonds, rubies, aquamarines, emer-alds, sapphires, pearls, and jade.

The mystic powers attributed to the Septum Serpentsare varied in the legends of the world (for they arementioned in many), but it is said that they can makeand unmake kings; shift the shape of the land; trans-form the meek into gods. Whether or not there is truthin these things, the Serpents have been covetedthroughout history. Grandeur followed them, and ruinwas left in their wake - but they have been lost formore than a millennia.

In Aerie they have not been forgotten. To the contrary,their memory is held bitterly. When someone is exiledfrom Aerie, they are sentenced to "search for theSeptum Serpents". If they are successful, they mayreturn to Aerie… if they wish.

None have ever succeeded.

Look and Feel

Aerie is shaped from the mountain itself: The build-ings are of a single piece, seeming to grow straightfrom streets of stone. Secret and open ways lead tothe tunnels beneath the surface (although many arenow sealed and abandoned). And shadowing theentire city is the peak of Auroch and the Griffon Wall- constant, bearing reminders of mountainous stone.

But the city is not solely a place of cold, gray granite:Windows are covered with brightly painted shutters.Fountains and works of art can be found in the manyplazas throughout the city. Most of the houses, partic-ularly in the Upper City, are gifted with luscious gar-dens. The city's heart is undoubtedly of stone, and theinfluence of the dwarves can be heavily felt, but it is astone tempered with the heart of humanity.

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OrganizationsThe Griffon RidersWhen the Griffon Knights came to Mt. Auroch, they kept their order intact. In Aerioch they had been the greatest mili-tary force in the land, but as time passed in their new homes, the skills of the griffon riders became increasingly impor-tant in maintaining the trade which allowed the mountain community to survive. As a result, roughly fifty years afterarriving at Mt. Auroch, the Griffon Knights were reorganized into the Griffon Riders.

The Griffon Riders are, in fact, almost two separate organizations, sharing only the loos-est of connections. The Military Wing - which also continued to bear the name of GriffonKnights - remained responsible for the defense of Aerie, while the Merchant Wingbecame responsible for trade and travel.

Today, the Merchant Wing, based from Merchant Landing in the Lower City, dwarfs theMilitary Wing in size. The Military Wing, however, still contains the most skillful of theGriffon Riders.

Merchant GuildThe Merchant Guild was formed shortly after the Lower City was completed. It was orig-inally intended to serve as a channel of communication between the civilian merchantsof the city and the Griffon Riders, but over time it has grown to become, arguably, themost powerful organization in the city.

Membership in the Merchant Guild is not required to maintain a shop in Aerie, but it isrequired to schedule a griffon flight. Since all goods entering or leaving Aerie must beflown by griffons, anyone who isn't a Guild member is at a severe disadvantage. As aresult, the Guild effectively controls most of Aerie's business. And once the Guild gainedcontrol over the scheduling of their flights, the Merchant Wing of the Griffon Riders alsoeffectively came under their control. This grants the Guild a significant majority in theelections, which means that they wield the majority of political power within the city aswell.

The Tower GuardThe history of the Tower Guard can be traced directly back to the Military Advisors, acouncil of nine Griffon Knights who served the King of Aerioch and oversaw his militaryforces. Following the Fall of Aerioch and the Griffon Flight, the Military Advisors becamethe Knights of the Guard, the de facto rulers of the settlement at Mt. Auroch.

When the Tower of the Oak was completed and the seat of government was moved fromGriffon Cave to the Upper City, the Knights of the Guard were briefly renamed theKnights of the Tower. Shortly thereafter, however, the positions on the ruling councilbecame elective, and the name was changed once more - this time to the Tower Guard.

Although the positions on the Tower Guard are elective, only Griffon Riders and veter-ans could originally vote. That state of affairs lasted for a little over a century. Then,roughly two hundred years ago, the Merchant Guild - with the assistance of theMerchant Wing of the Griffon Riders - forced its way into the Tower Guard.

Today, anyone in Aerie can run for a position on the Tower Guard, but only members ofthe Riders and the Merchant Guild are enfranchised - which means that, in practice, themerchants control the government.

The Tower Guard remains a council of nine. Three members of the Guard are elected each year in a rotating cycle. Thesenior member of the Guard is roughly equivalent to a mayor - they control the bureaucracy, are responsible for carry-ing out the edicts of the Guard, and can break the rare tie on Guard votes.

Military Wing

Merchant Wing

Tower Guard

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Mercenary GuildA little over fifty years ago, the Tower Guard's annual dispensation to the Military Wing of the Griffon Riders was dras-tically reduced as part of a political maneuver by the Merchant Guild. The decreased funds forced the Griffon Knightsto release a significant number of their active riders and mounts from service.

The Merchant Guild had intended to incorporate the displaced troops into the Merchant Wing, further strengtheningtheir power base. The leaders of the Military Wing, however, thwarted these intentions by establishing the MercenaryGuild. As an independent organization, the Mercenary Guild was a more attractive option than the Merchant Wing forthe riders who had lost their positions (particularly once they learned who was responsible for their situation), and theGuild was able to survive and, later, prosper by selling its services.

Over the intervening years, the Mercenary Guild has grown in its own right, and its services have become prized bymany governments in the region around Aerie.

The Griffon WallAerie can, essentially, be divided into four parts: The wall which forms the face of the mountain, the caves which delvethrough the wall and below the city, and the two tiers of the city itself.

The face of the mountain above Griffon Cave (see below) has been shaped into a smooth bastion of stone approximate-ly a thousand feet high. Known as the Griffon Wall, the rock face is home to a number of watch post eyries, manned atall times by alert members of the Griffon Riders. Within the wall a network of caves and tunnels run through the moun-tain, while the two tiers of the city itself rise behind it.

The Giant’s StepsAs the first Griffon Riders carved their way back into the mountain, they chiseled out great blocks of stone to make wayfor their future city. These blocks were laboriously carried through Griffon Cave and hurled down the side of the moun-tain. The result, at the foot of the mountain, is a cascading maze of cyclopean stone blocks. The haphazard, broken blocksresemble nothing less than a chaotic staircase built for giants, thus earning them their name: The Giant’s Steps.

Those who wish entry to Aerie usually camp at the foot of the Giant's Steps, waiting for the Griffon Riders to descendand carry them above.

The Falls of AurochAs described below, the waters of the Fount form an underground river which flows down through the natural caves ofMt. Auroch before, finally, emerging from Griffon Cave as the Falls of Auroch and plummeting more than a mile to thefoot of the mountain below. The uncannily sheer surface behind the falls was eroded into the mountain by the Falls them-selves.

The Falls of Auroch, like the mountain itself, are visible for miles in every direction. They are truly a marvel of the world,and the grandeur of their sight is justly renowned. At the base of the mountain they form a bottomless lake, its unex-plored depths literally pounded into the earth by the deafening force of the Falls. The Auroch River flows from the lake,through the Giant's Steps, and away from the mountain.

Mercenary Guild

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Griffon Apprentices

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A. The CavesWithin the thousand feet of solid rock which forms the Griffon Wall, and in the depths of the mountain below it, a largenetwork of natural caves - the largest of which is Griffon Cave - twist and turn their way. Since the arrival of the GriffonRiders, this cave network has been expanded through seven centuries of stonework and mining.

Griffon Cave itself gapes like a black maw upon the face of Mt. Auroch. Its interior widens into a cavern spanning near-ly fifty acres, with a ceiling which towers over a hundred meters above a broad, flat floor. A variety of structures - somecarved down into the stone instead of rising above it - are scattered throughout the area, and a wide river of water flowsfrom the back of the cave out through the front (forming the Falls of Auroch).

During the daylight hours, a dim gloom permeates the entire cavern. Once the sun slips behind the mountain, however,the cavern is pitched into darkness. A number of magical lights, however, have been situated throughout the cave. Thesegive one the impression of looking into a starlit sky.

At one time, this place was a city unto itself. Now, however, it is almost wholly dedicated to the Griffon Riders. Manyof the buildings are long-deserted, and those which are not further purposes of either trade or military support.

A1. The Griffon GatesThere was a time when the mouth of Griffon Cave stood open to the world. No longer. Three great gates of brass wereerected across the entrance centuries ago. Two of these gates are closed at almost all times, while the third stands in per-petual readiness - waiting to be shut against any threat of danger.

At one time the defense of the Griffon Gates was crucial. With the construction of a city open to the sky, however, itsimportance has been dulled. It remains well-defended, however, and - ultimately - the caves within the Griffon Wall canserve as a final sanctuary and bastion for the people of Aerie.

a2. Rookery WALLSThe western wall of Griffon Cave is pock-marked with the distinctive niches of griffon nests. Literally hundreds of nestscan be found here. Although the griffons in active service are roosted in the city proper (either at the Landing in theLower City for the Merchant Wing or at the Fort on the Mount in the Upper City for the Military Wing), the rookerywalls are still maintained as the breeding ground for the griffons. Elder griffons retired from active service are also to befound here.

A3. The Citadel and the GrottoAt the age of six, every child in Aerie is taken to the Fort on the Mount and tested. Those who are chosen for the Ridingbecome Apprentices and are taken to the Citadel in Griffon Cave for their training. During their training, Apprenticeslive in the Grotto - a deep chasm in the floor of Griffon Cave directly beneath and behind the Citadel with numerous liv-ing quarters carved into its walls.

The Citadel and the Grotto, before the construction of the Fort on the Mount, served as the barracks for the GriffonKnights. The Citadel is a squat, imposing building of solid granite, originally designed to serve as a bastion for the peo-ple of Aerie. Its earliest halls were completed in the fear that they would be needed as a final defense if the fell minionsof Eredred ever found the desperate refugees.

A4. The Mud GulliesThe Mud Gullies are the lowest point in Griffon Cave outside of the basin of the Auroch River itself. As a result, theyserve as something of a flood plain for the river: During the spring thaws, the level of the Auroch River rises and spillsover into the Mud Gullies. The result, even after the excess water from the spring floods drains away or evaporates (aprocess which takes most of the summer), is a muddy morass of tangled pits and crevasses.

Near the center of the Mud Gullies, an incredibly deep pit has been magically driven down hundreds of feet into themountain. Originally designed to hold the overflow from the Gullies which previously ran into the Grotto, this pit nowserves as the dumping ground for the city's sewage. The result is a stagnant, fetid, and essentially bottomless pool whichhas become known as Mud Lake.

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