I've been unable to access my computer due limited Range skill,
but am now back, and will thus make a big heap of small comments at
one time. Sorry if this causes some sort of trouble.
Peter Metcalfe about Teshnos:
> 5) The Keeper of Crystal Wisdom knows a secret pathway into
a > valley full of magical crystals near Diamond Mountain. It's
> guarded by terrible Dwarven Constructs which the Keeper also
> knows the way of slipping past. (Thank Eric the Viking for
> this relevation).
The inspiration was the RW medieval stories about the spices and gems
of the east being guarded by snakes, basilisks, giants etc - several
good ones can be found in 1001 nights.
Three good types of guardian creatures would be enormous mechanical
centipedes (they look scary), cockatrices brewed in the foul vats of
the Tin and Quicksilver Dwarfs and giant metal Jolanti. A classical
trick for overcoming such dangers is catapulting oxen carcasses down
the valley, to which the diamonds will stick. Then the enormous
raptors who lives near the place will descend and take those
carcasses to their nests. The eager diamondhunters can go to the nests
and get the diamonds. They just have to take care they do not
encounter the Rukh-like birds themselves.
> 10) Iron is slightly cheaper than normal there. The Mostali of
> Diamond Mountain tossed all the Iron out of their Conclave when
> they went Octamonist.
If they "tossed it out" literally it could have very strange
effects.... Seriously, that seems very Dwarven to me. Or are there
some large caves filled with the stuff, carefully sealed off from
the main dwarven stronghold as being "diseased"?
Note that in a description of Boldhome it is stated that you could
find merchants from all over the world there - even far-away Teshnos.
Hm.
Erik Sieurin