Varnurud, the stage that most of At the Heart of Ruin plays out on, is a varied realm of ruin, past glory, and faded splendor. The kingdom of Dvendarr Tharr, now mostly referred to as the Mountains of Fire, has a great deal of Dwarven infrastructure; ruins of stone are most plentiful. Although most of it has crumbled to rubble or dust in the wake of the Calamity, there are those jutting edifices that yet endure – old watchtowers, cracked roads, small forts, great staircases, and massive walls only a few among them. One does not have to look far and wide.

Examples abound, whether one looks to the broken wall at the top of the Grind or southwest of it, where a collapsed edifice of stone rests. The locals have taken to calling it the Fallen Tower, for reasons that are at once obvious.

There are dark rumors about the structure, too. Rumors primarily about its inhabitants – tales of depraved madmen, debased rituals, and, of course, plunder for the taking. Yet indeed, there is only one way of truly finding out what lies within.

Far south of the Fallen Tower looms a different kind of peril. The Bastion, home of the wayward Hollow Men, was once a surface Dwarven settlement of some note, but in time, a mass of lava encroached upon its bounds, leaving half of the structures to be submerged.

Moving northwest to the foot of the mountains, one can find the Stairs of Baldar, commonly referred to as “the Great Stairs”. Though not dangerous at first glance, the stairs are as perilous as the other locales mentioned when one tries ascending them. Just have a look for yourself!

So you see, dear vagrus, danger is never far in Varnurud, but neither is a strange beauty. Were it not for the scorching heat, roving madmen, and deadly creatures that prowl the lands, we might even recommend it as something of a museum. Alas it is not so. And thus, if you find yourself traversing it, we recommend you do as you always do: stay wary, stay informed, and conquer the wasteland!

– The Lost Pilgrims Team

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