Thundering Steppes

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The Thundering Steppes is a large region of hills and plains. It is made up of portions of what was the plains of Karana before the Shattering; it was badly damaged by falling debris from the explosion of Luclin.

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Sites of Interest 1.2 Griffon Towers 2 Population

Geography

The Thunderiing Steppes is the eastern portion of the continent of Karan (Antonica being the western portion). From the Thundering Steppes, you can travel by land to Antonica and use ships from the dock to travel to Nektulos Forest, Zek, the Feerrott, and Everfrost.

Sites of Interest

Some areas of interest include:

• The Fallow Farmlands are to the northeast and have two craters that are home to bands of gnolls.
  • The Antonican Road runs from the main gates to Antonica south and west through the farmlands; guard tower 1 is near the northern end, and guard tower 2 marks its southern end..
  • The Seaside Road leads from the farmlands down to the Dead River Basin and the docks.
• The Thundermist Road runs north from the Bridge Keep, then west from guard tower 2 in the Fallow Farmlands to the Thundermist Valley.
  • Thundermist Village is about in the center of the steppes on the Thundermist Road; it has a cut leading down into the Dead River Basin.
  • The Mirror is a lake in a crater north west of the village.
• The Thundermist Valley is the large open area in the northwest; it is also known as the Griffon Fields.
  • Off the beach here is a sunken ship and the Shrine of the Sirens an underwater shrine taken over by sirens.
  • The Coldwind Shores Cemetery is at the northern end of the beach.
  • The newly restored Ulteran Spires are in a crater near the center of the valley.
  • One of the centaur camps is in the southwest corner of the valley.
  • At the northern end of Thundermist Valley is the Sabertooth Den, a gnoll camp, which has a secret entrance to Antonica.
• Deadview Pass runs south out of the Thundermist Valley to the southern beaches; it is patrolled by the Firerock Giants.
  • A bridge in the pass spans a gorge running between the Valley of the Ancients to the east and the ocean to the west (passing a rift entrance to the Obelisk of Lost Souls).
• The Shattered Gully leads southeast out of the Thundermist Valley, both down into the Dead River Basin and across it via a bridge to the Crested Lowlands.
• The southern beaches have a number of interesting areas:
  • Coldwind Cove is the southern portion of the beach; on the bluff above the cove is the main Centaur Encampment.
  • The Crater Mine is on the northern bluff (at the southern end of Deadview Pass) and is home to the Firerock Giants.
  • The bluff to the south of Crater Mine is the Giant's Forge. The Skindancer gnolls have made a home here, drawn by an ancient, evil shrine. Here you can also find the newly uncovered entrance to Sundered Splitpaw, the long lost home of the Splitpaw gnolls.
• The Dead River Basin is a series of mostly dry river beds leading from the Coldwind Beach to the docks on the eastern shore; the basin is infested with the undead.
  • East of the Centaur Encampment, you can find the entrance to the Cove of Decay.
  • North of the Cove of Decay is a wet area known as Grave Pool
  • The Dead River docks are on the beach at the eastern end of the Dead River Basin.
• The Bridge Keep spans the Dead River Basin and provides the primary security boundary between the northern and southern reaches of the steppes.
• The Crested Lowlands is the large open space in the southeastern steppes; it is a favorite hunting ground of the centaurs.
  • Dead River Road runs through the lowlands from the Bridge Keep south and west past guard tower 3; it splits near the southwestern end of the Crested Lowlands (at guard tower 4) heading both to guard tower 5 and the entrance to the Cove of Decay and to Crater Mine (this branch is patrolled by Firerock Giants).
  • The Ruins of Karana are the eastern portion of the lowlands; they are haunted by hordes of undead.
  • The Last Stand is in the southern lowlands, east of guard tower 4.
  • The Ruins of Varsoon is the former home of a great necromancer; its entrances can be found to the southeast within the ruins.

Griffon Towers

There are four newly created griffon towers:

• Near guard tower 1 and the Antonica gate
• At Thundermist Village
• Near guard tower 4 in the Crested Lowlands
• At Coldwind Cove

Population

The Thundering Steppes is home to many creatures, many of whom are sentient. These include:

• The Steppes Settlers are the tenacious residents of the steppes, many of them decended from those who originally settled the area before the shattering. Based in Thundermist Village and at the docks, some of the residents will ask for your help hunting the supplies they need to survive or defending their homes against the wild creatures, centaurs, and the undead.

• The Qeynos Guard helps patrol the area and maintains security at the Bridge Keep. They always can use a hand with things.

• The Great Herd are the centaurs that have always lived in the region. They have settled in two camps and hunt over much of the region. Treated as invaders by the settlers, they just want to be left alone. Helping eliminate their enemies, the gnolls, improve your standing with them.
  • The Watcher in the Fields (near the NW beach) will allow you to honor their fallen chiefs and reward you if you do so.

• The Firerock tribe of giants have settled in the southwest.
  • Chief Derrog will allow you to prove yourself to him by completing several quests.
  • Obsid Boulderboom has an old hatchet that he will help you restore after you learn his language.

    <<Polished Granite Tomahawk -- Heritage Quest>>

• Several packs of gnolls infest the area: the Sabertooth pack stays mainly in the north, the Skindancers have found a home near an old shrine on a bluff above Coldwind Beach, the Splitpaw Gnolls are beginning to move out of their caves and have set up small camps around their strange terraporters.

• Swarms of the undead infest the dry river beds that run through the center of the region and others are drawn to the area around the ruins of Varsoon.