Peek: Bridged Peaks (Patreon)

Ah, the mountains. We have so few proper mountains in our glorious Wanderlands, which makes the few we do get to see seem so much more majestic. It seems strange to look up and see snow, even with how warm summer has been. Once we set up camp, I'll tell you about one of the few dungeons I've managed to visit in the Dwarven Holds.

Ah, that breeze off the mountain feels nice, doesn't it? Keep your good blankets handy, though. The pleasant cool will turn to harsh cold once darkness properly settles. Ah, the dungeon?

It's an uncommon one for the dwarves, but draws quite a few curious adventurers for the unique terrain alone. While dwarves generally care much more for what's underneath a mountain than what's on top, they still consider it part of their territory. I'm told the fresh melted snow is the secret to some of their finest brews, and far be it for me to tell a dwarf how to make alcohol.

And so, deep in the dwarven territories lays the Bridged Peaks. The terrain is brutal, jagged peaks packed close together, close enough that it's difficult to tell where one peak ends and another begins! It's also the rare dungeon in the Holds with wind affinity, and one they make sure to delve regularly. Wind affinity things are excellent for keeping the deep caverns full of fresh air.

It's a belligerent, not especially remarkable in attitude. What it is remarkable for, however, is its sense of design. It's been slowly expanding over the clustered peaks for ages, and though it's not above killing adventurers, it recognizes they give it more mana. So it makes an effort to encourage them.

No mean feat for a collection of harsh, barren peaks. So it started making bridges, to ensure the delvers could get deep enough to actually be worth having around. At first, it made simple rope bridges, hardly sturdy enough for a single delver to take. You may think that's a good opportunity for the dungeon to kill the delver.

Easy prey, out in the open like that. Free mana, right? But it's never done so. Once on a bridge, a delver is safe, so long as they don't try to abuse that sanctuary. But it was also not content with simple rope bridges. It made wooden bridges. It made stone bridges. It even has a shining steel bridge made of thick cables holding up massive plates.

It makes me wonder if the dwarves take inspiration from its designs, or the other way around.

My visit there was a days-long delve with adventurers well familiar with the dungeon. They knew all the best bridges to see, the best places to fight the denizens, the best nodes to gather from.

Hah, I see those looks. What's so special about a bridge? It's just a road without the good sense to stay on the ground! We have bridges in our own Wanderlands, over some of the smaller rivers!

Comparing our bridges to the dungeon is like comparing a garden to our Wanderlands. The sense of scale is something that can only be experienced. And the views.

To stand on one of those bridges and see the sun rise, to feel like you're just floating, gazing out over a petrified sea of frosted peaks. It's the sort of experience even I don't have words for.

If you ever find yourself in the Holds, make time to visit the Bridged Peaks. You won't regret it.

~Onthar, Orc Bard Historian