Sterngate

=Sterngate, Guardian of Marguul Pass=

"Sterngate itself was a bulky fortress nestled into the foothills of the Seawall Mountains with only a scattering of buildings -- the lightning rail station among them -- outside it. Steep earth embankments and wide ditches made it impossible to approach the stopped [rail] coach from anywhere other than through the station. Geth could see similar arrangements of embankments and stone walls restricting access to the other buildings and even to the trade road that ran past the station and directly into the fortress."

-- from //**The Doom of Kings**// (//Legacy of Dhakaan, Book I//), page 93

"The [Orien] trade road was virtually a tunnel within the fortress, walled in and roofed over. When the tunnel finally did open up, it was onto a wide courtyard with only four exits: the trade road behind, the trade road ahead, a heavily guarded gate leading into the fortress proper, and, incongruously, a large inn bearing the House Ghallanda seal built as a separate structure within the courtyard."

-- **//ibid.//**, page 96

"They emerged from the tunnel and onto the open trade road.... The Seawall Mountains rose above them. Without the bulk of Sterngate blocking the view, Geth had a sudden feeling that the massive peaks might fall down from the sky and crush him. Adding to that sense of oppressive height was the barrenness of the slopes close to Sterngate. For perhaps two hundred paces or more from the fortress's walls, the ground had been swept clear of trees and bushes. In their place was a labyrinth of ditches and embankments that made the earthworks protecting the lighting rail station look like the diggings of a child. The only easy path was along the road."

-- **//ibid.//**, page 98

Sterngate is the Brelish fortress that guards the western end of the Marguul Pass -- the primary land route into what is now central Darguun (including the capital, Rhukaan Draal). It has a permanent garrison of between 400-600 troops, whose primary mission is to patrol the pass and the network of trenches and earthworks dug ever since the Brelish defeat at the Battle of Marguul Pass guaranteed Darguun's independence nearly 30 years ago.

Sterngate has also become a transportation hub. The Lightning Rail passes Sterngate as it skirts the Seawall Mountains linking ZIlargo and northern Breland, and the only road through the pass into Darguul lands is a House Orien Trade Route. In addition to the garrison, at any given time as many as 1,000 people are either living in Sterngate or using it as a stopover on their way someplace.

In Zarantyr 998 YK, a small party of adventurers embarked from Sterngate on a journey that would lead to many discoveries...and to the deaths of some. Later, in Olarune after the death of King Boranel, the Bugbear tribes living in the eastern Seawall Mountains massed in the Marguul Pass ("Marguuls" being the collective name of the Bugbear tribes), in the 30-mile stretch of No Man's Land between Sterngate and Matshuc Zaal, the Goblinoid fort at the pass' narrowest point, about 30 miles west of the end of the pass.

(Matshuc Zaal, it should be noted, was once called Veldarren, largest of Breland's mobile forts [like Argonth and Dejarn]. It crashed and was captured during the Battle of Marguul Pass in 970 YK.)

In Wroat, Regent Kor ir'Wynarn wasted no time sending reinforcements. He ordered the King's Citadel (which he still commands) to commandeer three airships, including the mammoth Golden Dragon, so they could be loaded with Brelish Army troops and Citadel agents and sent to the fortress, more than 600 miles away. Representatives of Houses Orien, Deneith and Lyrandar, as well as the Church of the Silver Flame and the Sovereign Host, traveled with the reinforcements.

As of 16 Olarune, it is not known why the Bugbears are massing now. So far they have captured an Orien caravan between the two forts, destroyed a few farms and old buildings in the pass, and set up some sort of stockade a few miles from Sterngate's earthworks. Advance scouting parties have been found and defeated closer to Sterngate, almost in Breland proper. Among the enemy casualties was a Warforged Titan, and several Orc mercenaries belonging to the Jhorash'tar Clan of the Mror Holds.


 * Update:** The Bugbears were convinced to stand down and withdraw later in Olarune in exchange for a ransom payment. But not before they released roughly 350 slaves they had held (250 former Cyrans, the rest Zil Gnomes). This release was apparently ordered by Lhesh Haruuc, as a first step towards honoring the Grand Bargain agreement with Breland, Zilargo and the former Prince Oargev of New Cyre. Why the Bugbear warlord Matusho chose to threaten war as a pretext to releasing a token number of slaves is a subject of discussion in both Breland and Darguun. Most now believe he was trying to save face with a show of force that defied the spirit of Haruuc's order.