Brace yourselves! Today we are going on a journey to a very dark, dangerous place… right in the depths of the underworld. What awaits us there? A fight? A mystery? Or maybe valuable loot? We know one thing for sure – you will need a torch 🔥 and lots and lots of courage. In a moment, we will discover the secrets of the Caves and Ruins, which you will surely come across in the post-Ragnarok world of Gimle. Pack your things and here we go!
Caves and Ruins are fairly common, although they are not always easy to spot. Thanks to the Cartographer’s Notes, however, we know how to find and explore them. Ancient scrolls mention that such places are adored by certain mythical creatures and beasts. It is time to disturb their peace and free the local people from their murderous habits… or to get our hands on amazing treasures 😀
You NEVER know what awaits you in the cave
Imagine you are wandering on a mountain trail. You look around, but all you see are rocky slopes and hills… hey, what’s that? It’s a Cave! And this is where the adventure begins! You must know that each single trip deep into the cave is quite a risk. It’s not just about slippery floors, darkness, chasms, and pits. If you browse our Bestiary regularly, you surely know who the frequent inhabitant of the Caves is… that’s right! The terrifying and deadly dangerous Troll 💀 A careless wanderer can be swept away by one blow of this enormous beast, so keep your eyes and ears open no matter what! The Troll, of course, is only one of many creatures on a long list of Cave dwellers. And the grim truth is that there are many more of them.
The Cave is a natural shelter which protects its inhabitants against burning heat, biting cold, rain, or gusts of wind. It is also a great hideout for those who wish to avoid the excessive attention of others… such as law enforcers. Inhabitants of mountain villages report, for example, that they are constantly raided by bandits living in the nearby Caves. Some of them even say that these outlaws are not humans 🗡️ Whatever the truth is, they are very difficult to find and exterminate.
Inaccessible, dark, and dangerous Caves often hide amazing secrets. When you wander their corridors, pay attention to details and unusual elements – sometimes they are the key to solving the tricky puzzle. Mysterious passages, hidden rooms, and new areas are waiting to be explored! With a little luck, you will manage to avoid numerous traps, ambushes, and threats that can end your life in the blink of an eye. Regardless of whether it is by a fight or by a discovery, at the end of your Cave adventure you will often be rewarded with amazing loot. Before taking on the challenge, however, consider whether such a deadly threat is indeed worth it.
Abandoned ruins are waiting to be explored
While the Caves are natural creations, the Ruins are made by man. Of course, they were not always in such bad, saddening condition and previously served as temples, tombs, or treasuries. Due to wars, extinction of local people, diseases, or migrations, they were finally forgotten and abandoned. Ruins can be found wherever people used to be – regardless of whether we are talking about small forest chapels or huge mountain strongholds. And where there were once humans, there are also undead 😨
As you surely suspect, it is the undead that most often inhabit the Ruins. Some of them wandered into their dark corridors from nearby barrows and cemeteries, but the most common sight are dead who were one day buried there. In larger, deeper, and more complex tombs lie significant personalities and adventurers, for even the greatest of this world must someday bow down to death. If you decided to wander to such a place, be ready for some trouble… but also for a great reward. Just imagine… ⚔️ An adventurer who gathered numerous artifacts and piles of gold during his lifetime, now risen to “life” by dark magic, eternally guarding his treasure with the mindless anger typical to undead creatures. Only the greatest heroes can come out of such a meeting unscathed. Stories of brave warriors who, tempted by the vision of wealth or glory, have ventured into ancient tombs have been told among the people of Gimle for centuries… most often their ending is rather bitter and gloomy.
However, the Ruins are not only tombs, for many of them are much larger and much more mysterious places. Abandoned mountain fortresses, buildings raised by mythical creatures, magnificent temples, skewed towers… all of them full of puzzles, interesting stories from the past, and intriguing beauty. When you travel through such hostile places, you will quickly discover, that your best friends are a flaming torch and a sharp blade – and hey! Don’t be fooled by the impression that Ruins are empty and abandoned… many of the bones you will pass along your way once belonged to the travelers who assumed so ☠️
Soon we will come back to you with more descriptions of the amazing creatures inhabiting the world of Gimle. You will learn what they are, what they look like and how to fight them! Be sure to follow our Social Media channels and join the Discord server to stay tuned. Until next time!