Overview of Blackburrow

Nestled between Qeynos Hills and the peaks of Everfrost to the north, Blackburrow is the present day home of the Sabertooth Gnoll clan. The Sabertooths are known for the constant raids upon the city of Qeynos. The city of Qeynos and Surefall Glade continue to send out hunting parties to try to purge the threat.

Background Lore

In the past, over 500 hundred years ago, the original excavation of the deepest level was done by a group of dwarves long since forgotten to time. Evidence of their superior stonework is still be found in sections of the complex, although their purpose within this region of Norrath remains as mysterious as their fate.

The Sabertooth Clan originated in the Jaggedpine Forest, but migrated to the hills just beyond the evergreen woodland’s borders. There they found the abandoned Blackburrow complex at a time when then-nomadic people of Jaggedpine were inexorably driving them out of the forest. The Sabertooths retreated to the complex and made their stronghold as conflict with the human settlers began to reach dangerous levels.

The Sabertooth clan has remained active in the area now known as Qeynos Hills since before the construction of the great human city of Qeynos. It was around the time that Antonius Bayle, the Great Unifier and the patriarch of this famed namesake, united the coastal settlement of Oceangreen with human clans in the regions of the Karana plains and the Jaggedpine Forest that the construction of Qeynos began.

When Oceangreen was first created, the yet to be named, Qeynos Hills was home to several different clans of gnolls. The largest of these clans, the Sabertooth clan, was the only clan violent towards human settlers. However, this violence would not hinder the construction of what would become the jewel of the human race.

One generation later, Antonius Bayle II, the Great Defender, appointed Gynok Captain of the Tower Guard. Captain Gynok Moltar would order small units of his guards to slay the gnolls in Qeynos Hills, unbeknownst to his superior and commander. It was well know that Gynok despised the gnolls, who had slain his parents years before. Gynok would later cut off High Shaman Opalla’s hand during the elder gnolls’ attempt to make a treaty of peace with the humans. This led to the eternal war between the citizens of Qeynos and the Sabertooths.

Dangers

Blackburrow is a very dangerous place to be for a young adventurer. Gnolls, when in trouble will flee to find help. A gnoll that you let flee may bring back many of its brethren to finish you off.

Beyond the dangers of the gnoll inhabitants of the complex, the terrain itself poses many hazards to unwary adventures and travelers. The area has become rather unstable and chaotic in its layout since the arrival of the gnolls. They have not upheld the meticulous dwarven architecture of the original structure and their own modifications to the site have resulted in many dangerously unpredictable oddities.

Wooden bridges are narrow and oftentimes careless constructed, leaving those who are not quick and attentive to fall to the dangers below. Upon the surface level of the burrow, there are two specific dangers that have claimed the lives of many an adventurer. One of the several trees is in fact a secret passage to the lower level of the gnolls’ den; however, this passage has been left in ruin and is but a steep shaft that has caused many a traveler to plummet to their death.

The second notable danger is the great pit that extends to the bows of the burrow and takes up nearly the entirety of the burrow’s surface level. Travelers are advised to be wary of this pit, for the only way to escape the water below is to trek through the hostile depths of burrow that lead back to the surface.

Gnoll Commanders

The gnoll commanders are the most powerful of Blackburrow’s defenses. They are great warriors, despite the mundane and almost debase appearance of their weapons when compared to the mighty steel of Norrath’s more fearsome foes. It would be foolish to engage one of Blackburrow’s most adept warriors without proper respect for these creates as true adversaries of notable strength.

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20080530121059/http://eqplayers.station.sony.com/news_article.vm?id=50950