Tarth Moorda
Tarth Moorda is a former garrison in the Abbor-Alz, built by the Duchy of Urnst and later repurposed as the headquarters of the Order of the Fire Hawk.
Description
[edit | edit source]"Warmages are chosen (or apply) to attend ... [and it is] not for the weak of spirit. The rigors of both body and mind bear little resemblance to the apprenticeship undergone by regular wizards, or the self-taught fumbling of sorcerers. [It is] more similar to [a] boot camp sponsored by large nation-states.
Throughout their training, warmages are forced to constantly wear ponderous garments (meant to familiarize their bodies with the limitations of movement in armor) while drilling constantly with spells, most of which are too high in level to be cast by the student. This vigorous drilling instills the spells in the warmage’s unconscious mind, so that as he grows in power later in life, those spells become available for his use without his needing a spellbook."[1]
Features
[edit | edit source]This is a triple-terraced fortress, with the Citadel and the Warmasters's Quarters residing on the uppermost step-layer at the southern end of the compound. There are two postern gates leading outside the 20ft curtain wall, and three towers along its northern length, near the main gate.
The following are areas detailed within the walls of Tarth Moorda:[2]
First terrace:
- Entry—Road approaching from the north, hailing point, and main gate
- Towers—three 30'-tall round, crenellated defensive towers face the approach road
- Stables—a small team of "rugged mountain ponies"[3] is kept here (8) with little other room for visitors' mounts
Middle terrace
- Students quarters—Armorer's shop, quarters, lobby/dayroom, supply, sleeping rooms
- Chapel—Sanctuary and cleric's chamber
- Dining hall—Cistern, pantry, refecotory, kitchen
- Warmaster's hall—Armory, hall of fame, classroom, library, Inner Circle chamber
Upper terrace
- Citadel—High Warmarster's quarters, study, bedchambers, audience chamber,
History
[edit | edit source]Tarth Moorda is an ancient fortress.[4] The fort originally served to defend against raids by the gnolls and nomads of the Bright Desert. It fell into disuse and later to ruin after adventurers drove away most of the neighboring foes, and it remained unoccupied for "many years".[4] In 579 CY,[5] however, it was given to the Order of the Fire Hawk, renovated, and converted into an academy for warmages.
In 594 CY, several students, senior students, and a Warmaster are murdered by a hired killer who is an agent of Ray the Traitor.[6]
Geography
[edit | edit source]The garrison itself is positioned atop a peak of the Abbor-Alz, along the edge of the border of the Duchy of Urnst, with the Bright Desert. Spread out atop the entire peak, various portions of the peak were leveled into tiers to lay the foundations of the academy. Each ledge or tier is approximately 30ft tall and angles up at a near-60° incline, setting back about 20ft, with stairs and ramps built into the roads (and curtain walls) of the fortress to transit across the rises.[6]
The second story of the Warmaster's Quarters on the third tier is 100' higher than the front gates.[7][8]
References
[edit | edit source]Notes
[edit | edit source]Citations
[edit | edit source]Bibliography
[edit | edit source]- Baker, Richard. Complete Arcane. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004.
- Williams, Penny. Tarth Moorda web enhancement, Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, Nov 2004. Available Online
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
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