Grethgan‘s Wing of Korgaran’s Succession can be accessed only through the Interdungeon (Sphere). The chaotic evil fire god could not be trusted with a freely accessible staging area in the joint compound. For him, Korgaran built a massive series of volcanic caves with lava flows. He even supplied a Copper Dragon to live in the facility. Knowing many of Grethgan‘s followers would live in the ritual ground, he provided springs of water and suitable mushrooms for the hot environment. As a result of Korgaran‘s decline, Grethgan‘s followers have been cut off inside the ritual ground. Though now and then a group will attempt to find a way out through the Sphere, and sometimes they succeed, they usually return. They are content, even happy, to spend their lives serving Grethgan.

His followers are predominantly Orcs, Minotaurs, and Humans, though some Gnomes and Drow are also present. Since their isolation, Grethgan has revisited the Refining Field infrequently. As a result, there have arisen conflicts concerning his doctrine. Grethgan‘s followers in the ritual ground have divided into three conflicting factions. Their primary point of divergence is concerning Grethgan‘s anti-technology doctrine.

The Slagists take a hard line against tools of any sort. Their warriors are mages or open hand fighters/brawlers and their clothing consists of Fire Drake hides draped over themselves, if anything. They live in a cluster of natural caves with natural springs and mushroom patches in the South East edge of the cave. They eat mostly lava roasted meat.

The Compromists believe the prohibition is only against complex tools. They live in expanded chambers in the North East of the ritual ground. They cultivate mushrooms and use crude clubs, javelins, and spears for hunting and warfare.

Meanwhile, the Pragmatists argue that the prohibition is against advancing technology and believe that they have a duty to adopt existing technology in order to combat foes of Grethgan. They have a forge in their carved caverns in the North West of the ritual ground. They use crossbows and have cut tunnels with arrow loops to guard their territory. They have opened a large mushroom field and additional springs in their caves. This supplemented by their hunting and trapping means they eat better than the other factions. They have a supply of digging tools they attempt to use to dig toward the Vault of Six. However, a curtain of magma was installed by Korgaran, cutting the Refining Field off from the Vault of Six.

Morgrou, or Fire Drakes, live in the cave system in large numbers. They are more common near the lava flows, but they wander into all parts of the dungeon. They are the primary source of food for the worshipers living in the ritual ground, as well as for the Copper Dragon. The dragon is about 300 feet long. It is too wide to fit down most of the tunnels at about 30 feet wide. It roams the larger tunnels, sleeping in the open spaces. where it can curl up.

Note that ceiling height is indicated with the color of the tunnel. Red sections (30 feet or more) are those sufficiently high for the extremely agile Copper Dragon to fly a little. Orange sections (15-30 feet) are those it can walk in comfortably. Yellow sections (7-15 feet) are those into which it can lower the base of it’s neck. Green sections (4-7 feet) can be freely walked in my most races, but are all but unreachable by the dragon. Blue sections (2-4 feet) can be walked in by little folk, like dwarves, gnomes, and halflings, but require taller races to crouch or even crawl. Purple sections (1-2 feet) require individuals of all races to crawl, but are accessible to Fire Drakes.

Grethgan‘s Altar, in a large, vaulted room in the North East of the ritual ground, is used by all three factions to offer sacrifices. None of them tries to hold it against the other factions, but they will fight if they encounter each other there. The Slagists especially consider the sacrifices of the others abominable.

Behind the Altar is a secret puzzle door leading to Grethgan‘s Throne, an area of the ritual ground rumored among the factions to exist. There is hidden Grethgan‘s token, needed to unlock the Vault of Six.

The entire ritual ground is hot, so hot it causes increased exhaustion to those not protected and thirst comes on more quickly. Adventurers entering it should come well prepared with appropriate spells and supplies. This is something I’ll elaborate on during the week.

Next week, we’ll continue Korgaran’s Megadungeon with Glaineth‘s Wing, or the Whistling Spires.