Frontlines (M)

A cavernous mid-point between the Undercity and Nyttheim, the Frontlines have now become a battleground for control of the Kobold world and Midgard above.

Adjacent Zones

Lore
Many generations have passed from the time the group of separatist Kobolds went deep down into the earth to create their own city. When Odagi took over as leader of the Undercity, he found notes his ancestors had left regarding this lost group of Kobolds and the city that they called Nyttheim. Intrigued, Odagi sent a group of Kobolds down into the caves below the Undercity to see if these lost Kobolds still survived. Armed with torches and supplies, the Kobolds went down into the cavern beneath theirs.

The group slowly began to explore the large, dark cavern. The few signs of habitation the group found were old and crumbling with age. It became obvious to the explorers that no one had been in the cavern since Hallvaror's time. But the Kobolds did not give up hope of finding the lost ones, for they were a feisty race and would not easily give up. The group continued to search the cave, but all they found were stalactites, stalagmites, and puddles of water that dripped down from above. In the far corner of the cavern, the Kobolds found an old outpost left over from generations past when contact was still being maintained between the Undercity and Nyttheim. Tired from exploring the cavern, they group decided to rest before entering the city below.

While they were resting, they heard strange noises coming from the direction of the entrance to Nyttheim. Carefully they peered out from their hiding places to see strange creatures emerging from the old city. The creatures were like none the Kobolds had ever seen before but immediately the Kobolds realized these creatures were dangerous. But most shocking of all was the haunted, possessed looking Kobold leading the creatures. They strained to listen as this Kobold told the creatures that the army in Nyttheim was almost ready to advance upon the unsuspecting upper city and that patrols must be increased to make sure the people of the Undercity suspected nothing. The strange Kobold sent the creatures off in pairs then returned to Nyttheim. All was silent as the hidden Kobolds processed everything they had seen and heard.

Knowing that Odagi must hear of this, two of the Kobolds left the safety of the outpost and their friends to begin the long trek back to the Undercity. They were forced to pick their way carefully through the treacherous footing to avoid the roaming patrols of creatures. Finally, they arrived safely at the city and delivered the warning message to Odagi.

Immediately, Odagi flew into action. He gathered up brave volunteers to return to the outpost, armed with weapons and supplies for building a safe wall around the outpost, for it was essential to keep track of what the strange Kobolds of Nyttheim were up to. He also empowered them with the ability to set up a fast way to travel to and from the outpost. Once the guards were on their way, Odagi ordered a huge wall to be built to protect the city. It was to be built quickly, before the creatures in the deep would learn of its existence, and all Kobolds were to aid in its building. When it was pointed out that the Kobolds had no suitable supplies for building this wall, Odagi ordered the old abandoned mines to be opened and rock to be quarried from there. Work quickly began on the wall.

As the last stone of the wall was set into place, a messenger arrived from the outpost announcing that the first wave of creatures had left the old city to attack the new. Guards were stationed on the walls and when the creatures finished the long march across the cavern, they engaged them in a fierce battle. The guards were able to drive back the creatures this time, but the creatures would not give up so easily. Odagi decided not to wait until the creatures attacked again, but sent bands of guards out into the wild cavern to engage the creatures there. Using the newly fortified outpost as a staging point, guards even tried to enter the possessed Kobold city, although often their attempts were unsuccessful and in response the attacks by the creatures became fiercer.

Odagi realized that his people were losing the battle. It was becoming harder and harder to defend the wall, and he was losing more Kobolds in skirmishes with the creatures. He was being forced to do the one thing he did not want to reveal the location of the city of the Kobolds, but he knew it had to be done if any of his people were to survive the brutal attacks by these creatures and his former brothers and sisters.