ViljisEyeDeathGate1F.jpg ViljisEyeDeathGate2F.jpg ViljisEyeInnerGauntlet.jpg

Our 43rd Jörðgarð (TM) Map of the Week and last map for the Year 2011 takes into the Deathgate and the Inner Gauntlet of the Vilji's Eye Fortress. These are the main military defenses of the fortress complex, which we saw last week.

Key to the Deathgate Scenario

In normal times - when the fortress is not threatened - the Deathgate is manned by two soldiers in the gatehouse (Room No. 7). When members of the Northern Circle or welcome visitors travel through the Outer Gauntlet to the gate, one of the soldiers will blow a signal trumpet and other soldiers from the fortress will open the gate at the inner end of the Inner Gauntlet and then open the Deathgate. Those arriving then can proceed through the Deathgate and inner Gauntlet into the fortress.

Should Vilji's Eye ever come under serious attack, soldiers will man all posts within the gauntlet to defend it. Such an attack never has occurred.

Ground Level

The inner walls of the fortress are 50 feet/15 m high. The lower 50 feet/15 m of the structures in the Deathgate complex, except for the gate itself, are filled with rocks. The first chambers, above this filled are, begin at a height of 50 feet. Each of the two levels has ceilings 15 feet/7.5 m high. There are no entrances to the ground level. The wooden gate itself is reached through the Inner Gauntlet.

First Floor

The first floor has three entrances. There are two doors on the inner wall. Another leads through the rock filling of the ground level on the west side of the gate complex.

1. West Battle Chamber. There are arrow slits in the walls and filled weapon racks and arrow barrels. There are two entrances to this chamber, the door to the inner wall on the northeast side and the trapdoor at Location 3.

2. Subterranean Corridor. The lower 50 feet/15 m of this part of the gate complex is filled with stone, but there is a passage through that connects the Inner Gauntlet with the road outside beyond its end. The red dots show the location of the passage 50 feet/15 m below this level.

3. Trapdoor. The door opens unto a bronze-rung ladder that leads 50 feet/15 m downward into the passage (No. 2).

4. Stairs to the Upper Floor.

5. Holding Cells. Prisoners can be held here until the green druids have adjudicated their cases. The cells are simply furnished with wooden cots with sleeping bags, a wooden chair, two small tables, a metal plate and cutlery, a ceramic tankard, a quart/liter jug of beer, a bedpan and a wash basin.

6. Battle Chamber over the Gate. This area not only has arrow slits but also three open grids through which boiling water or burning oil can be poured onto intruders 50 feet/15 m below.

7. Gatehouse. Two human warrior gate guards always are on duty here. The chamber always is equipped with a filled weapons rack and filled arrow barrels.

8. Oven Chamber. Barrels of vegetable oil from the windmill and water are stored here. The canopied stove can be used to boil the water or to ignite brands that can be used to light oil.

9. The Gate. The one yard/meter thick wooden gate is encased in a carved stone frame. The gate leads into the Inner Gauntlet (mapped separately).

Second Floor

Except when prisoners are being held there, this floor is empty in normal times. However, it is well stocked with weapons and ready for use whenever necessary.

10. Battle Chambers. There are arrow slits in the walls and filled weapon racks and arrow barrels.

11. Stairs to the First Floor.
 
12. Holding Cells. Prisoners can be held here until the green druids have adjudicated their cases. The cells are simply furnished with wooden cots with sleeping bags, a wooden chair, two small tables, a metal plate and cutlery, a ceramic tankard, a quart/liter jug of beer, a bedpan and a wash basin.

13. Gatehouse Battle Chamber. There are arrow slits in the walls and filled weapon racks and arrow barrels.


Key to the Inner Gauntlet Scenario

1. Deathgate.

2. Entrances.

3. Battle Chambers. There are arrow slits in the walls and filled weapon racks and arrow barrels.

4. The Inner Gauntlet. With a magical command, the entire floor of the Inner Gauntlet will cave in and sink into a pit 50 feet/15 m deep.


You can get these scenarios in two versions:

1. The Fractal Mapper (TM) 8 scenarios in FMP format, fully editable, from our Jörðgarð web page (49 MB). This option includes a 16-page PDF pamphlet that tells you how to use the maps in FM8.

2. As JPG flat maps, two of 1360 x 831 pixels and one 1024 x 1084 Pixels (total 2.5 MB), available with above.

Both versions are released for personal and commercial use under the Open Game License Version 1.0a, which you can read on the Jörðgarð web site.

The Jörðgarð web site:

http://www.vintyri.org/joerdhgardh/joerdhgardh.htm

Next: The new year starts with the land of the vampire draugs - the North Kingdom. We'll take a break over the holidays. The Map-of-the-Week will return in the New Year on January 9.