Community Atlas - Ezrute - Ukra Dor Pass
Ricko
🖼️ 89 images Mapmaker
Zooming in on the region, I noticed that the original map had a small zigzag of mountains, which would be perfect for the trail to enter and exit the valley.
So I added the missing region to the atlas, the Fertile Valley Pass up to its teleportation point - inside the Ukra Dor Forest, present in the Brukon Plains region.
This map has a square of 100x100 miles with the Turquoise color. In red are regions previously mapped but not yet present in the atlas - I made the red squares as a reference and those in pink, regions that are already present in the atlas.
Cheers
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The Bearers’ Journey
The journey of the Vale Bearers along the trail known as Ukra Dor Pass is one of the most challenging moments of their existence. Almost 100 miles long, the path is not only geographical, but psychic, spiritual and symbolic.
1. Farewell to the Vale
Their crystal cores are recharged in the hot springs and before departing, the Bearers receive a blessing from the Horticulturalists. Their natural weapons are once again awakened.
2. The Ascent of Ukra Dor Pass
The Vale quickly narrows giving way to a trail that winds through a steep passageway crossing natural stone bridges and ancient tunnels. Biting winds carry vivid memories of the Silent Mists: mists that erase memories.
3. The Narrows of Odo-Kraal
A narrow canyon with its floor covered in colonies of multicolored fungi that exude spores that are invisible to the naked eye, but that can infiltrate the lungs and cause hallucinations, suffocation, or temporary memory loss. More than a threat, these fungi act as vibratory filters that react to the intentions of those who pass by, altering the content of the spores according to the intention of their thoughts. Vale Bearers, by attuning their crystals to the rhythms of the Sap, emit pulses of energy that harmonize the colonies, opening safe paths and protecting their minds from the illusory fog.
The Gaze of Azrun - Sitting between the stone teeth that separate Odo-Kraal from the Gargoyles, a complete, hooded skeleton stares at the trail. No one knows his real name — but they call him Azrun, the Never-Blinking. His skull is turned toward the path, as if watching who enters and who leaves. They say his eyes are still there, dry and intact, beneath their bare sockets. No Holder dares touch him—and all pretend not to see him.
4. The Gargoyles
Hanging statues that are living parts of the mountain come to life at night. If they are not greeted with ancient verses, they dive from the heights of the mountains to devour travelers.
5. Edge of the Red Trees
Near the entrance or exit of the pass, the vegetation changes: resinous trees with reddish leaves that whisper in forgotten languages. The ground becomes spongy and pulsating. A mistake here is punished with temporal distortions: one wrong step can drain the soul's energies in seconds.
6. The Belt of the Pillars of Sanity
Before entering the deep forest, a barrier of 33 rustic stone pillars surrounds the main entrance to Ukra Dor. Each pillar vibrates with a specific type of psychic torment — fear, doubt, longing, guilt, lust, ancient hunger, etc.
Function of the Pillars: They attack the minds of intruders, disrupting their perception of reality. Very few are able to cross them without going mad. However, the Bearers are immune thanks to their symbiosis with the Vale: their crystals vibrate in counter-rhythm with the pillars, creating a bubble of lucidity that neutralizes mental attacks.
7. The Teleportation Circle of Belthara
After days of walking and trials, the Bearers reach a clearing where time seems to slow down. In the center, five monoliths make up the Circle of Belthara, activated by a joint chant. Only Bearers can use it — it connects the Vale to several locations agreed upon with the Conclave. It is through this portal that they set out to distribute the gifts of the Vale to people in need and return to reenergize their bodies.
8. Ukra Dor's Moving Forest
Within the forest that borders the lands of Brukon, trees move when unobserved. Paths change location. Creatures follow the Bearers, testing their limits.
I took a small aerial photograph of the place to be able to complete a missing part of the scenario, more information about the portal.
The Origin of the Circle of Belthara
A figure dressed in a black cloak, of unknown origin and time, appeared in the Vale shortly after the southern refugees' pact with the entities of the Vale. Known only as Belthara, she carried glowing fragments of an ancient comet, which she buried in five specific locations throughout the forest. Within a few days, the monoliths sprouted, forming the circle.
The Surroundings of the Monoliths
The stone blocks that make up the Circle of Belthara are hewn from rough rock, a deep reddish-black, marked by veins of crystallized amber that seem to pulse with dormant energy. Covered in lichen, these stones react subtly to the magical touch of the Bearers, vibrating in soft tones or exuding arcane heat. The circle stands in a rough clearing where vegetation does not grow. Beyond the clearing, the Forest of Ukra Dor stretches out, silent and watchful.
The Activation Ritual
Only trained ones can activate the circle. In unison, they chant ancient chants inherited from the Core of Sap. Each note attunes to a monolith, which glows a distinct color. When all five glow in unison, a veil of multicolored light condenses in the center. Through it, Stargazers can travel to distant places, connected by ancient pacts with the Vale.
The Return to the Vale
Exhausted and sometimes wounded, Bearers return to the Circle of Belthara through the same arcane paths. The surrounding forest recognizes their crystalline cores and does not attack them—instead, it makes way. Their return is marked by reverent silence.
The idea for Azroun came to me after watching - long ago - a documentary about the dead left in the Everest Death Zone. What caught my attention was how many of the bodies remained in positions that resembled people resting, which gave an eerie feeling, almost as if they were still alive.
Some of these dead ended up gaining well-known names — such as Green Boots, Sleeping Beauty, and the Frenchman — and became landmarks on the mountain. This combination of constant presence and anonymity seemed interesting to me to apply to a fantasy setting.
So when I created the mountain pass that leads to Ukra Dor, I decided to include a skeleton sitting on the side of the road as part of the environment. From this, I created a quick mini-adventure, which may seem small, but has the potential to have a bigger impact on the valley or even the continent, depending on the players' decisions.
Cheers
The characters are on a mission to distribute seeds and dried fruit through the Belthara Circle. As they traverse the perilous Ukra'Dor trail, the party passes through the section between the Odo-Kraal Narrows and the Gargoyle camp.
Or
Followers of the Jade Shadow trek through the pass into or out of the Vale. As they traverse the perilous Ukra'Dor trail, the party passes through the section between the Odo-Kraal Narrows and the Gargoyle camp.
The Watcher
Introduction: The Call of the Cave
The party is traversing the perilous Ukra Dor trail, surrounded by the oppressive Odo Kraal Narrows, when they begin to notice something amiss. The path, once familiar, seems to play tricks on their perception: a landmark stone on the left now appears on the right; moss on the trees grows in erratic spirals. As they move forward, time becomes elastic—steps that should have taken minutes seem to take hours, and trails left behind reappear ahead, as if pursued by their own footprints.
When they finally reach the point where the skeleton known as Azrun watches over the trail, the world around them becomes dreamlike. The sound of the wind and the mountains fades, replaced by an oppressive silence. The air trembles around the skeleton, and twigs thrown from it hang suspended for a moment, floating in an altered density, before falling. The group tries to adjust their route, but the trail doubles back on itself, forcing them to return repeatedly to the same place: in front of Azrun.
Suddenly, the air becomes heavy and huge rocks slide down, closing the canyon in front and behind, mixed with a living mist that rises together like impassable walls; everything blurs except the fixed presence of Azrun. Behind them, the mountain breaks into a jagged crevice revealed by a corridor of mist. The group feels the judgment of unseen eyes, their claustrophobia growing, until the only possible route is the passage that Ukra'Dor herself imposes on them.
With a trembling whisper acknowledging the verdict of the living place, they are left to face the dark call that reverberates from within the cave — no return, no alternative, only the inevitable confrontation with the secrets that await them beyond the darkness. One of the group members, pale and trembling, whispers:
"Ukra'Dor has decided. To move forward, we must confront what lies within."
With no choice, the group enters the newly revealed cave.
Part 1: The Dreamlike Environment
The cave is a place where reality seems to dissolve. The damp stone walls pulse gently, as if breathing. The torchlight is gradually swallowed by the darkness, creating shadows that dance and contort like human figures in agony. The mist moves with subtle intelligence, enveloping each member of the group and whispering indistinct words—sometimes promises, sometimes threats.
Challenges:
1. Personal Illusions
Each character witnesses visions of loved ones or their greatest fears, projected by the mist. It takes wisdom to resist the illusions. Failure can lead to hysterical outbursts or even isolation from the group.
2. The Living Silence
The further they advance, the more deafening the silence becomes. As if their energy is slowly being drained, the group needs the physical stamina to resist the psychological pressure, which causes debilitating headaches and makes communication difficult.
Part 2: Echoes of the Failed
Deeper into the cavern, the party finds inscriptions on the walls, written in an ancient language. They tell the story of Azrun, a Stargazer who defied Ukra Dor by attempting to steal the power of Belthara’s circle for himself. As punishment, he was transformed into an undead guardian, condemned to watch over the passage forever. His curse is to fuel the time loop of the trail, ensuring that no one escapes without facing judgment.
As the party deciphers the inscriptions, they hear whispers growing around them. The mist slowly condenses into shapes, creating humanoid silhouettes that slowly approach. The travelers realize that they are surrounded by spectral echoes—the tormented spirits of past Stargazers who failed their missions.
Challenge:
1. The Spectral Echoes
Each echo attacks the party with physical and mental attacks. They drain life energy and create disturbing visions. Fight, succumb, or escape is the only choice.
Part 3: From Fog, He Speaks
In the heart of the cavern, the party finds a pulsating altar, made of bones and covered in glowing runes. It pulses, emitting a reddish light that synchronizes with the characters' heartbeats. Atop the altar is a small crystal - floating, it begins to resonate as the party approaches.
Suddenly, the spirit appears, shrouded in mist and dense necromantic energy. Its voice echoes through the cavern, deep and relentless:
"Insolent ones! How dare you enter my domain? Free me or face eternal judgment!"
Part 4 - Ending
4.1 Ending 1 – The Eternal Vigil (Combat and Moral Choice)
The characters face Azrun, but preserve the altar.
Faced with the threat of Azrun's specter, the group chooses to fight. The ancient Holder fights like a living shadow: summoning fragments of his pain, creating illusions. After an exhausting battle, the group defeats the entity or seals it temporarily.
Discovery: The runes in the cave also reveal that the altar keeps the time cycle stable, containing breaches through which extra-temporal horrors try to infiltrate the world.
Final Decision: The group decides not to destroy the altar — saving the Vale, but condemning Azrun to perpetual vigil.
Final Scene: As they leave the cave, everything behind them disappears like mist. Azrun's skeleton returns to his stone throne, dry-eyed and alert. The path opens. The silence remains. And so does the curse.
4.2 Ending 2 – The New Pact (Alliance and Ruin)
The group listens to Azrun and destroys the altar, joining him.
Azrun does not resist — he speaks. He offers an alliance and with that they will rewrite the ancient pacts of the gods together. The group, shaken by the revelations, desires for power or revolution, accepts.
Consequence: The altar is destroyed. A tear opens in time. The Vale screams. Creatures invade the present; fossil beasts gain flesh again. Azrun disappears between the cracks, leaving promises of revenge and liberation at the right time.
Final Scene: As they leave the cave, the sky over the Vale is split. Unknown stars shine. The ground trembles. But the players have in their hands an ancient ally who walks among the shadows.
4.3 Ending 3 – The Cycle That Does Not Exist (?)
The group touches the altar... and the world blinks.
In an instant, the absolute silence is replaced by familiar sounds: the cold wind of the Valley, the distant song of birds. The characters wake up in their travel bivouac, amidst the vegetation of the surrounding Valley, as if they had only dozed off. The memory of the cave, of Azrun, of the altar — everything fades like a poorly stitched dream..., but something is wrong.
Another member of the group is there talking to them as if nothing had happened. But there is something in his gaze — as if he does not really recognize them, or as if he is reciting rehearsed lines. He announces that they are “two days from the Gorge of Odo Kraal”.
The name makes everyone's bones tremble.
The group tries to question him, but the words escape like smoke. Around them, the trees seem... out of place. The shadows creep with small delays. And the moss, once again, grows in spirals. When they look back, they see old footprints, already sunk in the mud.
Final Scene:
One of the players, while washing his face in a stream, notices a scar on his arm—one that wasn’t there the day before. Another finds an amber fragment at the bottom of his backpack with runes identical to those from the cave he “never” visited. In the distance, at the edge of the mist, the figure of Azrun seems to peer through the trees...