The Maakengorge, commonly called the Chasm of Doom, is a massive fissure in the south of the Durncrag Mountains. It extends from the north-east of Magador, through Lyris, to Casiorn. Many famous events, often connected to Darklord Vashna, have taken place along the Maakengorge, such as his death in the Battle of Maakengorge. In MS 5102, the Nengud-kor-Adez migrated underground from Helgedad to the Maakengorge, from which Vashna was reborn.
Topynomy[]
The Maakengorge can be named with or without the subject "the". Within the context of Sommerlund, "Maakengorge", without the subject "the", is sometimes used to refer to the portion of the Maakengorge to its southern border.[1][2]
Within Lone Wolf media, it is sometimes referred to, in English, as the Chasm of Doom.
Geography[]
The Maakengorge is an immense chasm that spans four countries: Magador, Lyris, Sommerlund and Casiorn. Over the years, the Maakengorge has lengthened; by MS 5102, it reached its limit by leveling the city of Casiorn.[3]
History[]
Early creation[]
Before the formation of the Maakengorge, the Maaken Range was a lush valley. It sank below sea level in MS 3055, when a massive geological event created a giant chasm, subsequently called the Maakengorge. The valley became a tainted, polluted swamp inhabited by monsters.[4] Many cities in Magador and Lyris were destroyed, and some were never rebuilt.[5] The Maakenmire Swamp to its east was also created in the upheaval.[6]
Battle of Maakengorge and fall of Archlord Vashna[]
In MS 3785, Archlord Vashna's forces fought the Lastlands in the Battle of Moytura Pass, which the forces of Darkness lost. The routed troops were pursued all the way to the Maakengorge, where they fought in the Battle of the Maakengorge, a final stand. In this battle, Archlord Vashna and King Ulnar I fought one-on-one, with both slaying each other. Vashna's body and most of his troops were cast into the Maakengorge, although a part of Vashna's spirit lived on inside his Dagger, which was recovered by remnants of his cult. It was said that despite Vashna's physical death, his spirit, and his troops, lay in the Maakengorge, ready to be awakened.
Attempted revivals[]
In MS 5054, during the events of The Chasm of Doom, the Vassagonian renegade Barraka invaded and occupied Ruanon. Barraka had been given the Dagger of Vashna by Teakkro,[7] and was attempting to revive Vashna in a ritual: The sacrifice of Madelon Vanalund, daughter of Baron Oren Vanalund and descendant of King Ulnar I, using the Dagger of Vashna, during a full moon near the Maakengorge.[8] This plot was foiled by Lone Wolf, who slew Barraka, saved Madelon, and took the Dagger of Vashna.[9]
Around MS 5075, the Herbalish, using information from the Lajakeka employed by Darklord Shebnar in Slovia many years ago,[10] began employing a ritual to heal the damage caused by the Nengud-kor-Adez, with an eventual goal of reclaiming the Darklands. Their progress, started north-east of Magador and the Maakengorge, was successful, but painfully slow, anticipating that it would take centuries to complete.[11]
In MS 5077, during the events of The Legacy of Vashna, Archdruid Cadak and the Acolytes of Vashna began congregating north of Magador, near the Maakengorge. Their plan was to open a Shadow Gate and summon Demoness Shamath to Magnamund, bearing the Deathstaff, which carried enough power to revive Vashna.[12] This plan too was foiled after Lone Wolf, who had been cast into the Shadow Gate, seized the Deathstaff and returned to Magnamund. Then, using the Deathstaff, Lone Wolf destroyed the Shadow Gate before Shamath could enter Magnamund, destroying the Deathstaff in the process.[13] However, whilst within the Plane of Darkness, the Dagger of Vashna was lost there.[14][15]
Second Age of Eternal Night[]
In MS 5102, during the events of Dead in the Deep, the Acolytes of Vashna once again began to congregate near the Maakengorge, this time in the ancient city of Emolyria. The Nengud-kor-Adez had disappeared from Helgedad and migrated underground to the Maakengorge, allowing the Acolytes to construct an underground citadel, Zekgazad, and use its unholy powers to power its many forges and breeding pits. Their ultimate goal was to revive Archlord Vashna, and build an army worthy of his control to conquer Magnamund. They would repeat the ritual attempted in MS 5054: Use the Dagger of Vashna to sacrifice an heir of King Ulnar I into the Maakengorge. However, as the Dagger of Vashna had been lost in the Plane of Darkness, and an heir of King Ulnar I proved to be elusive, they had a backup plan, albeit a reluctant one from Vashna's most devoted servants: Bring the Chaos-master from the Daziarn into Magnamund instead.[16]
Lone Wolf sent Kai Grand Master Steel Hand to investigate and foil their plans. Steel Hand successfully destroyed a sarcophagus meant for Vashna's revival, but was captured.[17][18] Lone Wolf, sensing Steel Hand was still alive, then sent Grand Master to complete Steel Hand's quest, and rescue Steel Hand. Grand Master discovered that the Chaos-master possessed the power to recover the Dagger of Vashna, but more dangerously, that Steel Hand himself was a descendant of King Ulnar I, meaning all the pieces of the puzzle to revive Vashna were in place. Above the Maakengorge, Luthos Vorgada attempted to sacrifice Steel Hand, but Grand Master had given their Nyxator Mail to Steel Hand, and this ancient power blocked the Dagger of Vashna.[19] Steel Hand took advantage of Vorgada's shock to throw him and the Dagger into the Maakengorge. However, this only served to release the latent spirit of Vashna, trapped in the Dagger, and triggered his rebirth in the Nengud-kor-Adez, where he and the Darklords were first born from.[20][21]
In MS 5103, during the events of The Dusk of Eternal Night, Vashna, now one with the Nengud-kor-Adez, unleashed his power, triggering violent earthquakes north and south of the chasm. This created a flood of fire from the Nengud-kor-Adez, preventing Lyrisian forces from reaching the Zaut and Emolyria. The Maakengorge also extended to the city of Casiorn, destroying it and severing contact between Casiorn and the Lastlands.[3] A legion of undead — the forces cast into the Maakengorge in MS 3785 — emerged from the Maakengorge at the temple of Maaken, and marched on Ruanon. In the Battle of the Ruanon Homelands, this undead force was defeated, at great cost, but not before Archlord Vashna appeared on the battlefield, and threatened to extend the Nengud-kor-Adez into Sommerlund itself, unless he was confronted deep in Zekgazad: A trap, given the Sommerswerd was ineffective deep underground, but one the Kai had no leverage against, since they could not stop the Nengud-kor-Adez from expanding.[22]
In the gamebooks[]
The Maakengorge is explored in The Chasm of Doom, The Legacy of Vashna and Dead in the Deep. All three books are to do with attempts to revive Archlord Vashna, and take place across the entire span of the Maakengorge.
In The Kingdoms of Terror, Lone Wolf avoids the temple of Maaken, preferring a detour to the city of Casiorn over its haunted spirits.
References[]
- ↑ The Chasm of Doom: §350
- ↑ Dever, Joe [2017]. The Realm of Sommerlund. Cubicle 7, p. 11.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Dusk of Eternal Night: Timeline of notable events in Magnamund: MS 5102 Solangor
- ↑ Dever, Joe [2017]. The Realm of Sommerlund. Cubicle 7, p. 55.
- ↑ Dever, Joe [2017]. The Realm of Sommerlund. Cubicle 7, p. 178.
- ↑ Dever, Joe [1986] (2015-10-31). The Magnamund Companion, Internet Edition, Project Aon, p. 148.
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §128
- ↑ The Chasm of Doom: §279
- ↑ The Chasm of Doom: §350
- ↑ Jonathan Stark and August Hahn (2024-01-04). Episode 14: The Darklands War (Part 2 of 2). Journeys Through Magnamund. Holmgard Press. Timestamp: 7:08
- ↑ The Plague Lords of Ruel: The Story So Far...
- ↑ The Legacy of Vashna: §286
- ↑ The Legacy of Vashna: §350
- ↑ The Legacy of Vashna: §273
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §300
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §300
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §175
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §219
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §225
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §85
- ↑ Dead in the Deep: §350
- ↑ The Dusk of Eternal Night: §175