Vith Ruus Serpent Throat

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Vith Ruus, or "Serpent Throat", is a deep rift at the northern edge of the forest vale Feykro Silon. Vith Ruus is a smoking hell with smelting and high geothermal activity in its depths. The rift has numerous roads descending and zigzagging into its depths. These lead to mines and to small forts perched precariously along the canyon walls. The rift is divided into territories of no less than ten different groups. Some of these groups perform mining, others security for moving ores and gemstones up the rift to the surface, while others provide services such as prostitution, gambling, smelting, tanning, etc. Nearly every race can be found somewhere in the rift among its numerous labor camps, forts, and three settlements.

There are frequent outbreaks of violence in Vith Ruus. This comes from fighting over territorial boundaries for mines, excessive tolls for moving through other's territories on the way to the surface, greed, intrigue, and even an occasional attack from the Underdark. The denizens of the area trade with both Ag Envok and Lahvirn Piiv. The Ag Envok have tried to force the locals to trade only with them, and seized the place by force on several occasions, but each time have been unable to maintain a grip on this unruly place.

In ages past, a great battle was fought here between the armies of the Zeymah'kein and those of Mir'piamauza. In this battle the leading general of the Zeymah'kein, a Dragon Lord, was killed in the lower crags. This general was wearing a mighty suit of armor called the Armor of the Dragon Lords. Many have gone missing trying to find this ancient suit of armor.

The most storied people of Vith Ruus are the fire giants. The fire giants have lived in this rift since the beginning of the God Era. In the Demon Spawn War, they fled deep underground and built a great hold near the center of a magma lake. This citadel, Jothvauk held out against all demon attacks. After the armies of Asmodeus pushed the demons east, the fire giants returned to the surface and continued their mining of Vith Ruus. They went on to ally with Tiamat in the First Dragon Wake (9251 GE - 9269 GE). Most of those that joined her died defending Gelok Himdah.

In the Horgon Era, the giants were warring with the stone giants of Tu Naar. They joined the Dominion of Resalth after its army opened up the Goldrah Fusvok Rahn. Since that time, those that come up from Jothvauk have been more interested in mining than doing the dirty work of satraps.

At the bottom of Vith Ruus is the Mol Jothvauk, or Maw of Jothvauk. This is the beginning of the only passage that leads to Jothvauk.