Fort Imbra

Despite the dangerous creatures who live there, the uplands of Imbradur contain such rich deposits of gold that Fort Imbra has been maintained with the heaviest of armaments and defenses designed to keep mighty predators at bay. Countess Orczaza keeps the Fort manned from her crews, and the convoys that take the gold first to Dioz and then to ports beyond the Lost Islands of Dioz are heavily-guarded.

The Fort itself is built along a narrow river canyon, and has gotten steadily bigger over the years as the richest veins of gold continue to open up further and further upstream. The main settlement is now a small town, and spur walls extend up the canyon, guarded by watchful crews armed with swivel guns and heavy cannon to discourage the mammoth beasts who lurk nearby and have learned that often a quick charge out of the forest will snatch up a few unwary humans.

Unwary humans have become scarce, but the creatures continue to make forays against the Fort. Almost as though someone were controlling them. Countess Orczaza would love to find out if the uncharacteristic determination of the monsters is due to some intelligent plan, but she cannot risk her own crews in such a desperate venture.