Monster Lairs – Chimera – Malrik’s Bluff
Slab
The lonely path winds through a desolate landscape, the looming shadow of a jagged cliff ever-present on one side. Weathered by time and elements, the cliff face is scarred and forbidding, with a gaping cave carved into its surface about halfway up. The faint growls and roars echoing from within betray the presence of a mated pair of chimeras, their watchful eyes ever vigilant for intruders who might disturb their lair or threaten the domain of their master, Malrik the Umbral Seer.
Opposite the path, a tranquil pond offers stark contrast to the foreboding cliff. Its mirror-like surface reflects the sky above, bordered by sparse reeds and a few gnarled trees clinging to life in the rocky soil. Despite its serene appearance, an uneasy feeling lingers in the air, as though the water holds secrets of its own.
At the summit of the cliff stands Malrik’s mansion, a small yet imposing structure of black stone and twisted spires. The mansion’s windows glimmer faintly with unnatural light, and a faint whiff of sulfur clings to the breeze. Within the mansion, a summoning circle lies etched into the stone floor of a shadowy chamber. Intricate runes pulsate with an eerie glow, binding a dark spirit that Malrik consults in his relentless quest for forbidden knowledge.
