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In our continuing travels, we now bring you the second in our series of Island
of Utrae showcases. This showcase features the reptilian stronghold, Jerkhal's Crown.
Don't miss the other showcases featuring the
Dark Jungles of Mhakesha,
Illicor, and
Fortress Emerard
Commentary
Since the cat loving contingent had stated its case forcefully (see
Dark Jungle) the rest of the team decided to strike back. We needed another
major evil race for the world, and the antithesis of the Hassat became the Zaurask,
a slimy, scaly, reptilian race with spiky shoulders, bad hair and an attitude. More
intelligent than the Hassat, they are led by the Lizard King, Nosirrom.
The story developed that the Zaurask had been enslaved for centuries by the Utraeans,
and had revolted and destroyed much of the Utraean society. This provided ample
motivation for ruined cities, abandoned underground dungeons, and other tasty locations.
The Ziggurats were created with a surprisingly small set of terrain tiles, but because
of the flexibility of the Dungeon Siege engine, we were able to create sophisticated
structures and geometry with a definite Mezzo-American/Ancient Jungle feel.
The Transportation HUB was a particularly fun area to work on. A malfunctioning
PA system warns you to "please make sure all party members are fully on the displacer
before liftoff" and pamphlets scattered around remind you not to tip the Zaurask
porters.
—Matthew Nordhaus, Mad Doc Software Lead Designer
Creatures
The creatures noted below are just two examples of the many indigenous beings
adventures may encounter while traveling through this region.
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Zaurask Slavemaster
Standing head and shoulders above the other Zaurask, their leaders wield
dangerous weapons and incite their troops to attack with reckless abandon.
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Cobble Man
Created by Nosirrom, the leader of the Zaurask, these beasts are actually
made from the crumbling walls of the ancient cities. Hard as rock, they can hurl
chunks of themselves at enemies with deadly effect.
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