The Path

After a long climb up a winding mountain path, (for whatever reason you are climbing the path to begin with, I couldn't say), you reach a large ledge that juts out from the side of the craggy rock face.

If you turn to look north, out into the valley thousands of feet below you would see a crystal blue-green lake at the bottom, fed by many a river and stream pouring off the crown of mountain tops circling it. Sparkling white sandy beaches frame the water, reaching up to the rich, green forests that stretch to the base of the mountains themselves. Small clearings speckle the forest here and there and an extensive swamp nestles down to the east between the mountain you stand upon and it's neighbor.

If you turn around to the south you would see the bare rock face of this monstrous mountain. Oh! What's that further along the ledge? It looks like a recess into the wall. With closer investigation you see now that it is a huge opening into darkness. The top of this opening must be at least two hundred feet high.