Gateway Pass The Cataclysm & The War of the Lance The current year for our Dragonlance campaign is set during 351 AC "After Cataclysm". Inspired By Trampas Whiteman

Located south of the town of Solace, Gateway Pass serves as the primary thoroughfare through the northern reaches of the Kharolis Mountains. It provides a crucial link between the central Abanasinian plains and the town of Gateway, a settlement positioned at a strategic crossroads at the base of the Sentinel Peaks.

The geography of the pass is characterized by narrow, winding trails that snake between towering limestone cliffs and dense forests of vallenwood and pine. Unlike the more established Ergothian trade roads to the east, Gateway Pass is often rugged and difficult to traverse, frequently requiring travelers to navigate steep inclines and rocky outcrops that are prone to landslides during the spring thaw.

Historically, the pass gained significance during the Age of Despair after the Cataclysm, as refugees fleeing the destruction of Istar and the shifting coastlines sought safety in the interior of Abanasinia. The town of Gateway was established near its southern mouth to facilitate commerce and provide a resting point for those moving between the Qualinesti borders and the northern plains.

During the War of the Lance, the pass became a site of military tension as the Red Dragonarmy moved through the region to secure the path to Pax Tharkas. The High Theocrats of the Seeker religion, who governed Gateway at the time, attempted to use the pass as a defensive bottleneck, though their efforts were largely circumvented by the dragonarmy's aerial superiority.

In terms of local commerce, the pass is the lifeblood of the Gateway Market, one of the most famous trading hubs in the region. Merchants transporting exotic goods from the southern dwarven lands of Thorbardin and the elven woods of Qualinesti rely on this narrow passage to reach the northern markets of Haven and Solace.

Travelers through Gateway Pass are often wary of the local fauna, which includes mountain lions and the occasional stray Draconian scout lingering from past conflicts. Because the pass sits on the threshold of the Darken Wood, rumors persist of ghostly apparitions and ancient guardians that occasionally stray from the forest's edge to watch those who journey through the peaks.