Within the lost realm of Elrond stands a tower-like island of dark stone. Almost two hundred feet high at its peak and more than a mile wide with sheer cliffs all around, it sits in the middle of a broad river. The shadow cast as the sun sets serves as grim reminder to the citizens of the city that has grwon beside the river, of the evil that once tainted the land. A low wide bridge made from large white marble slabs with dark flecks running through them spans the river, terminating metres short of a towering gatehouse that is connected to the tower island via thick walls. Squat marble statues of leering gargoyles, with eyes that seem to follow whoever passes, inhabit the low wall on each side of the bridge, though the rigors of time show as some are little more than stumps. The gatehouse consists of a set outer gates operated from inside the gatehouse, a heavy drawbridge, a portcullis and a set of inner gates. Behind the formidable defences is a great ramp way, the only conventional access to the castle’s main gate. The gatehouse stands empty, the outer gates bound by three inch thick chain which has been fastened to the framework of the gatehouse to prevent access just in case some foolish being should try to defy the royal decree forbids any to go there. The crest of the rock tower is stepped, like plateaus’ that grow progressively higher the further from the gatehouse.

Upon the wall of the river city a swirling cloud of smoke appears and resolves into Shenron and Lucifer. Shenron's appearance is changed, he is taller and gangly, the flesh of his exposed hands now a sickly blue colour, the veins and tendons of his long thin fingers prominent as they grip a quarter staff. His combat armor has been replaced with a simple black robe of heavy gauze, the hood shrouding his facial features, though two pockets of blue fire smoulder under the hood. Shenron looks around, gazing for a long moment at the tower of rock in the heart of the river, his augmented vision seeing spectres of an immense castle shrouded in ethereal mists atop the tower. Blackthorne.