The Hobgoblin Fortress actually consists of two locations: the first is a long, winding path accessible through a secret door in the goblin lord's lair. The path is guarded by a variety of monsters, increasing in strength the further along you get - orcs and wolves first, then green warriors, orc veterans, and green elites. The path ends at a large valley filled with rock formations; at the north end of the valley is a large open area before a fortress built into the the cliff face. This is the fortress proper.
The doors to the fortress bear a warning: "The regeneration rate is much higher here." And it is so - adventurers are met by a small army of hobgoblins, and if you don't kill them fast enough, they just keep coming. Those who win through to the inner courtyard can explore the four towers; the SW one holds fierce hobs (with higher levels on upper floors), while the NW one has mean hobs. A passage north of the courtyard leads to the Ape Caverns (see below).
The Ape Caverns (THF_AC) are a series of twisting caverns inhabited by apes (of course). The further in one gets, the more powerful the apes become - near the end of the lower level, big apes make their appearance; around halfway through the upper level, fierce apes join the big apes. Near the end of the first level, there is a small building housing several Ape Wardens, powerful hobgoblins. Another near the end of the second level houses several more.
The Ape Caverns eventually lead to the Inner Fortress. Another staircase outside the doors leads up to a blank wall, as if it were deliberately left incomplete. The doors are guarded by rune squares, and there is a TP nearby. The Inner Fortress is inhabited by vet sergeants and chiefs and fierce and guard apes on the lower floor, and hob guards and guard apes on the upper floor (accessible via secret doors in the northern rooms). Blooddrinker and Lady Blooddrinker, the lord and lady of the hobgoblins, hold court on the upper floor; their throne room is guarded by royal guard hobs.
Gameplay Information
There are rune squares at the beginning (L14?) and end (L15) of the path. The teleportal at the end (THF_2) is L15. The runes and TP at the entrance of the ape caves are set for L19(?). The teleportal in the Ape Caverns is L18. The runes and TP at the entrance to the Inner Fortress are set to L22(?).
Access to the hob lords is granted only to those carrying glowing emblems from all seven hobgoblin regiments, in order: hobgoblins, fierce hobs, mean hobs, apes, veteran hobs, elite hobs, and hob guard.
Monsters
Hobgoblins are L18, hob sergeants and guards are L19, and chiefs are 20. Fierce hobs are L20-22; mean hobs are L22-24; veteran hobs are 27-29; elites are 29-31; guard hobs are 31-34. Namers are L21+.
The least powerful apes are L25; higher-level apes (big, fierce/mean, and guards) are L26, 27, and 31 respectively.
Maps
We have no maps of this area right now.