Possible Clues:

• Inspiring awe
• Challenging
• Intimidating
• Awe-inspiring tale about soldiers and shadowy uprising
• Having awesome power
• Record I had accomplished hard to beat
• A bid failing, last of coal seen in mine? That's daunting
• Dreadful story about gold, stupid when written up
• Intimidatory
• Because not very clever up there, can be forbidding