Alestrian Sentinels

II

Alestria

Regions of Alestria

Crags of Atlas

The Crags of Atlas are certainly an awe-inspiring view for any westward adventurers - impossibly tall, levitating steeps that soar miles high into the clouds. These enchanted earthen monoliths are relatively untouched by human hands due to the sheer heights and difficulty of travel. Legend speaks of two forlorn deities, one tied to the skies and the other bound to the soil; the earthen god created these floating mountains as a stairway to his love. The true origins of the crags are lost to the annals of history, but they remain a stunning sight to behold.

The Crags are in the northwest corner of Alestria. The local temperature is mostly temperate to cold, however the higher the crags go, the colder they are, the highest ones in perpetual snow. Most are uninhabitable and nigh impossible to get to, save for those with the ability to fly. While most are colder, bordering on bone-chilling, the climate of the crags is immensely variant. The outermost crags are rather simple, bleaks faces of rock with little vegetation and sometimes snow. The further in you go however, the rocks become more varied and unique. Some are vast enough to contain a small desert, some a lake, there might even be one or two with a miniature jungle.

Being so far apart, each island is thus blessed with its own unique biodiversity, flora, and in some odd cases, degrees of gravity. The floating mounds of stone are sometimes as dense as bedrock, incapable of being burrowed through, and other times are hollow and contain an entire ecosystem within. Those that can be dug into have proven to be rich in ore, due to being largely untouched by sentient hands over the millennia. Odd plants and animals live among the crags as well, oddities not found elsewhere in Lyndria. Griffons, tressyms and blood hawks are among the most common residents, creating wide nests resistant to the intense winds.

Only recently have a community of aarokocra settled atop the windy summits, eager to utilize the rich mineral deposits buried deep within its terrain. In the past decade or so, exploration began as Atlas, a renowned explorer, began to map out the multitudes of floating stone mountains. So far his progress is slow, due to a lack of funding, but attempts to create income by mining the Crags are being made, and history is - as they say - in the making.

Dragon's Teeth

In the early days of exploration, voyagers from Frolois would oft attempt to enter the Alestrian continent through the southeastern pass. This route was very quickly dismissed, however, at the sight of soot-covered mountains, charred black by the spewing lava from the tallest summit, an ever-burning volcano aptly named Cinder Mountain. Terrible tales returned to the mainland of dragons soaring through the clouds, laying waste to Froloian ships in clouds of scorching flame. It was quickly decreed that another route must be found to enter Alestria, and the spires called the Dragon’s Teeth were since avoided.

The shores of these blackened mountains are entirely unexplored, but many sailors have confirmed that a large concentration of dragons live within its peaks. Dark clouds darken the ocean skies surrounding these isles, mostly stemming from the orange glow of Cinder Mountain, an intimidating molten summit. Rumors tells of ethereal beings made entirely of flame traversing the mountainside, roaming the inner parts of the island and consuming anything that could fuel their burning intensity.

Spews of ash periodically rain across the stone wasteland, raising vast fires across miles of thick canopies. Experienced voyagers tell of a gargantuan red dragon soaring within the shadows of the volcanic plumes, threatening all who dare enter its domain. One could surmise that other dragons living within its shores are entirely subservient to this behemoth as it surveys its territory from above. There are tales that small huts can be seen on the sandy coasts, tribes of kobolds that revere their lofty rulers, sacrificing foolish adventurers who land upon their ashen shores to their draconic deities.

Dragonborn native to these lands typically swear a familial loyalty to the older dragon generations, gathering and providing plentiful harvests to their lairs. These dragonborn typically gravitate in allegiance towards the gold dragons of these embered islands, defending their conclave’s shores during assaults from their chromatic neighbors.

Dunes of Rust

The Dunes of Rust are arid, heat-stricken lands home to many dangers and equally as many mysteries. The wind-carved slopes of sand are aptly named after their reddish-orange hue, in contrast to the neighboring lands of the Southern Wilds just past the Savage Divide. It is no secret that dunes are home to a multitude of long-deteriorated ruins, likely vestiges of fallen civilizations or tombs intended to be left alone. These rarely uncovered monoliths are home to the most vicious of creatures, of massive scorpions and leucrotta defending the stark landmarks. Vicious sandstorms traverse the desert, frequently uncovering new ruins and buryng others. Those who navigate the harsh conditions are hard-pressed to locate exactly what they are searching for.

Despite this, many have found a home amongst the shifting sands. Tabaxi in particular have thrived in the desert - their talents in foraging and navigating dark dungeons have made them a valuable asset in long voyages across the dunes. Bugbears, hobgoblins and kenkus have all found their place among oasis settlements, their hardy lifestyles allowing them to persist much longer in the blistering heat. The Verdan are a unique existence across the dunes, ever-curious goblinoid individuals that have risen and adapted to surface life.

The Suryan Faithful are of significant note in this region, a clan of sun elves and occasionally their half-elven children whom often serve as local healers and diviners within these parts. Marauders are ever present here as well; roving bands of vagabonds that terrorize prosperous outcroppings and claim them as their own. Notorious warfathers like ‘Duskfang the Howler’ and ‘Embertongue Jinn’ are among the infamous few that strike fear in the hearts of every outpost. These bands of miscreants are quite often also the pioneers of desert travel, engineering garish yet effective vehicles that allow them to quickly traverse the ever-shifting landscape and avoid the terrors resting just beneath the surface.

Everlasting Grove

The Everlasting Grove, a lush, colorful land teeming with the most curious of wildlife and evergrowth, has come by many Alestrians to be synonymous with the overtones of the Feywild. From the dryad-inhabited tree trunks to the pixie communities within the underbush, every inch of this vivacious forest has been touched with the magic of a realm unseen. Cascading waterfalls paint the air with a rainbowed mist, branches bend and twist in outlandish swirls, vines crawl and curl of their own volition. Tiny creatures of fur, feather and flora populate the land, critters of every element completely foreign to the rest of the continent. The laws that bind nature are especially lenient here, creating an ecosystem where nothing is truly beyond possibility.

The perils of this wondrous land should not be understated, of course; travelers that wander through the thickets often find themselves haplessly enchanted by the mischievous spirits of the bloom. A curious soul might disappear for a day and return home many decades older, his years recklessly charmed away. The purest of water may be intoxicating to the lips, the brightest of greens a putrid poison. Colossal crystalline towers of many colors stand tall over many of the grove’s treetops, illuminated with an animated energy contained within. All of the grove’s inhabitants know to steer clear of these structures; even the slightest of disturbances can cause an eruption of radiant magic from all sides. Only the fey-touched have the proper knowledge to navigate these lands mostly unscathed; the oft sought after eladrin preside over these lands and may guide those adrift to a less whimsical refuge. Despite its tempting beauty, the Everlasting Grove is just as dangerous as its most frightful neighbors, and continues to lure even the most stalwart of adventurers into its captivating grasp.

Forbidden Jungle

The first explorers of the Forbidden Jungle
quickly learned of its perils - from its massive
predatory insects to the ever-present threat of
seemingly sentient carnivorous plant life, it was
incredibly clear that the land was inhospitable to
outsiders. The air is always humid and unbearably hot,
even beneath of shadowed canopies, and the water is tainted with the toxins of its natural inhabitants. Even the smallest of creatures carry terrible virulent strains of disease, inflicting bouts of fever and malaise on its poor victims. Within the undergrowth of the vine-laden floor lie poisonous snakes, pits of quicksand, and even hand-carved traps fashioned by the tribes that have come to call this jungle their home. Those who inhabit the Forbidden Jungle tend to possess a natural resiliency to the poisons of the environment - civilizations of yuan-ti and grung prey happily on ambitious adventurers unaware of nature’s perils. The natural defenses of the Forbidden Jungle lend themselves quite well to the fanciful stories telling of something guarded - a city of brilliant gems, perhaps, or an untold treasure left behind by an ancient emperor within the remains of desecrated ruins. Fantastical stories speak of enormous beasts of fang and claw, towering predators from an age long past. These wayward tales have sent many an adventurer to their untimely demise, curiosity beckoning them to brave the dangers of this ravenous land.

Frostspire Mountains

The Frostspire Mountains are an unforgiving landscape of storm-carved peaks rising beyond the clouds, serving as a natural barrier that divides the Northern Expanse and the rest of Alestria. Freezing cold, blizzards, avalanches, and the ever present danger of creatures lurking beyond make traveling within the mountain range a grueling task with too oft grim results.

Nevertheless, a number of communities have persevered and persisted within the mountain range for many generations. The Frostspires are often divided into western and eastern halves, distinguished by their populations, cultures, and more monstrous inhabitants. The western peaks are comparatively more inhabitable, with slightly more forgiving storms and deep valleys serving as natural defenses from the harsh landscape. Human settlers have had varying degrees of success establishing communities beneath the peaks, crafting makeshift homes that can easily be packed up in lieu of approaching blizzards. Foreign to most Alestrian travelers is the unusually amicable goblin population, a blue-toned variation of the commonly antagonistic species, favoring trades of curiosities to those who speak their dialects.

The eastern half of the Frostspire mountains is less than accommodating, with constant blustering winds and sub-zero temperatures. Only a select few orc tribes have managed to brave the harsh climate, utilizing mammoth mounts native to the region to move briskly through the peaks. The true sovereigns of the eastern mountains are the frost giants, who pay little mind to the trivialities of those who cannot brave the blizzards. One would do well to steer entirely clear of their domains, should you hope to survive the rest of the mountains’ challenges.

Both ends of the mountain range are riddled with endless, winding caverns, carved by massive frost salanders and inhabited by every variation of frost trolls, smilodons and yetis. One would believe that entering the caverns provides necessary protection from the wintry winds, only to discover that every creature native to the Frostspires searches for the same refuge.

Although many tribes hold fast to their own customs and traditions, most declare worship and providence to Aurora, a deity almost exclusively revered within the Northern regions. Aurora is the storm incarnate, a goddess of both blessings and wrath. Whether it be a shelter for mercy from her storms or an unlikely abundance in livestock, all bounty is blessed and received in veneration of her name. Her palpable influence has been recognized and documented in stories and regional fables about the Eirawen, otherwise known as the Daughters of Aurora - pale-faced celestial beings who present themselves to travelers during near-death experiences, granting them safe passage or frosted punishment based on their acts in life.

The tribes of the western Frostspires often ordain an individual known as the Borealis, a patron of Aurora uniquely gifted with her divine instruction. The Borealis works in tandem with the Winterlord, an individual trusted by the clans to provide guidance on surviving within the mountain peaks, whether by dutiful instruction or lordship with an iron fist. The renown and authority of these individuals vary in different regions of the Frostspires, but both positions have bolstered the communities of the Frostspire mountains for centuries.

Through their efforts, expeditions through the peaks are no longer unprecedented - travelers from Thrandul often trek through the western mountains to seek settlement southward, provided that an experienced wayfarer lead the perilous journey.

Frostwash Swamp

Distinguished by its proximity to Grimhollow against the perilous lands westward, the Frostwash Swamp is most easily recognized by its marsh-like terrain and the acrid stench that pervades through it. Travelers unfortunate enough to brave its murky waters are met with an ever-chilling air, a frigid grip that holds tightly to the skin granted by the fall winds of the Frostspire Mountains. Sailors and fisherman know to properly steer clear of the stained waters that leak eastward, a pervasive grime that leaves any marine life caught in its wake unfit for consumption. Those brave of heart that venture beyond the toxic waters often find themselves considerably lost, as if the trees themselves shift and realign in nefarious ways. The faded blossoms growing across the vinework emit a malevolent aroma, disorienting the senses of the wayward travelers until all cognizance of direction escapes their grasp. Even along the edges of the swamp, plenty of ruined boats have crashed hopelessly against the tree line, entangled almost antagonistically between their roots. There is little evidence of civilization ever existing within the swamp. Historians would imagine that mighty creatures exist within the marshlands, ones favoring the bitter cold and acidic waters, welcoming the privacy the swamp provides. Those living east of the rivers would pray that none ever disturb their peace.

The Graven Hills

The Graven Hills are a bleak, abysmal land - a grey expanse devoid of the color of the world, it is a haunted place avoided at all costs by the people of Alestria. The hills are a cascading, jagged landscape littered with crooked and upturned trees, ditches, and slopes. One would be exceedingly lucky to find the respite of level land here, making it challenging terrain for even the most sure-footed creatures. The few exceptions to these forested hills are a small series of winding, narrow natural paths that lead through the landscape.

During the day, one might assume the hills are safe enough to travel, and they may be right. But it is not simply the unsettled terrain that makes this place so fatal. A dense fog perpetually covers the area, with small pockets where the wind does not effectively carry it. The air itself is chilling and thin and rings with whispers. No living creatures call this place home; at least, not anymore. Those that may have once did so can be found slumped and molded into the landscape, rotted and decayed into near dust. The atmosphere of the Graven Hills is filled with dread, depression, and an extreme sum of apathy and delusion. Those that wander within its sphere of influence, some few miles beyond the hills themselves, can feel the color of life draining from their perspectives, a sensation that grows more potent the closer one treads. While in the hills one may wander aimlessly, plagued by a mix of subtle auditory and visual hallucinations. Their memories and emotions may become distorted during the phenomena, possibly even drawn upon to fuel their exhausted mind’s perception of the world around them. Those touched by shadow or familiar with the necrotic may bare varying resistances to these effects, but few will find themselves immune to its influence.

Undead are drawn to the hills, as though autonomously, upon viewing it even from a great distance. The closer they approach, the more unfocused or idle they become. A necromancer’s puppets may turn unresponsive to commands, as they aimlessly and whimsically mill about instead. The living might find themselves drawn to the prospect of death within the endless fog of the hills, their attachment to life and purpose fading. Many corpses can be found throughout the hills, of those who took their own lives through compounded melancholy, or those who simply rested and remained idle until their bodies eventually succumbed to death.

The dreadful effects of the hills are at their most potent at night, while the entire area serves as a crossroads into the bleak realm of shadow. During the day, while the sun’s light banishes the otherworldly darkness, the influence of the Graven Hills are temporarily brought to yield. It is surmised that the physical and psychological effects caused by these hills are a form of metaphysical residue, one this other realm has left upon Alestria. Scholars, sure to avoid these hills in their entirety, have come to such a conclusion because of its striking similarities to a Pedminarian forest found in the Ooe Provinces, called the Aogiri Wood.

Not all that tread the hills succumb to their melancholy and perish, however. As it is a planar crossroads, and a frequently opened one at that, some may find themselves wandering and lost in the plane of shadows itself, unable to return from whence they came. Others may become mutated by the shadows, becoming a monstrous variation of the Sorrowsworn that appear in rare encounters of small numbers. Other undead creatures and monstrosities may linger here, restricted to wandering in the failing light of day. Some areas in the outermost rim of the territory have been discovered to be entire hills turned into burial grounds, claimed by native inhabitants from the surrounding lands. The age and origin of these tombs and burial sights remain unknown, though they seem to span over the course of centuries. Given what legends of planar crossroads and their creations may suggest, it is theorized, but far from confirmed that these burial practices coupled with a multitude of depraved rituals within the hills may have been the ignition to Graven Hills’ current phenomenon.

Mirkwood

In a display of jest and half-truths, an adventurer-turned-archivist known as Madric the Minstrel released a tome to the people of Grimhollow, called ‘The Many Monsters of Mirkwood’ - a satirical yet profoundly terrifying recount of the multitude of beasts that live within the forests just before the Frostspire Mountains. It was received with little acclaim, though many of the early adventurers vouched for its stunning accuracy. Just north of its gentler, more forgiving cousin, the Mirkwood Forests house a seemingly endless number of malformed atrocities, ordinary beasts transformed by the magic of Galia-knows-what. Fanged horrors of scale and razor-hide, shadowed threats with many mouths, every combination of amalgamation has been heard to exist beneath those darkened canopies. Some surmise that this was the work of an archdevil, a hellish craftsman who brought life to his ideated nightmares. Others say this is the work of man, a stained corruption upon the land wrenched forth by foolish, terrible experiments. Still others believe a portal to another plane has torn open within its core, unleashing otherworldly monsters that will soon devastate the Material Plane. Only the wood elves have been known to navigate these woods with any amount of success, their isolationist nature keeping the secrets to survival under veil. Whatever the truth of these parts may be, the terrors of the Mirkwood curiously remain temporarily contained within the mist-laden tree line, and most if not all Alestrians hope it will remain that way.

Moonglow Isles

Immediately west of the continent’s shore are the Moonglow Isles, an especially alien set of small archipelagos, tempting many wayward sailors that venture past its shores. The islands themselves are vacant of civilized societies, instead full of tropical plants and wildlife wholly foreign to the continent.

The islands all seem to be connected at a base found resting against the darkened ocean floor, forming an almost tree-like structure that branches out towards the surface.

These stone foundations these islands are formed from seem to possess an abnormally fluorescent mineral within its walls, emitting a faint silver light. These crystalline fragments peek out of the surfaces of small mountains, cliffs, and other natural formations within the Isles.

This causes the island itself to wholly illuminate in the evening and nightly hours with a pale silver glow, granting the isles their namesake. This mineral also seems to be light enough to be carried along with the winds, creating a luminescent display that can travel for hundreds of miles across the ocean skies, even sometimes cresting over the Alestrian shores. Due to uninterrupted exposure over time, the plants and animals native to these islands seem to have adapted to the mineral, developing some of its properties into their physiology and adapting the pale light of the ‘moonglow’ across their features.

A handful of daring voyagers have landed on these shores, correctly or otherwise determining that these isles have been divinely touched, perhaps by a celestial being deep within the ocean. Others claim it is simply a natural phenomenon unique to the isles due to their isolation.

These stories have sparked a small collection of religious followings that migrate to the Moonglow Isles every few years, braving the dangers of the western seas to partake in the evening light. Unknown to most adventurers, a few communities have been found to exist beneath the water’s surface, homes of merfolk and triton populations. Entire civilizations have been molded and forged by these underwater nations, building makeshift homes along the sides of the Moonglow Isle branches leading to the surface above.

There is ample illumination available to them, often crafting the minerals into trinkets and armors for use as they voyage away from their homeland. The hierarchy and development of these communities are otherwise a mystery to the land-locked civilizations of Alestria, but many travelers have sworn to have seen a passing brilliance beneath their ships, as if a telltale reminder that these waters belong to someone else.

Mulac-Caquix

The Northern Expanse

A frozen land stretching for thousands of miles, the Northern Expanse, or simply “The North”, is exactly as its name suggests - the frost-laden northernmost part of the continent. Bordered by the Frostspire peaks and a seemingly endless ocean, the North is rarely ever traveled by visitors; Thrandul is one of the few established settlements, properly positioned to receive wayfarers from the distant continent of Tobolsk.

Merciless blizzards storm across the frozen lands, sometimes erasing miles of scattered forestries and any evidence of previous settlements under enormous snowdrifts. The northwestern corner of the expanse is decorated with eternally frost-tipped forests, most of its leaves curiously shaded a light blue as to mimic the endless sky. Travelers might find massive, frozen lakes within these forests, its waters sealed beneath an infrangible layer of ice.

It is common for soothsayers of the nomadic tribes to claim that terrible, ancient beasts live below the frozen surface, undisturbed for centuries, ever rarely peering through the ice with glowing, sapphire eyes.

Hunters pathing their way beyond the tree lines are sure to always travel in groups, as the forests belong to the creatures veiled amidst the frosted landscape; wolves of frosted coats, white-winged elbises, and mischievous mephits hiding beneath the permafrost. Most nomadic tribes stay close to the chilling shores, some even crafting large ships to traverse the North from one corner to the other.

East of the forests, below the northern shores is a barren expanse, devoid of all civilized life. The uninhabited land is dotted with towering, crystalline pillars of ice hundreds of feet tall, standing isolated amidst an otherwise flattened landscape. A number of historians guess that the frozen expanse was once a land of sparse wildlife, a tundra capable of sustaining a number of communities. They believe the crystal spires are remnants of a calamity long past, a battle between creatures massive and powerful, that have since left the majority of the North desolate and abandoned.

Primordial Valley

At the southern tail of the Everlasting Grove, a land unfettered by mankind flourishes with brazen wildlife, an untamed sphere of the quintessential natural elements. The Primordial Valley was first uncovered by Grimhollow explorers navigating the vast underground tunnels east of the Bloodwood Forest. Plagued for weeks by the terrors of the darkened caverns, these adventurers eventually escaped, greeted by a wondrous sight. Cascading waterfalls tumbled from stone walls that towered above them, large, coral outcroppings emerged from the crystalline waters, and a lush greenery covered every possible surface from soil to sun. It was paradise, wild and untamed; earth twisted into the air to form sky-paved paths, bellowing winds echoed through the valley in mighty surges. What was found within the valley was seemingly undisturbed for centuries, wholly otherworldly in grandeur.

The residents of such a locale were equally as mystical and magnificent - mephits and elementals of every shape and size traversed the lands without pause or worry, molding the terrain as they traveled. Beings entirely of earth, wind, and water lived in co-existence, a crossroads of multiple elemental planes. Creatures of the fey are not uncommon here; visitors from the Everlasting Grove such as sirens, dryads and pixies revel in the natural bounty. Explorers are welcome to enjoy the wonders of the valley, and the blessings of its soil...but all pity the souls who dare to defile its sanctity.

Port Wamu

The Rotten Bog

Pressed between the Moonglow Sea and the arid land of the Savage Divide, this sprawling poisonous bog covers most of the western coastline not already encompassed by the Forbidden Jungle. As its name suggests, this marsh-like land extends for miles into the continent, shrouded by a heavy fog almost noxious to the lungs. The air reeks of decay unnatural to the land, caustic and malignant; some surmise this land was cursed with an unfaltering molder, a festering illness with no hope of purification.

Archivists have gleaned that this was once a land most prosperous, inhabited by a thriving empire fostering ample crops and livestock. Evidence lay across the bog of abandoned spires, constructed moats and bridges since deteriorated, and crumbling altars left entirely to ruin. The few tribes of lizardfolk that have managed to find refuge within these forlorn lands speak of “The Big Rubble”, colloquially translated, a catastrophic event that ended all other civilized life for centuries to follow. Shamans speak of a spurned mage, once an ally to this lost empire, laying waste to the prosperous land and claiming it as his own domain in undeath.

Smallwood Forest

The Smallwood Forest was endearingly named due to its plentiful, welcoming landscape in stark contrast to the treacherous environments that populate the rest of the continent. The forest atop a number of rolling hills, in tandem with the waters of the southern bay, serves as a natural barrier, a defense that allows Grimhollow to prosper in relative isolation. Smallwood Forest is filled and populated by a wide variety of wild beasts, friendly and ferocious, its air livened by the innocuous chattering of birds are the mighty cries of owlbears. Riders that traverse the woods have recently adopted native dire wolves to utilize as mounts, serving as talented trackers under their guidance. Babbling capillaries from Alestria’s major rivers path their way through the forest and nourish the plant life, often forming crystal-clear streams and cascading waterfalls that attract much attention from Grimhollow’s residents. A considerable amount of effort is spent by local druids within Grimhollow to preserve the natural sanctity of these woods in response to the city’s recent burgeoning expansions. Northwest of the forest are a collection of steep, blustery mountains that peer over an open plain. While dwarfed in comparison to the Frostspires of the north, these lofty summits are home to a number of small communities. Orcs in particular are prevalent across the plains and within mountain caverns, many venerating the massive birds that rule the very pinnacle of each windswept peak. Herds of livestock roam free within the land between the Smallwood Forest and the Mirkwood; orc tribes are careful not to over-hunt in lieu of famine or shortage. Amongst the perilous roads that line the mountains, native harpy conclaves have made expeditions particularly perilous, luring curious adventurers off the rocky cliffs.

Smallhollow

The Savage Divide

A terrifying chasm-like hellscape that splits the Southern Wilds and the Dunes of Rust, the Savage Divide is an inhospitable and dangerous land crawling with demons of all kinds. The fractured land is in a constant state of war between several factions of Demons, Devils, and human tribes just trying to survive. Here speed is survival; those wandering aimlessly are quickly cut down either from the sky or by the numerous demon patrols sporting carriages of death. Many of the more powerful Demons and their minions have devised wagons pulled along by either fiery Nightmares or other demons across the massive wasteland that is the Divide. Cutting across the land like a scar is a massive trench reaching down into the Underdark, creating an opening into the massive underground world where swathes of demon hordes and other abominations rise from. The origin of this scar is of myth and legend; some claim a great battle between one of the Obyrith Lords and celestial beings created this massive rift, but others believe it is to be the by product of a failed ancient ritual.

Civil war and no small effort from the lieutenants of the archdevils are one of the few reasons keeping the demon hordes here at bay along with several human tribes that have banded together out of sheer necessity for survival. Barter Town, a bustling metropolis supposedly run by one of the demon lords waring against the other factions, most notably seems much more akin to a city of monsters rather than demons. Many have speculated that the Mistress of Barter Town isn’t exactly who she says she is but no one dare speak against her out of fear of being tossed out into the Savage lands, a death sentence for most. Barter Town acts as a port city and one of the safer places in the Savage Divide despite being near lawless. It acts as a haven for those who learn its rules and play its game. The mistress herself has not been seen outside her palace in the center of town for as long as the town itself has existed.

The Savage Divide is a large crevice in the earth that spans the length of land between the Rotten Bog and the Breathless Morass. As per its namesake, the canyon divides the Southern Wilds from the Dunes of Rust that make up Alestria’s southernmost coast. In the recent centuries the Divide has served as a definite means of entry into Alestria’s Underdark. As per the multitude of tunnels, caves, and web like systems of underground caverns that span ever downward from the canyon’s floor. Very little wildlife calls the Divide home except Goblins. The dry air and intense heat makes it unsuitable for most mammals to live, though with the existence of underground pools and springs accessible by the many cave systems have afforded homes for subterranean creatures to reside in. The name “Savage” holds a variety of justifications here, but the overall meaning encompusses them. Between the terrain of viciously jagged rocks, stone pillars, and deadly sun, along with the nature of the creatures that live above the surface, this is far from a hospitable environment.

Primarily reptiles and aviary predators call this place home, the latter only able to do so by hunting at night and resting in caves and crevices shielded from the sun during the day.

The former however, have no fear of the heat and hunt at all hours of the day. Because of the lack of natural resources however, the creatures are forced to live off of what water can be found and each other. Thus every surface dwelling creature is a predator.

In the recent years, however, disturbing phenomenon has occurred around the Divide. Initially thought to be the actions of various, particularly aggressive predators, experts and eye witness accounts have lead to the conclusion that Demons have begun appearing in the Divide.

The Southern Wilds

Visually impressive it may be, the Southern Wilds charm belies its true nature. It is a hard land of harsh weather, dangerous wilderness, and scorching heat. The few that call this land home are forever hardened by it, some for the better, but most not. The landscape itself is a mixed bag of rocky badlands, windswept deserts, towering rock formations and blustery mountains. There are not many established settlements in the Wilds.

Those that do exist have cropped up as communities between homesteads throughout the region. They do what they can to make a society with what they have, but it is tenuous at best. They do, however, endeavor to establish some semblance of law and order, resulting in each small settlement having a sort of ‘lawmaster’ or ‘sheriff’ to moderate the community. Monstrous races are typically looked down upon in this region, considered “less-than-human” and inherently dangerous. Tieflings are captured and forced into slavery, goblins are addressed as mindless cretins, and dragonborns are treated as barbaric threats, only utilized for their muscle. These communities look to Mulac-Caquix as the “forsaken city”, a “once thriving metropolis” now overrun by the terrors of the monsterfolk.

Those incapable of living within these communities often become Dregers. While nobody is clear on where the term Dredgers originated, the current crop is a majority mix of varied races from all over the continent. The dredger clans consist of vagabonds, castaways, and varied folk on the run from elsewhere. Their strange society is built around anonymity, where members wear a makeshift combination of cotton wrappings, cloaks, and featureless masks to obscure any hint of who or what they are. While they are mainly known for being raiders, dredgers also do gather and hunt for food, some even building farms to refine their harvest. Dredgers are often on the move, able to make or break camp with very little notice. They are capable of doing this thanks to the use of massive, specialized wagons or carts that quickly traverse the arid lands.

When they settle their encampments, the wagons are broken down or ‘deployed’, and converted into looms, tanneries, and mills, even occasionally small crop farms and animal pens, as well as smithies and woodcarving stalls. Armaments for dredgers are typically what they can find, steal, or scavenge from their inhospitable surroundings.

Outlaws of the Southern Wilds are similar but different from Dredgers; same needs, different wants. Not everyone is satisfied with the ‘communal’ anonymity of dredgers, and prefer being their own person with their own reputation. These folk, and others like them, create roving bands of outlaws that traverse this mostly lawless land. Raiding and stealing from the few settlements in the area, these bands of outlaws can sometimes spill over to other nearby regions, occasionally threatening the harbor communities of southern Smallhollow.

Thrandul

Size: Large Town - 2,736

40% Dwarf, 20% Human, 15% Half-Orc, 10% Goliath, 15% Other

The thriving harbor town began as what many would believe a foolhardy business venture - sailors from Tobolsk would spin tales in the Seumas taverns of a massive landmass a month’s travel south of shore. At first nobody believed them, of course. It was only when they brought back frosted wolf pelts from their voyages that investors took interest. The nobility of Novograd needed to be convinced; they armed and supplied five galleon ships full of capable sailors to make the same trip. Four months later, they returned with much of the same, this time loaded with darkened lumber foreign to Tobolsk soil.

That evidence was certainly enough - with assistance from a handful of noble houses, a fleet of ships left the Seumas harbor and journeyed their way to Alestrian soil. It was a more difficult journey than expected - massive glaciers had shifted and drifted in their paths, forcing them to take much more damage to their hulls than estimated. By the time the fleet had landed in the Northern Expanse, it would take many months to repair the ships for a return journey. Until then, a few hundred men and women had to make do with little to no shelter in a frozen land.

Fortunately, many of those aboard had more than enough experience in harsh climates. Many dwarves boasted that the Alestrian winds paled in comparison to the snowstorms of Tobolsk - they charted their way towards the western forests and worked to gather lumber for shelter. The craftsmen built makeshift homes, large buildings that house entire ships’ worth of men. Rangers toughened in the Wilds of Tobolsk moved in coordination to hunt the natural, plentiful wildlife amongst the treeline.

Not all survived, of course - terrors not within the realms of Tobolsk struck encampments by night, magical beasts of frost freezing entire platoons before sunrise. It took the effort of every pioneer to build proper defenses and prosper forthright. The Thrandul of today is built upon the traditions of Tobolsk and the foundations of the original settlers’ survival. They remain a major port for those journeying southwards from Tobolsk, and those seeking respite from the eastern shores of Frolois. It is a hardy, enduring community, proud of the prosperity granted by their ancestors’ tenacity.

Government and Society: In Thrandul, one's sway in the community is directly tied to their quality of craftsmanship. Shipwrights, carpenters and blacksmiths are the backbone of Thrandul's livelihood and thus are honored in kind. Most of these artisans are dwarves, their skilled honed and refined over centuries from their time in Tobolsk.

Thrandul's heirarchy is familial in nature - most of the elder council can trace their roots to the original settlers of the land. One's family name often determines their role in the community, for better or worse - some embrace the traditions and craft of their family, and others work earnestly to separate themselves from it.

The Hullfather is the title granted to the best shipwright in Thrandul, recognized highly by the general populace. Due to the importance of naval travel and transport, his influence rivals that of the elder families of the city. The current Hullfather of Thrandul is Thane Stormhelm, son of the first shipwright to land on Alestria's northern shore. He continues to guide the people of Thrandul and oversees every boat that leads the harbor, ensuring every vessel is well-equipped to sail wherever they desire.

III

Frolois

Cashel

Valkur Base

Valkur Base, famous for its military academy, is a massive fortress-city that houses the might of Frolois. Situated on a hill in the northeast coast of the continent, reinforced ivory-white walls sixty feet high separate the city from the rest of Krisfiel. Within these walls are rows of barracks, archery ranges, trance chambers, forges, mess halls, and all the other necessities of training an army of long-living, magical elves.

The near-unassailable fortress proves the saying that even the most utilitarian of elven creations are beautiful to mortal eyes. Six ancient eucalyptus trees mark the boundaries of Valkur Base; between them grows a thick curtain of ironbark, and a dense canopy of impenetrable steelfern forms its roof. Legend says that when Frolois’s need is greatest, the six ancient eucalyptus trees that guard the keep will uproot and march as mighty treants to defend the bastion of the elves.

Valkur Base is commanded by General Krisfiel II, son of the storied commander upon which the region was named. A master strategist in his own right, he is known to utilize a seeing crystal within his war room to survey all of Krisfiel. From this vantage point, he commands his forces with great tactical mastery, always one step ahead of the savage threats from the "freeborn" of the Wicklow Planes and the goblinoids of Kazag Gaz. So far, the majority of Krisfiel and Frolois remains safe because its enemies are wild and disorganized. Were they to unify, the might of the Valkur Academy would truly be put to the test.

The armies of Valkur Academy are about five thousand elves strong, though only about three thousand are within the fortress-city at any time. The rest are stationed at outposts within Frolois and at the known ley lines of the Feywild. The Academy within the past century has allowed other races to enter and train alongside them, with a palpable degree of reluctance. Some purists believe the elven race has little to gain from the often abrupt lives of other kin, but a number of commanders recognize the benefits of understanding the breadth and talents of those unlike themselves, even welcoming a small handful of goblinoids to better understand their most prevalent threats.

Kazag Gaz

Morvengard

Once a burgeoning city-state under the Rolandeaux empire, the region of Morvengard has rebuilt itself and today stands independent of any nation in Frolois. It boasts wide, fertile fields and a multitude of crops that supply food to every corner of the continent. While dwarfed by the ever-growing metropolis of Cashel, Morvengard’s capital Ardiena holds fast to its ancient elven traditions, taking pride in the arcane arts and well of agricultural understanding.

Traefmorth School Of Sorcery

While the Traefmorth School of Sorcery is as old as Ardiena itself, it doesn’t have nearly the resources or manpower that its sister academy in Antaris carries. As such, it has become an incredibly selective institution, inviting each one of its prospective students personally to partake in its classes. A number of students hail from nobility, often accused of purchasing their seats for acceptance, but most of the attendees are truly remarkable individuals, recognized at a young age for their natural aptitude in the arcane. Young prospects are scouted and selected from all across the continent to uphold the reputation of Traefmorth as an elite institution - even those from nobility that struggle will be expelled should they not meet the rather rigorous standards.

Rumors surround the school of Traefmorth that entire sections of the institution are forbidden to enter, devoted to questionable magical experiments, by practitioners sworn to secrecy. All sorts of magic are molded and refined within its well-defended walls. It is said that an unfathomable wealth of knowledge rests deep beneath the walls of Traefmorth, unknown even to those in Antaris, that will forever remain a secret to all but those involved.

Harad Fields

The Harad Fields are one of the most fertile growing regions in all of Frolois, rivaled only by the Shire’s farming communities. As such, within the Harad Fields are grown a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and other crops, as well as a number of dairy farms. The Harad Fields are recognized by their vasts of land colored in a multitude of hues, decorated by beautiful, native wildflowers.

Rolandeaux

The Shire

The western part of Frolois is predominantly farmland connected by the famous roads of Frolois but it is also the site of the strong territorial expansion. Both The Siege of Almoir and expanding influence into Alestria take place on the northwestern edge of this district. The capital city is Cobalt, a lake-spanning city famed for its massive bridge styled upon the backs of stone bears. The hills to the south known as the Fallohinds are where most halflings and gnomes take residence. Most communities within the Shire are feudalistic in structure, where the leaders in power often command the militia and exchange land and protection to its residents for labor and services.

IV

Tobolsk

Regions of Tobolsk

The Demon Pits

Perhaps the most prominent influence to Tobolsk’s brutal and survivalist culture is the existence of demons, monstrous fiends that distort and corrupt the very reality around them. It is unknown how the demons first began materializing in this realm, but over time, their proportionately large numbers have diminished as the continent became more and more populated by the mortal races. Those that remain exist in remote areas, haunting woods and chilled valleys, preying on the lost and foolish. The more clever of their brood may find means to integrate themselves into small societies throughout the realm, where they manipulate the population and utilize them as a steady source of food and horrific entertainment.

Multiple organizations have been created and equipped to combat demonic threats. Most groups, nomadic tribes or otherwise, have established ritualistic or combative practices to ward off and eliminate demons. Tieflings of course must be especially careful in these lands; though over the years they have become more commonplace as a minority in Tobolsk, oftentimes little effort is made to glean the distinctions between them and actual demons. They are very likely to be persecuted or murdered if given the chance. Those who give birth to tieflings, whether they are one themselves or otherwise, are often also persecuted if not heavily scrutinized. The tiefling population within Tobolsk has always paralleled the existence of the Demon Pits, and as long as they exist and affect the same communities, the comparison will always be drawn.

The manifestation of demons in the modern age of the continent is considered rare. Most Tobolski abide by various superstitions, raised to recognize the telltale signs of their influence. Despite the rarity of their presence, most communities within range of the Demon Pits are hopelessly paranoid and aggressive towards even a passing semblance to demonic occurrences, scarred by the passed down horrors of the past, especially given the capacity for demons to take alternate forms and distort the perceptions of their prey.

The obvious threat of encountering a demon manifest aside, the unyielding corruption of areas identified as Pits cause adverse effects on most people that would travel or take up residency near the perimeter of one. Symptoms of memory loss, disorientation, enfeeblement, mania, suicidal ideations and depressive episodes are all within the realm of possibility with prolonged exposure to the energies of a nearby pit.

The first manifestation predates the land’s history and was said to be during The Tribulation. As the continent has become more populated by roaming tribes and fortified settlements, the areas in which they appear most commonly have been identified. Some brave and foolish souls have attempted to explore Pits over the years - while most return safety due to generations of experience, a great number of investigations are fruitless in explaining how exactly demons are able to manifest in the Pits, as no traditional portals are present. The exact locations of most demon pits are common knowledge to the outlanders of the mainlands, and are identified as forbidden or dangerous ground by cartographers.

Dolwich Commonwealth

The Dolwich Commonwealth is the sum of a collective group of towns and villages that form a single sovereign state on the eastern edge of Tobolsk. The walled city of Korrison is seated as its capital, with the majority of other large settlements resting along the coast of this chilled and snowy land. The primary trades in Dolwich involve its abundance of harbors, from fishing to naval travel. Hunters are a notably prominent profession in this region, both in the traditional sense and the less universally accepted blood orders that dot the community.

The practices of blood hunters originated from Tobolsk, as the population’s desperation to defend themselves against the haunting threats of demons and beasts forced them to take up forms of magic that are ancient, macabre, and dark. There is a distinct divide in the hunters of Dolwich - the ones loyal to the Church of Dhuma, and the private defenders, loyal only to their own purse and creed. Hunters are varied and unpredictable at times; for every noble martyr with these orders sacrificing their humanity to protect the innocent, there is a zealot with little more than an insatiable lust for the blood of the wicked.

Dolwich consists of a small variety of races commonly found in Tobolsk, and its citizens are arguably the most aggressive towards tieflings. Many will avidly oppose and seek to harm tieflings, even among the common folk. While public vilification has notably lessened, in earlier years tieflings would be taken in the dead of night and burned at the stake in ritualistic fashion. Tieflings are born of mortal wombs and thus are believed to be a result of sin or corruption; as such, burning a tiefling, though their bodies are resilient to the flames, was believed to be a practice that purifies their soul as they pass into the afterlife. The euphoria brought on by the process of burning victims made fire a rather iconic tool in the arsenal of the most zealous hunters and clerics, even occasionally to their disadvantage.

Korrison

Thokodolf

Novograd

Seumas

Seumas is the name bestowed upon a village in the southern most point of Tobolsk, owing its namesake to its founder, Cassandra Seumas nearly four centuries past. Cassandra was once a prominent scholar and student of Novograd, often found proclaiming radical ideas amongst her peers. She possessed differing views towards the application of some of the college’s more practical discoveries, and eventually separated herself with the construction of a mansion and sustaining village miles away. Seumas has a lengthy, but quite direct road to the rest of Tobolsk’s eastern coast, allowing it relatively easy transport and exchange of goods. Even after her death, potions and various alchemical concoctions inspired by Cassandra Seumas’ writings remain among the main exports of this town. Wayfarers who visit this village sometimes find themselves drawn to the abandoned mansion of the village’s founder, wary of the strangely unsettling air that surrounds it. Seumas has also made a name for itself as being the birthplace of the First Fleet, a series of voyaging vessels that journeyed southwards with little more than an inkling of land to be discovered. The ships were crafted by dwarven shipwrights and sponsored by the scholars of Novograd College, eager to locate resources beyond the continent’s frozen land. In present day, the town of Thrandul in Alestria is a thriving testament to the determination and grit of the first settlers who conquered a barren landscape hundreds of miles away. The First Fleet remains the inspiration to many succeeding convoys that would come to explore the coasts of every other continent.

Emerlem Slopes

The slopes of the Emerlem mountain range are a prominent natural barrier against the northern woodlands, which in the early stages of Tobolsk were among the most dangerous places to settle. Urul-kai warriors frequently patrolled the length of these slopes, utilizing the terrain to gain a perspective advantage over both the Wilds and the Novograd settlements.

Emerlem Cathedral

Emerlem Cathedral is a vast and long abandoned compound fallen into ruin. At one time it was a safe haven at the bottom of the Emerlem Slopes for those seeking refuge against nature and monsters alike. Many monks and priests called this grand structure home many centuries ago. It was also a valuable establishment to the Novograd College, as many Urul-kai warriors would take shelter here while patrolling the region. After a series of strange and unexplainable occurrences over the course of a few years the cathedral was ultimately abandoned, with the remaining monks and clerics integrating into the Novograd College and other scholarly establishments across Tobolsk. The cathedral is presently avoided and has since fallen into disrepair by the passage of time and the elements, with several haunting tales suggesting the grounds are corrupted.

Orsaun Range

The Orsaun Range is a vast and often perilous mountain range, though even its highest peaks pale in comparison to the mountains of Ymir or Blackspire. In the twilight years of the first century of Tobolsk’s colonization the Orsaun Range was utilized as a geographical defense against monsters in the northernmost lands of the continent. It was once full of various small villages and tunnel systems designed to house entire city populations in times of crisis.

As the threats of demons and terrible monstrosities stabilized the constructed towns became more of a legitimate residence, particularly to the duergar and deep gnomes. At this time the two societies began dedicating their efforts to converting the mountain range into a web of mining tunnels that nearly span the entirety of the northern coast. Though initially rivals, the two races over time began a pleasant partnership and collaborated on a multitude of sophisticated mining and engineering techniques that are now utilized by prominent excavating companies worldwide.

Among the most common materials harvested from the mines was gunpowder. However, as firearms became a staple in Tobolsk’s arsenal and industrial exports, the necessity for gunpowder became unsustainable. The demand for it nearly dried up the mines’ stores until more efficient firearms were developed almost two centuries later by scholars in the Dolwich Commonwealth. Such methods would be expanded upon with the help of notable artificers and students of the Bailiwick Institution.

Their attention has instead shifted to processing gold ore, a mineral of great pride found almost solely within the depths of the Orsaun Range. A great many dwarves of this region are hopelessly infatuated with it, utilizing the mineral in everything from jewelry to weaponry and architecture. As such the most established underground buildings are lined with golden decorations, signifying wealth and respect within the community. All other societies within Tobolsk turn to the Orsaun Range for gold deposits, and they trade with all except the country of Soskos, with whom they historically have a tenuous relationship.

To this day Orsaun Range houses the largest dwarven community outside of Soskos, a timeless refuge during times of peril for all living within the mountains.

Barakuir

The caverns of Barakuir are the home of the major mining enterprises in Tobolsk; nearly all of the vast network of tunnels and various mining outposts are connected to this central hub. Most if not all of Barakuir is settled beneath the surface, also having many tunnels that lead miles deeper into the earth. Barakuir required little to no resources in defending itself from demonic influence, as no potential threats know how to navigate the winding tunnels quite as well as its residents. As opposed to most of the surface dwellers, their major threats instead hail from the Underdark, upon which the community guards keep a watchful eye.

Soskos

Soskos is a country of hardship and strife, with enemies on every side and harsh weather all year round. Demons plague villages and constant assaults decimate the bordering populations time and time again. However, dwarves are a hardy people, willing to continually fight and die for their home. The deity Tobolsk, upon which the continent is named, made the first dwarves, and the first dwarves made Soskos. ‘Tobolsk, Family, and Country’ are the three pillars of a dwarf’s life, often emblazoned on the grip of a hammer or the banners of a forge storefront. Soskos is surrounded mostly by dense forests and has a vast supply of silver from the mountains in the north. They are currently allied with the Dolwich Commonwealth and Novograd but have had uneasy relations with the Duergar and the frost giants. The dwarven communities have little tolerance for the orc tribes except for when demons are involved. King Torenor Honorforge reigns from Holgram and has led many battles to victory, even claiming the head of a powerful demon general. Life is tough, but the folk are tougher and plan to stay regardless of the numerous enemies at their doorstep.

Kaghna

Kaghna is the center of research and development on the northeastern coast of Soskos. Artificers, wizards, and scholars live here and work on new ways to combat the enemies of their country. Great arcane weapons of astonishing power are the focus within their walls, developed here mostly in secret by the most powerful spellcasters of the continent. While religion is held in the utmost respect just like anywhere else, weapon crafters here choose to rely on arcane techniques beyond what was been divined upon them by their deities, tapping into the weave of magic that courses through the land. The main conservatory of study is overseen by Archwizard Glasitaine, a long-time ally and friend of King Torenor Honorforge.

Merdoth

Merdoth is a large settlement plagued with constant strife and warfare. When not assailed by demons, wild barbarian tribes driven mad by the pits continually run amok against its walls. Originally a military encampment tasked with surveying activity in The Wilds, the town has been attacked and razed to the ground multiple times whenever a major threat passes through on its way to Holgram. Little do most know, the settlement above is simply a diversion. It is laced with traps to slow down and weaken invading forces while most of the population lives beneath the city.

After every invasion, the town is rebuilt seemingly overnight to the surprise of the survivors who manage to escape the armies of Holgram. This tactic has helped the dwarven forces completely route entire legions and leave nothing left to return home. It is a closely guarded secret and rumors are purposefully spread about the city being blessed by Tobolsk himself. On the surface, the soldiers disguised as civilians roam the streets while the main population thrive underground and assist in supplying Holgram during sieges. This city is the hometown of General Morigor Greyheart, the master tactician currently overseeing the defense of the Shield of Tobolsk. Every dwarf who lives here takes an oath of secrecy, the punishment for breaking that oath is death and dishonor upon your family line.

Nozagret Stronghold

While the Shield defends the western borders against incoming demonic threats, the Nozagret stronghold has stood as a barrier between the Soskoan dwarves and the frost giants for hundreds of years. Reinforcements for the wall in times of dire need are stationed here and are ready to mobilize with a few hours. It is run by General Greyheart’s right hand, Captain Emberbeard.

Thegrock Vale

Thekgrock is the main stopping point for travelers coming from Cormag Edge. It acts as the main trade hub between Soskos and the Dolwich Commonwealth. The town is run by Mayor Koga, who coordinates with the naval trade of Port Dom Moldir to service both nations.

All of this, of course, pales in comparison to the adult silver dragon that lives among the people. The draconic beast-sage Tymbaroth typically takes residence within the frosted hills of Cormag Edge, but occasionally arrives at the front gates, engaging the citizens with a myriad of questions. The residents of Thegrock Vale were alarmed at first, but quickly grew accustomed to his company, entertaining him with books of dwarven lore and generational folktales. His presence wards off the bandits that typically line the hill valleys, occasionally defending the people he enjoys conversing with.

Port Dom Moldir

Landmarks

Grand Lexicon

Spellcasters both divine and arcane can be found here as the building doubles as both church and library. One of the most civil parts of Dom Moldir, the Retreat is mostly made out of scholars, Druids, and clerics, any person from Khagna usually finds themselves here and works as somewhat of an embassy for them within the city. If it’s arcane knowledge, rumors of ruins, expeditions in to the wild tundra you’re looking for then this is the place to be.

Gouged Anvil

One of the most popular places to visit for up and comers looking to make a name for themselves is The Gouged Anvil. The Gouged Anvil is a popular location to meet, greet, and hire new blood for a variety of jobs. If you need cheap protection, need something stolen or just someone to get things done, this is the place to come. Agents of each of the big three find themselves here as talent scouts and look for people who fit their M.O.

Raven Tower

The Raven Tower is home to an estranged wizard whom contains in their possession a very strange artifact. Something from a mad mage long since dead hundreds, possibly thousands of years ago, a strange contraption with a myriad of cogs, levers, and gears calls many to promise of treasure. In exchange for a cut of whatever is brought back, the owner will grant you entrance in to an endless maze constantly building new rooms, floors, traps, dangers, and most importantly, treasure. Anything can happen inside the pocket plane that is contained in this massive sphere but very very few ever return. Groups who enter are only limited by their greed on how far they will venture in search of the untold treasures that were left behind in this deadly maze.

Urul

Karguk

Karguk is the de facto capital of Urul. Established just outside the northwest perimeter of the Wilds, it continues to serve as a tactical bastion given its proximity to the Ghulic Lake and more open landscape. Karguk is the result of the Urul-Kai descendants hoping to preserve the creed and traditions of their forefathers, offering a bastion of defense to all who rest within their walls. Karguk more than any other Urul stronghold is home to several tradesmen unaffiliated with Urul’s militaristic endeavors, whom all take refuge in exchange for goods and resources. The capital stands as proof of the orc clans’ willingness to ally with the other races that call Tobolsk home, serving as a place of peace and common ground in the ever-present combat against demonkind.

The architecture of Karguk’s defensive structures are some of the finest in the world, uniquely crafted in the orc-inspired designs of their ancestors.. Although there are few constructs that rival the make of dwarven design, the orcs have bolstered their walls with the hearty trunks of forestry from the Wilds, with countless sharp stakes extending outwards into the wilderness. Shamans among their ranks work among the walls, shaping and molding their defenses to guard against rabid threats. What the orcs lack in complex architecture, they make up for with malleability, able to build sturdy bunkers and defenses wherever they may find themselves in the Wilds.

In terms of arms and weaponry, the armies of Karguk still pay respects to their Urul-Kai forefathers. Their shields and axes are blessed by local mystics, sure to call upon their ancestral guardians in combat. The brutality of the Urul warrior engagements are often contrasted by their stoic meditations prior to conflict, as every Urul-Kai descendant pays respects to the warriors felled before them. Many warriors proudly carry the symbols of their bloodlines, the names of their fathers tattooed against their hardy skin. A number of battalions adorn themselves with the imagery of demons, invoking the terrifying visages of their foes to their advantage.

The city also holds a sophisticated repository of information unique to the Urul-Kai clans, known as the Lok’Garash Archives. Scribed onto lengthy scrolls with vivid imagery, a multitude of documents detail the various types of demons and monsters encountered over the centuries, complete with military records and strategic tomes, that warriors of the future may adapt and refine their strategies from the wisdom of those who came before them. Virtually all military or combat schools in Tobolsk, and even those elsewhere in the world, send students here to study under martial masters and battlefield scholars.

A branch of Karguk has recently begun delving into demon summoning incantations, taking inspiration from the witches of the Wilds. The process of gaining mastery over a demon to learn more of its attributes is a divisive discussion within the walls of Karguk, but the information that has been gleaned from this practice has proven useful. Such a ritual takes place beyond the walls of the city, heavily monitored by armed guards.

Ghulic Lake

Ghulic Lake sits at the center of a massive river that paths its way across the entirety of Tobolsk, from the Orsaun Range to the eastern shores. Many of Tobolsk’s northern settlements have access to the river and subsequently the lake itself. Thus, river travel is commonplace in the southern area of Soskos, as it serves as an accessible passageway from town to town and easy access to the Orsaun Range, Urul and Dolwich, with caution near the Kal’gun Divide demon pits. The lake itself is relatively unremarkable, besides being a crucial source of food and water to its surrounding settlements. Merchants of Karguk have recently began populating the outer perimeters of the lake, fostering a one-of-a-kind marketplace that caters to all the tensely allied communities. That said, exploration under the surface has shown several underground caverns coming out into the lake, forming a web of channels at span out several miles from the lake. Some come out at ponds and smaller lakes scattered around the neighboring lands.

Mor

Much like it’s sister clan Snog, Mor truly established itself after its departure from the original Urul-kai alliance. The majority of the goblins and hobgoblins of the country live here, or at least trace their lineage to this clan. Like other former allies of the Urul-kai,

Mor’s mission to combat and survive against the terrors of the demon pits has not wavered. That said, they adopt a more ‘fire-with-fire’ approach than any other tribe in Urul, not afraid of damaging entire portions of the forest if it means victory in battle. Comprised primarily of tribal arcanists, battlemasters, and blood hunters, the goblinoids of Mor believe that to best fight an otherworldly foe, one must adopt otherworldly means.

They hold no qualms with the utilization of brash or dark magics for the sake of hunting and subsequently decimating supernatural threats, an ideology they share with the researchers at the Bailiwick Institution. Their alliances with the rest of Urul are stressed and temporary at best, prioritizing the survival of their own people above all else.

Snog

Snog, along with it’s cultural equivalent, Mor, is a settlement that grew from the separation of the Urul-kai clan, its name originating from the surname of the clan’s founder.

Originally a famous tribe of bugbear warriors, it has since grown to the population of a small town. The residents of Snog are brutish and resilient, priding their powerful builds that challenge their orc-born neighbors. They are famous for their tracking talents and comprehensive understanding of the northern Wilds, often braving difficult expeditions through the dense woodwork.

While they are not typically open to alliances beyond the goblinoid communities, there is a mutual understanding between them and the rest of Urul should catastrophe strike, often traveling to Karguk in times of desperation.

Urul-kai Woods

These woods are among the densest in all of Tobolsk, which is a feat in of itself, let alone the heritage of its namesake. In the early days of Urul, these woods served as a makeshift capital. A massive war camp was held here, where the Urul-kai orcs and their kin served as a form of minutemen, prepared to move out and fight the denizens of the Abyss at a moment’s notice.

The lack of a proper settlement with appropriate defenses was foolish, however: the woods now serve as a memorial of one of the most infamous bloodbaths in Tobolsk’s history. Nearly the entirety of the Urul-kai were slaughtered by an unknown monstrosity in the dead of night. The only survivors were those that had been out in other areas of Tobolsk on separate deployments. Stories say that night was noted as being the most silent in history, as though every soul in the country feared to draw breath - that even the snow seemed frightened to fall. Nothing living dared make a sound that night.

Today the woods remain mostly undisturbed, with ruins of campsites and field fortifications strewn about in wreckage. The Urul-kai survivors began a tradition of paying their respects that persists to this day. Some venture into the Northern Wilds to pay homage to their fallen ancestors yearly upon the winter solstice, the same night as the massacre. Some believe that the source of the slaughter will return one day, on the same night, and every year the communities of Urul stand vigilantly in memoriam.

Nowadays, very few tribes have elected to remain living within the Urul-kai Woods. It now houses the most eccentric and unusual of individuals, some deeply attuned to the land, others solitary practitioners not accustomed to the formalized city life of Karguk. Legend speaks of a singular individual living within the woods with the talent to slay demons with permanence outside of the Abyss, an elder shaman from a land far to the south. His talents are one of a kind, and it is said he rests in solitude until only the darkest of threats arrive, to bring a temporary peace once more.

Valakhad Dominion

Before the Valakhad Dominion was formally established, there were just a loose collection of human settlements. The constant demon threat eventually drove these people to seek ways to protect themselves, turning to the heavens for aid. Unbeknownst to most all of Lyndria, the people of these settlements reached to the outer planes and contacted the Quori, spirits of light that inhabit an entirely separate realm. It is unknown whether this bond was intentional or fateful, but this connection has forever shaped the residents of the Valakhad Dominion.

The Kalashtar are a people with an intimate connection to the Quori, most of whom were linked at birth to these spirits of light thanks to the actions of their ancestors. The nature of the bond is still not well-understood, even by the Kalashtar - they simply recognize that the bond is present, resulting in shared emotions from a distant plane, the gift of telepathic thoughts among their peers, and an occasional pale illumination from their eyes. Even though over half of the country’s population is made up of Kalashtar, it is by no means public information beyond Valakhad, nor are they open about this fact. The Council of the Valakhad Dominion ensures its secrecy by limiting interactions with the neighboring nations, relying on its own self-sufficiency.

This safeguard of information was put in place by the Council due to the advent of the Enucleation, an organization of zealots that came to rise within the Dolwich Commonwealth. Those who have witnessed the secret of the Kalashtar people often see it as wholly alien; these zealots believe the Kalashtar are invaders to this realm, of unnatural and antagonistic intent. Some believed that they were possessed by spirits of the dead, and potentially dangerous to other communities. This paranoia, already exacerbated by the ever-looming threat of demons, has led to the Enucleation’s founding, comprising of a group of fanatics tasked with hunting down any individuals with ‘spectral, glowing eyes’. Enucleates have been known to torture Kalashtar they capture, claiming their luminescent eyes as prize.

Torashtal

Vishara

It is said that Vishara was formed after a group of adventurers stumbled upon a massive luminescent tree within the eastern forests of Tobolsk.

It gleamed with the light of a full moon, as if blessed by the deity Mayara herself, and the adventurers decided to settle down and built a home beside it. Since then, the abodes have grown into a robust, if isolated town. The architecture varies from quaint homesteads to dingy hovels, and the majority of the populace sits somewhere in between. The ground is fertile even in the wintry climate, leading to rumors of fey and faerie circles enchanting the land. It is thanks to Vishara’s harvest that the Valakhad Dominion can thrive without many trade connections outside of its borders. Many drudic circles recognize this city and oftentimes visit, exchanging their discoveries from all across the continent. There is also a famous temple of Mayara called the Santa Luna, which protects the ‘Moon Tree’ around which all is built.

Many tales are spoken of how the Moon Tree came to be. It is said that after the elementals nearly consumed Mayara during the Tribulation, the vengeful Brumous came in and vanquished the rest of their foes. After his victory, Brumous returned to what is now Vishara and placed a single seed into the ground where the Mayara was nearly destroyed. The god wept and from the seed grew a symbol of prosperity and protection. The massive tree is a beacon of pure white light within the dark forest that surrounds it. While the extent of the tree’s divine power remains a mystery, it stands as an emblem of unity and hope both within the city of Vishara, and upon its official crest.

The Wilds

Ymir Mountains

Zizranor

V

Pedminara