Amber Reach
Description
A large city on the western side of the mountains. Its current status is uncertain -- it is unclear whether it still stands or has fallen to the Umbra.
History
Amber Reach was a significant population center during the era of the Halcyon Domain. Its size and location suggest it was a major hub of trade and governance before the Apostasy.
GM Notes
Amber Reach represents a potential westward expansion of the campaign. Its fate -- thriving, struggling, or fallen -- is yet to be determined and can be shaped to suit upcoming plot needs.
Drosven's Gate
Description
A settlement whose Sacred Pyre was extinguished when dark creatures emerged from the cracked ground beside the plaza. The party's starting point and the catalyst for their quest.
Current Status
The pyre went dark spontaneously. The cause is unknown, as is whether there is precedent for a pyre failing in this way. The settlement is currently in crisis, exposed to the Umbra and the monsters it brings.
Connections
- Road to Ulmira's Step
GM Notes
The extinguishing of Drosven's Gate's pyre is the inciting event of the campaign. Whether this was natural degradation, sabotage, or something more cosmological remains a core mystery.
Grithmaar Deep
Description
A vast subterranean expanse beneath the mountains, associated with dwarves. Features expansive caverns, deep tunnels, intricate stone formations, and a dark, foreboding environment.
Climate
Cool and damp due to underground nature.
Significance
- Believed to house a great creature left by Mollthain, The Rampart
- Rich in resources but fraught with dangers
- Connected to sacred Blessed Branches and the Old Gods
- Site of Jamal's past trauma (his village was destroyed by something here)
Access
- Staircase begins at old temple near Tern's Watch
- Moon Rune Carving provides view into World Below
Creatures
- Large flying mantis-like creatures with phasing quality
- The great creature of Mollthain (unseen but referenced)
History
Jamal's crew encountered a massive creature here, prompting them to dig in different directions due to fear. This creature is connected to the destruction of his home village.
Unique Properties
Grithmaar Deep does not need a sacred pyre; the Umbra somehow doesn't reach it. The reason for this immunity is unknown.
Jamal's Community
Jamal's people were mining downward until they pierced through a shell-like boundary and glimpsed a massive monster deep in the earth, sleeping. They now only mine horizontally and refuse to go any deeper.
Current Status
Party confirmed intent to seek the great creature left by Mollthain. Ygva identified it as a viable target for acquiring god-touched artifacts.
GM Notes
Grithmaar Deep represents both Jamal's past trauma and a potential source of powerful artifacts. The creature of Mollthain is a major plot element waiting to be confronted.
The phasing mantis creatures' wings can potentially be crafted into gliders—an option the party discussed but has not yet pursued.
Sacred Pyre of Drosven's Gate
Description
A central feature in the plaza of Drosven's Gate, known for its solemn atmosphere. When lit, provides light and safety; when extinguished, plunges the plaza into darkness.
Significance
The magical flame is integral to the town's rituals and protective measures. Keeps the town safe from Umbra creatures and miasma.
Current Status: EXTINGUISHED
The pyre went out unexpectedly, triggering the campaign's inciting incident.
Rekindling Requirements
- Ordinary fire will NOT restore its magic
- Requires a Blessed Branch
- Party currently possesses one (hidden by Heyou in Living Fortress)
The Extinction Event
When the pyre went out:
1. Plaza plunged into darkness
2. Massive chitinous creature burst from the cracked ground beside the plaza
3. Gelatinous creatures emerged
4. Party used smoldering embers for tactical advantage
5. Draz warned creatures regenerate without burning remains
Aftermath
- Plaza remains dark
- Remnants of conflict litter the area
- Town is vulnerable to Umbra incursion
GM Notes
Rekindling this pyre is the party's primary quest objective. They now possess the Blessed Branch needed but must return to Drosven's Gate to complete the mission.
The extinction may not have been random—the emergence from the broken ground beside the plaza suggests coordinated action or weakening of protective barriers.
Salthewn
Description
A coastal port town known for rugged terrain, tall spires, and distinctive architecture designed to endure coastal storms. Grand structures rise above the landscape, showcasing ingenuity and resilience.
Significance
- Heyou's hometown
- Known for syndicate activities
- Unique flammable substance used for metalworking
Notable NPCs
Features
- Forge-fires using ooze secretions as fuel
- Caverns with self-resetting traps
- Kerosene-like odor in tunnels indicates flammable oily slick
Underground
The caverns beneath Salthewn are:
- Dark and treacherous
- Riddled with self-resetting traps
- Source of flammable substance vital for metalworking
- Home to Flammable Ooze creatures
Connections
- Visible from surrounding mountains
- Connected to World Below through Moon Rune Carving (discovered connection)
GM Notes
Heyou's past in Salthewn connects him to the Dimmers network. His knowledge of the flammable ooze (used in forge-fires) proved crucial during cavern battles.
The city's criminal underworld and Heyou's history there may provide plot hooks or complications as the campaign progresses.
Thistleglass
Description
A western settlement. Little is currently known about it.
GM Notes
Mentioned in passing. Details to be developed as the campaign progresses westward.
Ulmira's Step
Description
A remote Ridgeborne settlement perched high in the mountains of the Halcyon Domain. Said to be the first step of a forgotten pilgrimage once walked in honor of the departed god Ulmira. The lower portions of massive carved stone steps are still visible; upper steps are lost beneath avalanche rubble.
A Sacred Pyre burns high in an exposed basalt cistern at the town's center, maintained as a beacon of safety and community. The pyre is still burning.
The Kurael
The people of Ulmira's Step call themselves Kurael, meaning "those who endure upon the mountains."
Language
- Lammat is the primary dialect, shaped by the wind and stone of their mountain homes. Lammat lacks the consonants "p" and "b" entirely.
- Kurethik is an older ritual language still preserved and used in ceremonies. It predates the Apostasy.
Ancestry Terms
- Shargan: The Kurael name for themselves and other mountain-born Giants. Adults typically range from 5 to 10 feet tall, most often 7-9 feet.
- Lenvar: Humans; means "tide-chasers," referencing their fleeting, migratory nature.
- Drakenn: Dwarves; means "fire-sleepers," referencing their subterranean life and connection to heat and stone.
The Askavir
A massive raptor-like being, seen in silhouette against the clouds or moon. Appears rarely -- at most once per month. Its name comes from the Lammat dialect. Rumored to have been the familiar of the Veiled God Tlellic. Its presence inspires awe and fear but it rarely attacks the Step directly.
See also: Askavir
The Titan Skeleton
At the mountain's base, just outside of Ulmira's Step near the road to Drosven's Gate, lies the remains of a massive titan clad in ancient metal armor. The skeleton is semi-buried, with teeth the size of a grown human and bones large enough to walk through. It has been dead since at least the Apostasy; rumors abound.
Notable NPCs
Connections
- Road to Drosven's Gate
- Part of the broader mountain settlements of the Halcyon Domain
GM Notes
Ulmira's Step is the party's primary safe haven. The cultural details of the Kurael -- their languages, ancestry terms, and traditions -- provide rich material for roleplay encounters. The titan skeleton near the road is a landmark that hints at the Age of Titans and could hold secrets of its own.
Verrow's Span
Description
A cliff-hugging village nestled in a mountainous region, characterized by unique architecture of dwellings carved from rock formations. Interconnected by rope bridges and ladders facilitating movement through steep, rugged terrain.
Population
- Predominantly simiah (~30 original residents)
- A few human and Katari families
- Recently increased by refugees from Dolm's Break (goblins, halflings, Katari)
Notable Features
- Open areas for socializing and dining
- Sacred pyre at center for cultural rituals
- Makeshift morgue for sky burials
- Pool formed by rock formations (giant's open mouth shape)
- Salthewn architecture visible from vantage points
Climate
Harsh, cold, and misty. Snow near the peaks significantly impacts lifestyle.
Notable NPCs
Local Cuisine
Thick worm steaks, powerful freeze-distilled liquor
Connections
Routes to:
- Tern's Watch
- St. Thera's Remit
- Dolm's Break
- Amber Reach (ancient city)
Recent Events
- Refugees arrived from Dolm's Break
- Askavir attacked settlement, causing casualties
- Sylvie tethered Askavir, causing crash into plaza
- Ygva arrived, sparked confrontations
- ~15 departed toward Tern's Watch to distribute refugee burden
- Askavir body remains on wheeled platform for processing
- Party crafted ammunition and forged dagger from Askavir claw
GM Notes
Verrow's Span serves as a sanctuary amid regional chaos. Draz's connection to the simiah community here provides social capital. The Askavir remains are valuable and arrangements were made with locals for processing.
World Below
Description
A cavernous realm accessible through a Moon Rune Carving. Characterized by a barren expanse devoid of life, featuring large stone-like structures and titanic beings engaged in construction.
Climate
Desolate, permeated by foreboding and ancient power. Sylvie's lunar augmentation is notably stronger here.
Inhabitants
- Titans engaged in construction (arranging stones for immense pyre)
- Automatons
- Ygva operates here
Purpose
- Convergence site for mystical energies and remnants of the gods
- Ygva's plan: draw divine beings from upper world and bind them here
- Titans prepare offerings and construct massive pyre
Access
- Through Moon Rune Carving
- Ygva and Valghast can transport others here
- Party landed on massive tower roof during descent
Notable Features
- Abandoned settlements
- Titans transporting massive rocks
- Altars with artifacts
- Immense pyre under construction
Key Events
- Sylvie observed titan through Moon Rune Carving
- Valghast responded to Sylvie's fireball signal
- Party met Ygva here and learned her plans
- Ygva requested Askavir Heart for her pyre ritual
GM Notes
The World Below is where Ygva's plan to bind the gods will culminate. The titans appear to serve her willingly or are compelled to aid in construction.
The party has agreed to help gather god-touched artifacts, making them complicit in Ygva's scheme. Whether this leads to salvation or catastrophe remains to be seen.