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Steamfont

A geological oddity, the volcanically active mountain range, south of Faydark, known as Steamfont has baffled travelers since time immemorial. Remote, bizarre, and unpredictable, it's no surprise that it has oft been jested only a gnome could inhabit such a place. Indeed gnomes do inhabit Steamfont, having recognized with their keen intelligence the benefits of such a place. They saw that it was perpetually windy and so they yoked the air with giant mills. They heard the rising steam and felt its warmth and so they learned to power their clockwork engines. They understood their elevated place on a peninsula lent clarity to the sky and so they observed the stars. Steamfont is an oddity, but the gnomes maintain it is also a fine place for the youth to gain an education.
 
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Underhill

Naturally, the first gnomes to arrive in Steamfont set themselves to solve the question of the steam vents. Plotting the vents on a map, they determined there to be large, subterranean aquifer in the south. For several months they mined until they found the enormous cavity which became the seat of their city. On account of the warm lake at the center of their settlement, the city is always at a constant 22.22 degree temperature despite conditions outside. Over the next century, they built with gnomish-made steel the city known today as the "Old" Underhill. Through the years, there was great prosperity until a century ago, when Kaezul attacked the entire region, subjecting Steamfont and razing the town. Upon their return, gnomes were quick to reestablish their former city. They rebuilt with zest and optimism, creating a "New" Underhill for all with many lavish attractions, such as: a zoo, a shopping complex, and a palace made of metal.
 
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Plane of Earth

The Plane of Earth is Sihalas realm, a primordial landscape of how Dalaya could be if it wasn't for mankind. Many animals roam here freely - panthers, bears, even unicorns have been reported.

Allthough they are initially not hostile to travelers, the inhabitants have a long and collective memory somehow linked to the very plane itself, and they fiercely fight against those who attacked em.
 
Tears of Elael

Once a part of the Forest of the Fallen, the landscape in this northmost part of ikisith drastically changed when several meteorites crashed into the ground, resulting in several large craters and flattening most of the trees.

Descending from the sky as a huge fireball, the meteorites were misinterpreted as tears of Elael by the orcs and goblins native to ikisith. Unfortunately they both worship Elael as their god, so when the dust setteled, conflict arose over the controll of this area, and the meteorites they interpreted as artifacts of their god.

This conflict evolved to a full scaled war over time, a war that continues till today.
 
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The Wastes of Tarhyl

The Wastes of Tarhyl are a searing hot desert in the eastern half of the Old World. There is rarely any rain, and the only place with any notable vegetation is the oasis of the Dawn Tribe.

Not much wildlife can be found here, except for a few giant scorpions and a few pumas and snakes. The only humanoids who dare living in this hostile region are orcs, who are split into the peacefull Dawn Tribe, skilled negotiators and traders, and the aggressive Darksun Tribe, savages who attack anyone on sight. Those two tribes are constantly feuding each others, for reasons only known to themselfs.

Another threat for the unattentive traveler are the restless deads that roam the desert, remaints of the time when iksar armies attacked and razed the old world.

Lately the Dawn Tribe reported of strange iksars that established a bridgehead of some sorts, who raid the Darksuns for slaves.
 
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Grobb

When Kaezul rose and founded his empire, he wasn't without opposition. And allthoug he extincted most of those opposing him, some managed to flee over the sea to the old world, founding their own city. Generally mistrusted by the people native to the old world, they could only settle in the remote areas that the people of the old world had no interest in - the swamp of Stinger's Bog.

Originally founded as a refuge camp by iksar renegates fighting for their freedom against Kaezul, Grobb is still populated mostly by iksars. As the years passed by and the refuge camp grew more and more into a city, the inhabitants founded an organization to put the fight against Kaezul on a more organized level - the Order of the Blackscale, wich essentially runs the town these days.
There are rumors of a pro-kaezulian movement in Grobb, and the Seekers of Erimal are quite worried about this. It is likely that they will send agents to investigate those rumors, if they didn't do so yet.
 
Stinger's Bog

Just north of Grobb lies the Stinger's Bog, a large swamp populated by giant mosquitos and leeches.

The only people who deem this area habitable are the renegade iksars that initially founded Grobb, cause their scales offer them some protection against the nasty wildlife, the trolls, who, due to their amazing regeneration ratio are not bothered by the harsh environment, and the frogloks of Mielech.
There are signs of an ancient culture to be found in the bog - hands of giant statues now swallowed by the swamp, and some ruins - but any traces of their origin have been lost when Kaezul ravaged the world.
 
Shadowdale

Connecting the blighted former Commonlands and the mountainous King's Peak, Shadowdale is a forest that hides a history as dark as its name. The dale was once a pastoral retreat for the nobility of High Keep and their cabins still dot the forest to this day. Being sparsely populated, Shadowdale was spared the brunt of Kaezul's magical assaults on the surrounding areas, unlike adjacent Rivervale.

Over time, the corrupting influence of the undead presence surrounding the dale began to take its toll. These dark energies warped the minds of the druids and treants that called the forest home, turning them hostile to anything but their beloved bats and bears. The forest is also currently occupied by a self-proclaimed benevolent research force led by Councilor Shar-El of the Council of Innovation.

Adventurers sometimes report the faint sound of crystalline chimes on the wind when all is still and silent. One explorer, thought lost for years, was reported to have returned Newport some time ago. Clearly raving, he would only shout "Never go above the canopy!" The veracity of this warning remains dubious to this day.
 
The Arena

This massive structure was created in times long since gone from living memory by Lord Enthann the Blade. A simple and single-minded spirit, Enthann sought to discover and test the greatest warriors amongst the mortal races for his own amusement and greater glory.

After years of conflict unending, Enthann manifested his own Plane of Valor by raising a great swirling portal near the gates to the Arena. He then carried his Chosen to their new home amongst the spirits immortal, there to test future generations themselves. The Arena still stands as an open invitation to any warrior with more bravado than brains, perhaps even enough to challenge the god himself.
 
Lake Starfall

It came in a vision--a man appeared from the sky, pointed to the mountain lake, and said unto him there, "Behold now a glimmer." This unknown stargazer thus called the lake Starfall and the name stuck through the years. Because its geography of coves and islands, Lake Starfall serves as a sort of neutral zone for a diversity of races and factions. Amongst some its more hostile inhabitants, notably a malicious tribe of goblins, there also live refugees from the plague-stricken Badlands and a band of elite researchers, the Artificers. The gnolls here, who were displaced by the plague, are among the last of the benevolent tribes. There story, much too long to record here, is one of misfortune and honor. Finally, the lake is also noted for its various hermits. One should beware of remote islands; where certain persons have been left to marinate in their own wickedness.
 
The City of Mercy

The followers of Althuna are believers in beauty and miracles. Most miraculous to them is the City of Mercy, where "honors and glories are rewarded to individual merits" by the Bless'ed Lady. In the City, no one will wish to be what he his not; he will not wish to receive what he has not been given, and no inferior will envy his superior. This is the divine law exemplified by Althuna herself in her complete devotion to her followers. And though some may receive greater gifts and some lesser, no one thirsts for what he does not have. So there is total concord amongst people there, whose combined will is incredibly potent. This sort of sublime lawfulness has been followed by many governments, often without success, in the Material Plane below.
 
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Whisperling Forest

When Rivervale was destroyed by the Mist, the nearby forest suffered, just as The Darkwoods suffered when Nagthilian was destroyed.

But this time, the effect was worse then it was in the Darkwoods: the wildlife didn't get twisted, it became extinct. Just like Rivervale, Whisperling Forest was inaccessible for almost a century after these events, and when Rivervale changed again, so did the adjacent forest.

During the day, the forest is unnaturally quiet, with no living being around, no birds can be heard and not even insects buzz.
At night, the Halfling population is stuck in reminiscence of the same night every night, those looking the most innocent being the most dangerous, while outside of the wall the shadows of the dead wildlife lurk for prey...
 
Sadri Malath

When the Lands of magic splintered, the surviving Taldorians fled to a large island east of the Old World, where they founded a new city as their home. They called it Sadri Malath, meaning New Malath, in honors of their old home Taldor Malath. The Taldorians, still absolute devotees to Malath, try to shape Sadri Malath for the day of Malaths return, and prepare themselves for the - as they believe - inevitable conflicet with the Eternal Empress and the Akhevans.
 
The Mountain Crags of Tarhyl

High up in the mountains towering the Wastes of Tarhyl lies the hidden refuge of the last of the Vah. Long thought extinct, they are active again thanks to the Efforts of the Shadowknight Cvetkaa, who earned their trust and convinced them to reveal their continued existence to the rest of Dalaya.

All races are allowed in their meager mountain encampment by now, but erstwhile travelers may have to earn their trust.

Other then the Vah, there are two minor factions to be found here: the insectlike Kish-Ka and the Valk, who are constantly warring with each other.
 
Nwaij said:
The Mountain Crags of Tarhyl

High up in the mountains towering the Wastes of Tarhyl lies the hidden refuge of the last of the Vah. Long thought extinct, they are active again thanks to the Efforts of the Shadowknight Cvetkaa, who earned their trust and convinced them to reveal their continued existence to the rest of Dalaya.

All races are allowed in their meager mountain encampment by now, but erstwhile travelers may have to earn their trust.

Other then the Vah, there are two minor factions to be found here: the insectlike Kish-Ka and the Valk, who are constantly warring with each other.
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VAh Malath in Hmal, Different splinter faction of vah (origin unknown to me). The vah in tarhyl's crags were refugees lost and outcasts for their less than refutable choices in profession iirc.
 
Abelfaec said:
VAh Malath in Hmal, Different splinter faction of vah (origin unknown to me). The vah in tarhyl's crags were refugees lost and outcasts for their less than refutable choices in profession iirc.
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You should correct the text here then. Also while you are at it, you should write some lore for HMal since you seem to know atleast something about it!
 
Towers of Agony

Eternal pain. Endless suffering. Screams of agony everywhere - these are the things any individual unfortunate enough to be dragged into the realm of Sivyana can expect to experience.

Toothy mountains loom on every side, offering fatal obstacles to those unwise enough to scale them, and sharp edges of crystalline rock tear at flesh and clothing. Blood and viscera coat the entire surface of Sivyana's realm. That lump underfoot might be a rock, or it could be a stray bit of bone ripped from the body of a mortal or a Razhak, the main servants of Sivyana.

The Towers of Agony, or Plane of Torment, as they are referred to quite often, are a place of despair. Mortals who get trapped here are going to be tortured to the point of their breaking. There are no questions, because no one is interested in anything the victims might know - making them suffer and scream is the only reason the Razhak need to perform their mistress' bidding.

Unfortunately for the mortals who end here, their demise isn't swift at all, nor is it necessarily permanent: they get tortured to a slow and painful death, usually over the period of several years, until they are barely more then a sobbing mass of pain. When they finally begin to succumb to death's grip, it is not uncommon that they are denied this mercy: instead they get resurrected by Sivyana, and the gruesome process starts over again.
 
I'm going through and trying to help clean up the zone descriptions since we're close to done with this project. Most of them, I can handle the grammar issues and lore incorrectness. That said, as I go through, there will be ones I need help with.

(1) Centaur Hills

Complete re-write needed. It isn't a big mysterious zone, it should be informative.

(2) City of Mercy

Complete re-write needed. The current write-up is more of a description of Althuna's followers' beliefs rather than a zone description

(3) Eldenal's Mansion

avogadro said:
Eldenal’s Mansion
The Elthannar family . . . produced . . . two further dynasties, the last of which ruled during the Fall. It is presumed that the survivors of the family fled back to their ancestral home when Highkeep was razed.
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This one confuses me. I thought the entire Elthannar family was murdered when King's Pass and Highkeep fell in 47 BF. They tried to escape through magical means but failed. Was there another side of the family somewhere? How did they rule during the Fall (47 years later)?

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Will be updated as I go (only up through Fire Grottos at this point).

By the way, the year is now 66 AF. I don't care what /time says.
 
Tarutao said:
This one confuses me. I thought the entire Elthannar family was murdered when King's Pass and Highkeep fell in 47 BF. They tried to escape through magical means but failed. Was there another side of the family somewhere? How did they rule during the Fall (47 years later)?

----

Will be updated as I go (only up through Fire Grottos at this point).

By the way, the year is now 66 AF. I don't care what /time says.
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I didn't write the initial description; but elthannar bloodlines seems to suggest that high keep was defeated under kaezul's supervision sometime during his invasion. No exact date is given, but it basically explains that tarlisha was sent to invade highkeep, and destroy the family within rather than having to siege them out of highkeep.
 
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