Setting
• Karion: The capital of the Kingdom of Grovaria and home to Duke Serlon Tolthe. It is a bustling city built on the eastern edge of the Vulmon Ocean, allowing it to have a decent-sized navy that trades frequently with Glence and other, farther cities like Glaxdon, Dozathe, and Slock of Keantis.
From a clear view several miles from the major city of Karion, one would notice the dome-designed top of a colossal cathedral that had been made centuries before. This cathedral is named the Xaidan Cathedral, named after Xaides, the god that created mankind. While this cathedral stretches three hundred feet into the air, the gilded walls and ceilings of the brilliant structure have not weathered whatsoever.
A plaza, stretching about six hundred feet in length and over three hundred feet in width, is the main place of commerce and barter. Trivial stores displayed upon wagons, stalls, and gray brick buildings litter the area, and thousands of people come here every day. This part of Karion is fondly named the Coin Purse, for it is a place that one might use his coin to purchase goods, or have his purse stolen. While this sector is lavishly placed in Diamondpoint, a section of Karion where most wealthy men and women stay in large manors and mansions, it has a rather dark essence about it. Thieves from all over come to the Coin Purse of Karion to pickpocket the obscured folds of someone's trousers for loose pieces of gold. Since there are thousands of individuals within the Xaidian Plaza, hardly any thieves are caught.
If one were to move east or west of the Xaidian Plaza, one would realize that the cobblestone streets that connect this area of the city are all enclosed within the low walls of Diamondpoint, the central hub of the city. Karion, being the home of the Duke, is heavily defended. Built around Karion is a high wall that is about one hundred and fifty feet in the air. Accompanied by several flights of stairs, the high wall is connected to a medium wall that is about seventy-five feet tall with catapults positioned every one hundred and fifty feet. The high wall is embellished with parapets that are commonly used for defense whenever armies would come upon Karion. Unfortunately, the next attack it defends may be from the legions of Igzorak.
Archers are positioned upon the high wall at a daily-basis, looking out for enemies or anything else that may wish to enter (such as merchant caravans). At the most southern part of the high wall lies the gatehouse where the gate is guarded by a dozen guards fitted with chainmail and plate armor. These guards brandish pikes usually, but some are adorned with longswords. The gate is ten feet thick, made entirely of Briarwall wood. The walls are all gray, influenced by the paint of granite. Atop the gatehouse lies a pair of ramparts with built-in holes for archers to shoot through. It is highly defensive and can only be toppled by siege weaponry such as ballistas and catapults. Several other ramparts are positioned at every corner of Karion's walls, and in the center between each corner rampart. Large holes are also made within the lower areas of these ramparts which allow defenders of Karion to poor boiling water or oil upon enemies.
Affixed by even more stairs, the medium wall is attached to the low wall, about fifty feet high, which is the wall the townspeople see on a daily-basis. Each wall is made with a gatehouse at the northern end, designed as the first gatehouse of the high wall.
The southern area of Karion is called the Grime Rag where all men, women, and children of the lower classes (slaves, servants, peasants, and the middle class) remain. This tends to be a dreary place, filled with despair. The Grime Rag is the home of thieves, murderers, assassins, and bounty hunters. It is also where several inns lie, but not rather good ones. The better taverns lie within Diamondpoint.
In the northern half of the city, the Docks are the most expansive sector. Since Karion is positioned on the Vulmon Ocean to the north, it is a place where ships of all kinds come to rest. The marvelous Ryedune Lighthouse of Karion is about two hundred feet tall, and its blazing flame can be seen over twenty miles out into sea. Most inns and taverns are built here, but they tend to be sloppy or only have a few rooms for sailors and such.
Finally, the last sector of Karion, the northernmost location, is the Karion Castle, home of Duke Serlon Tolthe. A land bridge overlooking the water below leads to the front gates of the stone and steel fortress. It is a place for royalty and none may enter without direct consent of the Duke or his associates.
• Glence: Much like Karion, Glence has granite walls and homes made from wood and thatch. Much of the city is defined by the almost unbelievable crime rate. Thieves, smugglers, murderers, and gangs exist in Glence more so than any other major city in Adonai; whether it is day or night, it does not matter, for the criminals of Glence are unrivaled in the city where their influence corrupts everything, even the public bureaucrats. Traveling merchants dare not sell here, but those who do are usually robbed blind of their valuables by the end of the day. Stores usually exist in a permanent fashion, owning structures to house their wares.
The whole city is a clutter of slums and ghettos. The poor of Grovaria live here in bulk, along with those who couldn’t fit anywhere else in society. Psychos walk the streets and creatures that are usually seen in the wilderness dwell in the abandoned sewers of Glence. The man that defines this city is Rade, which is only his title, for his true identity is unknown. Because of his presence in Glence, guards are corrupt and will turn away at any sign of crime. Most peasants here are scared out of their minds, but are too poor or discriminated against to be accepted in any other city.
Glence, if known for something else other than its criminals, is known for its dozens of taverns, pubs, and inns, along with its rather successful harbor that keeps goods flowing in and out of the city. The city of Glence has some of the best mead in all of Adonai called Goldspeck Brew, and using their major port, they ship the mead in large barrels to all coastal cities in Adonai.
• Wilsire: The last major city of the Grovarian Vale, Wilsire is the smallest and least prosperous of the three. Known as the Town of Creley Lake, it has a bustling fishing business that sets it apart from the other cities of the vale. Wilsire’s main export is the Steelback Bass, a unique type of fish only inhabiting Creley Lake. The fish are known for their tough scales and their tender meat beneath it. While the nobility of Glence and Karion are clearly separated from the poverty-stricken in their respective cities, Wilsire’s higher-ups mingle with the peasants willing, and are much more hospitable to people in general. All houses here are crafted from wood and thatch, and the wealthier homes are just larger than the rest, with no significant differences in architecture.
• Daugend: Probably the most unrenowned establishment out of the five major cities of Grovaria. Positioned along the southeastern edge of Dauldon Lake, it remains far away from the troubles of the world. Like Wilsire and Briseldo, Daugend having a fishing industry on their own lake, but the fish here are not as exotic as those of Creley Lake. Daugend is known mostly for its eccentric ways of celebration, for they covet the moon like the story-book elves. When a full moon happens to shine its silvery light on the city of Daugend, all those native to the city fall into a moon prayer that has no verbal incantations. The entire prayer consist of hand gestures, with eyes fully closed. Oddly enough though, some of the best rangers and hunters come from the lands ruled by Daugend, believing that the moon acts as a guide for them while they stalk the shadows.
• Briseldo: The Golden City of Lake Astrora. If Karion were not the capital of Grovaria, surely Briseldo would be, and if the Tolthe bloodline was not royal and the people decided to elect their own ruler, Lady Astrora of Briseldo would be their first choice. Briseldo, influenced heavily by the ancient energies of the Great Silver Wood that is due north of the settlement, almost seems one with sorcery. Fire cast by elemental sorcerers burns forever in the streets of the city; weapons and armor made of mithral mined from the Mithral Valley enter this city and leave with lines of runic text bestowing them with unrivaled power; circuses for the people occur here where amazing reformation sorcerers shift forms before the very people of Briseldo, ranging from dragons to the Horned God; priests reading the archaic texts of Xaides and his messengers summon beings from the astral plane to reveal their god’s true power while performing public ceremonies; and finally, Lady Astrora herself is known to be the most powerful sorcerer in all of Adonai, and maybe all of Seitonus, for her ability to master two schools of sorcery: pathogy and astral.
Soldiers of this city are unmatched throughout the realms. Recruited from the mighty ranks of the Glaxdon mercenaries, they are trained to be immune to fear and with combat prowess that could frighten any opponent, they are a force to be reckoned with. There physical and mental attributes are not their only advantage however, for sorcery benefits them more than anything else. Gold-painted, enchanted mithral armor and weapons are brandished by every soldier, and Lady Astrora herself, in military situations, provides a hive-mind for much of her army at once, allowing them to be directed as a single life-form, a single death strike against their enemies. This is why the orcs are afraid to march north beyond the Burning Plains. They know of the power of the Lady of the Golden City and are hesitant to test the true limits of her mind.
Briseldo itself, gaining much wealth from the many gold deposits of Lake Astrora (and using that gold to embellish their structures), has no true peasants, for Lady Astrora insists on sharing wealth equally amongst her people. While this may be true, all people in Briseldo are sent to the Sorcery Universities of Briseldo to learn the most renowned power of the city itself. Because of this, nearly all of the population of Briseldo know, in some limited amount, how to work a certain school of sorcery.
From a clear view several miles from the major city of Karion, one would notice the dome-designed top of a colossal cathedral that had been made centuries before. This cathedral is named the Xaidan Cathedral, named after Xaides, the god that created mankind. While this cathedral stretches three hundred feet into the air, the gilded walls and ceilings of the brilliant structure have not weathered whatsoever.
A plaza, stretching about six hundred feet in length and over three hundred feet in width, is the main place of commerce and barter. Trivial stores displayed upon wagons, stalls, and gray brick buildings litter the area, and thousands of people come here every day. This part of Karion is fondly named the Coin Purse, for it is a place that one might use his coin to purchase goods, or have his purse stolen. While this sector is lavishly placed in Diamondpoint, a section of Karion where most wealthy men and women stay in large manors and mansions, it has a rather dark essence about it. Thieves from all over come to the Coin Purse of Karion to pickpocket the obscured folds of someone's trousers for loose pieces of gold. Since there are thousands of individuals within the Xaidian Plaza, hardly any thieves are caught.
If one were to move east or west of the Xaidian Plaza, one would realize that the cobblestone streets that connect this area of the city are all enclosed within the low walls of Diamondpoint, the central hub of the city. Karion, being the home of the Duke, is heavily defended. Built around Karion is a high wall that is about one hundred and fifty feet in the air. Accompanied by several flights of stairs, the high wall is connected to a medium wall that is about seventy-five feet tall with catapults positioned every one hundred and fifty feet. The high wall is embellished with parapets that are commonly used for defense whenever armies would come upon Karion. Unfortunately, the next attack it defends may be from the legions of Igzorak.
Archers are positioned upon the high wall at a daily-basis, looking out for enemies or anything else that may wish to enter (such as merchant caravans). At the most southern part of the high wall lies the gatehouse where the gate is guarded by a dozen guards fitted with chainmail and plate armor. These guards brandish pikes usually, but some are adorned with longswords. The gate is ten feet thick, made entirely of Briarwall wood. The walls are all gray, influenced by the paint of granite. Atop the gatehouse lies a pair of ramparts with built-in holes for archers to shoot through. It is highly defensive and can only be toppled by siege weaponry such as ballistas and catapults. Several other ramparts are positioned at every corner of Karion's walls, and in the center between each corner rampart. Large holes are also made within the lower areas of these ramparts which allow defenders of Karion to poor boiling water or oil upon enemies.
Affixed by even more stairs, the medium wall is attached to the low wall, about fifty feet high, which is the wall the townspeople see on a daily-basis. Each wall is made with a gatehouse at the northern end, designed as the first gatehouse of the high wall.
The southern area of Karion is called the Grime Rag where all men, women, and children of the lower classes (slaves, servants, peasants, and the middle class) remain. This tends to be a dreary place, filled with despair. The Grime Rag is the home of thieves, murderers, assassins, and bounty hunters. It is also where several inns lie, but not rather good ones. The better taverns lie within Diamondpoint.
In the northern half of the city, the Docks are the most expansive sector. Since Karion is positioned on the Vulmon Ocean to the north, it is a place where ships of all kinds come to rest. The marvelous Ryedune Lighthouse of Karion is about two hundred feet tall, and its blazing flame can be seen over twenty miles out into sea. Most inns and taverns are built here, but they tend to be sloppy or only have a few rooms for sailors and such.
Finally, the last sector of Karion, the northernmost location, is the Karion Castle, home of Duke Serlon Tolthe. A land bridge overlooking the water below leads to the front gates of the stone and steel fortress. It is a place for royalty and none may enter without direct consent of the Duke or his associates.
• Glence: Much like Karion, Glence has granite walls and homes made from wood and thatch. Much of the city is defined by the almost unbelievable crime rate. Thieves, smugglers, murderers, and gangs exist in Glence more so than any other major city in Adonai; whether it is day or night, it does not matter, for the criminals of Glence are unrivaled in the city where their influence corrupts everything, even the public bureaucrats. Traveling merchants dare not sell here, but those who do are usually robbed blind of their valuables by the end of the day. Stores usually exist in a permanent fashion, owning structures to house their wares.
The whole city is a clutter of slums and ghettos. The poor of Grovaria live here in bulk, along with those who couldn’t fit anywhere else in society. Psychos walk the streets and creatures that are usually seen in the wilderness dwell in the abandoned sewers of Glence. The man that defines this city is Rade, which is only his title, for his true identity is unknown. Because of his presence in Glence, guards are corrupt and will turn away at any sign of crime. Most peasants here are scared out of their minds, but are too poor or discriminated against to be accepted in any other city.
Glence, if known for something else other than its criminals, is known for its dozens of taverns, pubs, and inns, along with its rather successful harbor that keeps goods flowing in and out of the city. The city of Glence has some of the best mead in all of Adonai called Goldspeck Brew, and using their major port, they ship the mead in large barrels to all coastal cities in Adonai.
• Wilsire: The last major city of the Grovarian Vale, Wilsire is the smallest and least prosperous of the three. Known as the Town of Creley Lake, it has a bustling fishing business that sets it apart from the other cities of the vale. Wilsire’s main export is the Steelback Bass, a unique type of fish only inhabiting Creley Lake. The fish are known for their tough scales and their tender meat beneath it. While the nobility of Glence and Karion are clearly separated from the poverty-stricken in their respective cities, Wilsire’s higher-ups mingle with the peasants willing, and are much more hospitable to people in general. All houses here are crafted from wood and thatch, and the wealthier homes are just larger than the rest, with no significant differences in architecture.
• Daugend: Probably the most unrenowned establishment out of the five major cities of Grovaria. Positioned along the southeastern edge of Dauldon Lake, it remains far away from the troubles of the world. Like Wilsire and Briseldo, Daugend having a fishing industry on their own lake, but the fish here are not as exotic as those of Creley Lake. Daugend is known mostly for its eccentric ways of celebration, for they covet the moon like the story-book elves. When a full moon happens to shine its silvery light on the city of Daugend, all those native to the city fall into a moon prayer that has no verbal incantations. The entire prayer consist of hand gestures, with eyes fully closed. Oddly enough though, some of the best rangers and hunters come from the lands ruled by Daugend, believing that the moon acts as a guide for them while they stalk the shadows.
• Briseldo: The Golden City of Lake Astrora. If Karion were not the capital of Grovaria, surely Briseldo would be, and if the Tolthe bloodline was not royal and the people decided to elect their own ruler, Lady Astrora of Briseldo would be their first choice. Briseldo, influenced heavily by the ancient energies of the Great Silver Wood that is due north of the settlement, almost seems one with sorcery. Fire cast by elemental sorcerers burns forever in the streets of the city; weapons and armor made of mithral mined from the Mithral Valley enter this city and leave with lines of runic text bestowing them with unrivaled power; circuses for the people occur here where amazing reformation sorcerers shift forms before the very people of Briseldo, ranging from dragons to the Horned God; priests reading the archaic texts of Xaides and his messengers summon beings from the astral plane to reveal their god’s true power while performing public ceremonies; and finally, Lady Astrora herself is known to be the most powerful sorcerer in all of Adonai, and maybe all of Seitonus, for her ability to master two schools of sorcery: pathogy and astral.
Soldiers of this city are unmatched throughout the realms. Recruited from the mighty ranks of the Glaxdon mercenaries, they are trained to be immune to fear and with combat prowess that could frighten any opponent, they are a force to be reckoned with. There physical and mental attributes are not their only advantage however, for sorcery benefits them more than anything else. Gold-painted, enchanted mithral armor and weapons are brandished by every soldier, and Lady Astrora herself, in military situations, provides a hive-mind for much of her army at once, allowing them to be directed as a single life-form, a single death strike against their enemies. This is why the orcs are afraid to march north beyond the Burning Plains. They know of the power of the Lady of the Golden City and are hesitant to test the true limits of her mind.
Briseldo itself, gaining much wealth from the many gold deposits of Lake Astrora (and using that gold to embellish their structures), has no true peasants, for Lady Astrora insists on sharing wealth equally amongst her people. While this may be true, all people in Briseldo are sent to the Sorcery Universities of Briseldo to learn the most renowned power of the city itself. Because of this, nearly all of the population of Briseldo know, in some limited amount, how to work a certain school of sorcery.
Cities of Grovaria
The major cities of Grovaria from Karion of the Grovarian Vale to the orcish city of Ghorving.
Minimap
northwest |
north |
northeast |
west |
You are here. |
east |
southwest |
south |
southeast |