The Crescent
From The CBG Wiki
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| The Crescent The Oldlands, Fiefdom of Riddesgaard |
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| Political Information | |
| Capital | None (Haven) |
| Government | Commonwealth |
| Population | 80,000 (humans 52%, trakloks 27%, sul 11%, myari 6%, sydhi 2%, other 2%) |
| Imports | armor, books, glass, jewelry, metalwork, paper, textiles, weapons |
| Exports | lumber, precious metals (gold and silver), gems, jewelry, hide, ores, meats |
| Societal Information | |
| Etymology | From the Crescent-shaped mountain range |
| Language(s) | Gaardan, Tlek |
| Religion(s) | Aunism, the New Gods |
| Technology | low-to-mid |
| Magic | Low |
On the southwestern border of Riddesgaard, right before the great Nalimoseo forest, which humans of Alsa Eru call the Erdharte, is the Crescent. The Crescent is more of a geographic commonality than any other sort of governmental consolidation, though Riddesgaard has claimed the lands as its own for many years. Named for the crescent-shaped Devilhorn mountain ranges, it is a rugged land filled with a rich and vibrant history. It is a land of frigid cold even in the high summer, and its environs are as hostile as they come. The Crescent is often considered a satellite fiefdom of Riddesgaard, and is usually given quick and sure aid by the Gaardans if help is needed, and recently has received a lot of aid from the new Karsus Province.
The Crescent is arbitrarily divided into two territories: the Valley and the Holds. The Valley consists of all the land in the Crescent bordered by the Devilhorns and the winding Tyle River. There is one small city, on the eastern edge, simply called Haven. Throughout the Valley, there are other much smaller cities, towns, and villages. The Holds is the small, mountainous region to the south, bordered by the Great Western Sea. The area was at one time swarming with drumen and gretch hordes, but between the Great Cleansing about eighty years ago, and Karsus Province currently sending regular expeditions into the Holds, the area is mostly quiet. There are uncountable tunnels, caves, caverns, and lairs beneath the Holds, and brave adventurers could find a lifetime of adventure in this small realm.
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The Valley
The Valley is the northernmost territory in the Crescent. The Devilhorns to the north and west (named for two, towering mountains in the range that appear to be large horns) form the crescent shape which the region is named for, and the Tyle River forms the rest of the border. The Tyle River, flowing from the eastern edge of the Devilhorns, eventually empties into a crystalline lake in the northwest of the region, known as Devileye Lake. Along the way, it passes by the Glimwood forest, the Jagged Hills, the Cliffs of Howling, the Raven Peaks, and the Drakenhaunt forest. While it is curving its way through the Raven Peaks, the river branches westwards, eventually splitting into a dozen smaller streams, and feeding the Fens, a moist, marshy land covered year-round in thick fog. Near where the Tyle begins, before it reaches the plains, it works its way through the Hills of Sorrow, a rocky land where a great battle was once fought, and the blood of that battle still stains the ground.
Wildlife abounds within the Crescent, with massive herds of bison, elk, and others roaming many of the rugged plains. Predators such as wolves, bears, and mountain lions are also prevalent throughout the lands, keeping the population of the more passive animals down by culling the weak from the herds.
Hunting is also a growing, popular sport in the realm, especially with Prince Durnharl frequenting Ordanth and sponsoring regular hunting events during the "official" hunting seasons. Those people caught hunting outside of the allowed season frequently find themselves being hunted, by either the shamans and wildlanders roaming and protecting the lands, or by the Greencoats. The hunting season is primarily limited to the late summer and fall months; the months of Midharvest, Goldgrass, and Leafall being the busiest. Depending upon the severity of the winter, sometimes a special season for a particular herd animal is designated in the spring. This practice insures that no animal group grows so large as to threaten the welfare of others.
Life and Society
The hardy people of the Valley have worked hard to rebuild their land after the drumen and gretch raids and subsequent Cleansing of 1711 BI, and then the following raids in 1744 BI. Although many are grim, and bitterly lament the loss of their former way of life, the worship of Anias gives them strength in the face of hardship and high hopes for the future. Champions of Anias (particularly from the Order of the Thorn) are a common sight, as are bishops of the same faith from the Monastery of Silver Rose near Devileye Lake.
Despite the travails of their recent history, people of the Valley are proud of their land, which is home to peacefully coexisting humans, trakloks, sul, myari, and in recent years, small numbers of sydhi. Their mines produce enough metals and gems to pay for needed repairs, and the sul and myari of Sherasua, beneath Silverstar Mountain, have recently found a Spirit Nexus, which they are using to their advantage, in the hopes of recreating some of the magical and mythical creations of their past.
Civilization
The lands of the Crescent have always been rather untamed, but ever since the Cleansing, more and more people have come to the area to settle or seek adventure. There are few places in the land for adventurers to rest their feet and buy supplies, but those that are available are usually friendly to strangers.
- Crestle (Small Town - 1,250)
- Crestle is nestled between the Raven Peaks and the curves of the Tyle River. It is famous in the Valley and Crescent for Ruth a'Quelle, daughter of Quelle, the famous candle maker. Ruth has taken up Quelle's business since her death, and has even surpassed her talented mother. Her candles are sold around the entire continent, and many merchants from Laon travel by sea to buy from her once a year.
- Haven (Small City - 9,450)
- The self-titled capital of the Crescent is Haven, a large city sitting on the Tyle River to the east. It is a very beautiful city, with polished granite walls and buildings, and several tall keeps and towers. Lord Dyson Ferel, a duke and cousin to the king of Riddesgaard, currently resides in the White Keep, and governs the city and the closer areas. His plans are to eventually rule the entire Crescent as a duchy of Riddesgaard, but many of the further cities don't seem too interested in accepting his lordship. The city itself houses many soldiers and warriors, both Gaardan and Tlek, and is also home to one of the largest temples to Anias in the known world. It is called the Crystal Spire, and is a tall tower, taller than any other in the land, and can be seen for miles and miles around. A famous traklok blacksmith, known simply as Justren, also lives in the city.
- Holdview (Large Town - 5,800)
- The southernmost community of the Crescent, Holdview sits atop several hills, overlooking the Tyle River and the Valley to the north, and the dangerous Holds to the south. A small garrison is located here, housing approximately four hundred soldiers at any time. Because the town has so many soldiers in it, and because it sits so close to a deadly land, it is an orderly community, with strict laws and curfews. There are multiple bars, taverns, and there is even a famous bordello, called The Sweet Lady. Ludd Falhorn is in charge of the garrison, and is known for his fair, but stern policies.
- Murryshur (Village - 600)
- This village on the edge of the Devileye has had several run-ins with sahaguin over the past dozen years. Because of this, a barracks has been set up, housing seventy-five soldiers at a time. The mayor of the town, George Murry IV, is a kindly man, but has been very sick of late, and the rumors are that he will not last the year. To the north of the village, just a scant few miles, is the Monastery of the Silver Rose. A group of templars, known as the Order of the Thorn, and a group of religious martial-artists and bishops, known as the Order of the Petal, reside at the monastery. In recent years, a sahaguin uprising caused massive devastation to the village, and if not for a small army from Karsus, the village would have probably been overrun.
- Nylen (Small Town - 2,350)
- Directly southwest of the spiln is Nylen, a town known to have many secrets. The past mayor was in cahoots with a drumen shaman, and was lynched for treason when the town found out. The new mayor is a quiet, small man named Lybern Shirley, who came from Gaardan many years ago. Few know of his past, but he is very handy with a blade, and is extremely knowledgeable of the world. Unknown to the townsfolk, is is also the leader and founder of a thieves' guild known as the Shadowhawks, which is gaining power and members every day.
- Ordanth (Small Town or Large Town, depending on the season - 2,000 - 6,000)
- What started as an outpost for Karsus Province to make regular raids into the Holds has turned into a bit of a boom town. Adventurers, craftsmen, hunters, miners, and all sorts of other people have made a life at this location. Further south than any of the other communities in the Valley, Ordanth sits at a man-made split in the Svartzalz River, slightly west of the Aufshellt. The outpost town is known for the Bear Lodge, a members-only hunting lodge started by Prince Darak Durnharl, who sponsors regular hunting events and festivals.
- Paln (Large Town - 5,200)
- Sitting at the mouth of the Tyle, where the river empties into the Devileye, is Paln, a large town with a violent past. The city is heavily fortified against sahaguin raids, and houses a rather large garrison of seven hundred soldiers. Rebor Wheldwind, a soldier and templar of Anias, was appointed mayor of the city by the people just a year ago. Since that time, he has rebuilt many destroyed walls, has refortified many weaker walls, and has built anew several stronger walls and guard towers. Other than occasional sahaguin raids, it is a relatively peaceful city, with good laws and good people.
- Shaelford (Village - 600)
- Shaelford was named after the shallow ford to the east of the village that crosses the Tyle. For a small village, it has a rather large, wooden wall. Certain fishes often get trapped at the ford, and Shaelford harvests them and trades them with other towns in the area.
- Timberfalls (Small Town - 1,200)
- Timberfalls is the only town in the Crescent not on water; it sits in the northern parts, between a small finger of protruding mountains from the 'Horns, and a large forest simply called "the woods" by the people of town. Much of the lumber used throughout the Valley is harvested in Timberfalls, since the woods are one of the only safe forested areas in the entire land. Where the woods run up against the Devilhorns to the north, there are multiple rumored caves and tunnels, and supposedly entire colonies of wolves live there, but only a few such caves been found.
- Tusai Viil (Small Village - 200)
- This tiny sydhi village, barely twenty years old, is the first sydhi establishment outside of Nalimoseo in several centuries.
- Wellnaught (Small Town - 3,250)
- Wellnaught is a large town on the edge of the Fens. Most other people in the Crescent think the 'Naughters, as they are called, are crazy to live so close to such a deadly land, but the 'Naughters disagree. To them, the strange elements of wood and soil that come from the land are too valuable to run from the monsters that roam the land. So, most people in Wellnaught are hardy warriors, and the entire town is bordered by four thick walls, with the space between walls being layered with spikes and traps. Once a week, groups of a hundred or more warriors travel into the Fens, with the company of a dozen or so "Collectors," who collect soil and wood in large buckets and bring back to town. The soil releases a strange gas that is flammable, and many people in the Crescent and Riddesgaard use this swamp gas to keep their homes warm during the harsh winters. The town is constantly bombarded by lone trolls and roving bands of lizardfolk, but there hasn't been a serious raid since the walls were established in 1681 BI.
- Whitefalls (Small Town - 1,050)
- Whitefalls is named for the white, shimmering waterfalls that begin the Tyle River. The town is settled around the river, with several of the smaller waterfalls occurring in the town. The largest of these falls, the Taesa Fall, is over a hundred feet tall, and forms a small pond at the bottom. The mayor is Richard Drake, a good man and lumberjack.
Sites of Interest
The Valley's few roads are generally impassable in the wintertime, but the Tyle River links the remote country with the "capital." In warm months, keel boats and barges ply the cold, swift waters, and in the winter, then river ice serves as a road for horse-drawn sleds and sledges.
- The Devilhorns
- This mountain range forms the northern and western borders of the Crescent. These perilous mountains are snow-covered almost year-round. Named for the two tallest mountains in the range, Easthorn and Westhorn, these mountains are rumored to be dotted with the ruins of ancient civilizations. They are stony and treeless, and serve as towering guardians from most of the world around them. There are several passes in the 'Horns that lead to Nalimoseo and Riddesgaard, including the infamous Glasstone Pass.
- Devileye Lake
- A cold, crystalline lake that begins where the Tyle River ends, the Devileye is a source of food, water, and resource for the Valley. Several villages sit on the edge, but with sahaguin living in the lake, they must constantly defend against attacks. Many people are picking up and moving inland.
- Glimwood Forest
- This web-shrouded forest lies on the eastern edge of the Valley. There are many secrets in the forest, but what is not a secret is the vast amount of spiders and arachnid-related creatures (such as aranea and ettercaps) making residence in the woods. It is an extremely dangerous part of the land.
- Jagged Hills
- The remnants of a once-powerful volcano, all that remains now are a half-dozen jagged, low mountains. No trees or plants grow on the Jagged Hills, and the mountainsides are pock-marked with fissures, caves, and caverns. Deep beneath, a massive underground lake is rumored to exist, but few adventurers have braved the leagues and leagues of caves and tunnels to find out the truth.
- Cliffs of Howling
- These cliffs stand to the east of where the Tyle River has cut through the land. The wind cutting over the tops of the cliffs give them their ominous name. Rumors have existed for many years that a mighty dragon resides on the cliffs, but there has never been any proof.
- Raven Peaks
- By some freak of nature, these tall mountains seem to defy gravity. Other than the 'Horns, these are the tallest mountains in the region, covered year-round in snow and ice. Flocks of ravens constantly circle the area, giving the mountains their name, and at the same time, generating rumors of dark entities that live there.
- Drakenhaunt Forest
- An ancient green wyrm died here, and a dark, forbidding forest grew around his carcass. Now, several centuries later, multiple young green dragons, as well as some scarier draconic creatures, have made their home in the thick woods.
- The Fens
- Where the Tyle branches away from its main course, the land dips dramatically into a huge swamplands. The 'Naughters often harvest swamp gases and Silvertip plants from this area, and must fend off the lurking dead beneath the waters, and the occasional living denizens that make their home in these wild lands.
The Holds
For thousands of years, clans of drumen and gretches lived in these mountainous, craggy lands. They raided Riddesgaard, Nalimoseo, and the Crescent countless times. Then, fifty years ago, the largest army of these foul creatures ever seen swarmed up from the Holds. At the Tyle River, an army of Gaardans, aiding the Crescent, met the hordes and broke their attack. Then, in what has become known as the Great Cleansing, they traveled south and wiped out every hold, clan, den, and lair they could find. They could not delve as deep into the endless tunnels as they hoped, but their scourging have weakened the monsters for centuries. Since that time, the Holds have been pretty quiet, but a few smaller clans have been spotted from time to time.
Of course, the Holds themselves have a rich history, because before even drumen and gretches lived there, the first traklok kingdom on Alsa Eru held those lands. Known as Kaerkondur, the kingdom flourished there for thousands of years, beside the sydhi of Nalimoseo. Their kingdom was utterly destroyed by the Sundering. After the trakloks left and settled elsewhere, the gretches and drumen entered the lands.
Sites of Interest
The Holds is a much smaller area than the Valley. Since the original traklok names of the mountains, rivers, and forests have been long lost, the Gaardans have named these locations in recent years. There are the small mountain clusters of Dragobache and Gheldsyn, and two rivers that are born in these mountains: the dark, murky Svartzalz River, which starts at the Dragobache cluster, and the even darker, murkier Dunkhul River. These two rivers merge near the border of Riddesgaard, and flow into the larger Kholdelyre.
- Aufstellt
- Where the dark Svartzalz River twists through the the Salzhugel, the Aufstellt stands. Once a towering, mountain outpost of the trakloks, these strange mountains were most recently the home to a drumen shaman. Rumors abound of treasures and spoils that lay inside, but few are brave enough to travel across the hills to reach the site.
- Infharnoshaed
- Where the star landed in the Sundering, a huge crater was formed, almost thirty miles across, and from the center, a lava-spewing volcano arose. The volcano was thought to be dormant, but just six years ago, in 1755 BI, rumblings were felt in Holdview and Shaelford which could hold ominous meanings. The volcano is called Infharnoshaed, which is the Gaardan term for “Towering Inferno.” For centuries, gretches made their aerie-like lairs on the volcano's side.
- Salzhugel
- The Salzhugel, or the Salt Hills, are east of the Drakenhaunt Forest. In these hills, the great hordes of drumen and gretches met the army of Riddesgaard, and were destroyed. The hills are craggy, and get their name from the white, salty deposits of the Svartzalz that covers most of the hills.
- Vhatkarnwud
- On the eastern edge of the Holds, in a small pass, a dark forest rests. Most of the trees are dead year-round, even the evergreens, and an eerie wind passes through the bare branches. The Vhatkarnwud was named by the Gaardans to mean,”Deadwood.”
