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Blackwall Tower

Posted on July 6, 2026 in Steel-Realms

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Blackburrow (Rhyl) is one of the three towers of the Blackburrow region in the Southern Edgelands of the Forest of Rhyl. Each of the Blackburrow towers is slightly different but the same materials comprise the structures. Like all the towers and their structures, they are seamless, without entry or windows, and rise straight out of the earth. They have no crenelation but have an odd spiral peak. The forest has overgrown it all if anything stood nearby. The towers are about 7m diameter & 25m tall, and vegetation and trees grow right up next to them now. No one knows how deep they go, though several attempts to dig down have met more of the same material even at 5m below the surface. The inky black substance appears oily but is solid.

This particular construct is the central one of the three. A moss covered rocky 20m tall hill rises out of the forest. The tower is built into the rock 30m away from the rock. A wall-like structure 10m comes away from the crag starting at 3m tall and runs to the tower straight out – 20m tall same height. Everything is made of the same materials.

At a Distance:

Close Observation:


Chronicle/Facts of the Locale

Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability & Meticulous Record Keeping may improve usability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these. Specific Lores may increase the chance of knowing specific elements.

Trivial Outcome / Very Easy Difficulty & Pervasive Knowledge

Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore

For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.

There may once have been outbuildings and other structures, but they are gone now. If there were, they were likely of organic material and long rotted. If they were stone, the materials were probably used in far away building projects rather than cutting from quarries.

Rumors About the Locale
  1. The tower is cursed.
  2. The tower comes from the time of the Godswar.
  3. Strange lights can be seen on certain nights.
  4. Fumes cause those sleeping nearby to be poisoned.

Simple Outcome / Easy Difficulty & Common Knowledge

For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.

While the cold does not radiate from the ‘tower’, it does seem to provide some minor fire-retardant effect for the plants and trees growing with 10m of it. It takes about 2x or 3x the prolonged flame to catch them alight.

Property – Cold: The materials are cold to the touch. They do not do damage or radiate cold any further than direct contact.

Minor Outcome / Average Difficulty & Uncommon Knowledge

Property – Impervious: The stone towers seem impervious to all attempts to mar them – many have been made. Even siege weapons were brought up and launched against them to no avail.

Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty

Property – Dark: Any source of light does not reflect off the material it is made from. In addition, any light that is within 5m of it has its luminosity decreased by half. It does not reduce heat radiance from fire based light sources.

Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty

During the time of summer equinox, the tops of the tower flash with colored lights, though at the same time a fog covers the entire structure and masks most the effects from being seen.


Warning
Obscure/Hidden Knowledge is not generally available in known references; It is not necessarily Forbidden.
DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT unless a character has the capability to gain such knowledge [through association, organization, or relation] if they do not possess it themselves or the reader intends to participate in scenarios using this material as a PLAYER! GM Narration will typically provide relevant information by check or story.


Each tower goes 10m deep has its own cistern and spring under it.

There ARE in fact tunnels 30m under the earth that connect each tower. In each tunnel between towers and in the ‘hall’ is a chamber that is for concentrating a dampening field that pulls energy from the roots of the forest.

They are from an ancient age when the ancient elves that found their way via the Aelfpaths and Drunaad went to war. The elves began to turn the power of the forest against the goat-people. The towers were created by the Drunaad from entrophy to absorb the power of the forest that was being wielded against them.

Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic

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Blackburrow (Rhyl)

Posted on July 6, 2026 in Steel-Realms

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Blackburrow is an area defined by three ancient and abandoned black towers in the Southern Edgelands of the Forest of Rhyl within the Grand Duchy of Rhyl. Blackburrow gets its name from the rumors that there are ancient tunnels that connect the towers deep underground. There is nothing that reveals this notion to be true – no entrances can be found or are currently marked on any map. There have been several attempts to dig and burrow into the earth to find any sub structures or tunnels, but to no avail. These rumors persist because it would make sense if they were defensive works. The towers are separated by about 1km to the east from the center and near the frost meld Icen Churnidz, and 2km to the west.

Rhyl Culture | Territories & Fiefs | Features | North Gate Garrison | Map

Defining Ideal: The Grand Duchy of Rhyl has been "The Shield of the North" in the wars of The Noble East vs. The Broken Lands for thousands of years as well as stradling the crossroads of many powers and maintaining a tense peace. The Chronicle of Rhyl shows it first as many fiefdoms of 'The Lands of Rhylan' (CY 5500's), then a united kingdom (CY 5980), then as a duchy of the High Kings' kingdom of Gladnor (CY 6514). Citizenship in The Grand Duchy of Rhyl requires both pledges of Rylan the Living + Oath of the Day Watch.

Culture: Rhylian ( 'rill', 'rillian') locales have locally flavored experiences, but unless noted, follow general Territories and Fiefdoms properties and all have shared culture - languages used, Character Experience, institutions, Law, etc; Most Settlements includes the basic experience of Characters of the Steel Realms.

Encounters & Dangers in the Area

See Encounters in the Grand Duchy of Rhyl for common potential scenarios of notable events and creatures. There is a very remote chance some new expedition of treasure seekers or archeologists will be once again trying to find the rumored tunnels to dig an entrance into the base of or some sub structure of the towers in the area.

The Black Towers of Blackburrow

Each of the Blackburrow towers is slightly different but the same materials comprise the structures.


Chronicle/Facts of the Locale

Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability & Meticulous Record Keeping may improve usability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these. Specific Lores may increase the chance of knowing specific elements.

Trivial Outcome / Very Easy Difficulty & Pervasive Knowledge

Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore

For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.

Rumors About the Locale

Simple Outcome / Easy Difficulty & Common Knowledge

For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.

Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty


Warning
Obscure/Hidden Knowledge is not generally available in known references; It is not necessarily Forbidden.
DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT unless a character has the capability to gain such knowledge [through association, organization, or relation] if they do not possess it themselves or the reader intends to participate in scenarios using this material as a PLAYER! GM Narration will typically provide relevant information by check or story.


Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic

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Ablocris Pasturelands (Rhyl)

Posted on July 4, 2026 in Steel-Realms

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The Ablocris Pasturelands is an original land grant that went with the Ablocris Ranch Farm Steading and the Monastery of Ablocris. It is SE of the Ablocris Ranch Farm Steading, contains about 170 acres of land. The pasturelands are rolling pastures with low spots filling with water. Callums Stream runs north of them, cutting west but losing some of the “hard” water that mixed from Offham Creek down into the pasturelands.

Currently it is being used by the Hoofclod Farm.

HISTORY: The Shared Settlement of Umbakian Territory of the Monastery Lands

Encounters & Dangers in the Area

See Encounters in the Grand Duchy of Rhyl for common potential scenarios of notable events and creatures.

  • Normal Settlement Encounters are not present – it is in ruins and abandoned. Because of its Umbakian origins and reputation of strange happenings, the locals, travelers, and near everyone avoids it – even for casual cover from bandits or the weather. At night, those camped will experience the Hares Dream.
    > Patrols (none; even these stay away)| Recruiting | Sellers | Begging | Crime, etc.
Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic

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Intmen’s Corner (Albocris; Rhyl)

Posted on July 4, 2026 in Steel-Realms

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Intmen’s Corner is a piece of Aeter’s Rise that the Monastery of Ablocris was built on in the Ablocris Edgelands of Rhyl.

Old Worker Ruins

There are several bases of what were once barracks and support buildings for the construction of the monastery that could be found. Now must are buried and completely obscured – most on purpose as they served their purpose and materials re-used if they could be.

Searching for Trinkets & Treasure: The area was looted and over the decades by treasure hunters, travelers, bandits, and scholars have likely taken anything of value. Relief carvings, a few shards of broken pottery and glass are all that remains. It would take a large portion of time and effort to sift through the rubble for any remainders.

Encounters & Dangers in the Area

See Encounters in the Grand Duchy of Rhyl for common potential scenarios of notable events and creatures.

  • Normal Settlement Encounters are not present – it is in ruins and abandoned. Because of its Umbakian origins and reputation of strange happenings, the locals, travelers, and near everyone avoids it – even for casual cover from bandits or the weather. At night, those camped will experience the Hares Dream.
    > Patrols (none; even these stay away)| Recruiting | Sellers | Begging | Crime, etc.
Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic

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Kellring and Sons Whitegrass Farm (Rhyl)

Posted on July 4, 2026 in Steel-Realms

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Kellring and Sons Whitegrass Farm is a small family farm with a few outbuildings that helps to supply the logging camp. It has about 20 inhabitants and 3 plots.

This remote settlement was never chartered as part of the Albocris grant for the Monastery of Ablocris or its supporting lands on the loop road. These days, it is considered part of the Ablocris Edgelands of Rhyl – but under a separate class of ‘Peripheral Settlements of the Albocris Edgelands‘.


Chronicle/Facts of the Locale

Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability & Meticulous Record Keeping may improve usability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these. Specific Lores may increase the chance of knowing specific elements.

Trivial Outcome / Very Easy Difficulty & Pervasive Knowledge

Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore

For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.

Rumors About the Locale
Rhyl Formative Events

See the Herald's Quarterly for world updates.

Rhyl Formative Events

CY 7007 The area of North Gate Garrison freed & The Red March created; Money, supplies, armaments, and manpower flow into the north to fight the Lich Lords.

CY 6514 The Grand Duchy of Rhyl is created by the High King. In exchange for the resources and organization that can be brought to bear against the now organized undead armies, the lands become part of the High King's domain.

CY 6909 The Fall of the Grand Barony of Altair from a curse by the Lich Lords. The main passage of troops and supplies from the hinterlands and nfar north to the The Grand Duchy of Rhyl is sacked by an undead army led by a ghoul king.

CY 5980 The Kingdoms of old Rhylan united settled as a single Kingdom of Rhyl to fight the Lich Lords drive south. After centuries of warfare between territories and races, the common cause of the threat to the north secures a lasting peace.
> For 3000 years, the Kingdoms of old Rhylan was the primary form of Rulership in the territory of the current Grand Duchy.

CY 5580 Fall of Dundaria in the North - Frostfang spreads, the Lich Lord power rises. Hordes of the undead, fortunately disorganized (at first), sweep south and west from the heart of old Dundaria.

CY 2330's Fall of East / Rise of the Dark Lands (Orrishai Abandoned); Refugees flee - some cross the Tolkisson Mountain Range into the 'Lands of Rhylan' that would become the Kingdoms of old Rhylan and finally.

CY 1000 (Approximately) The Dragon of Rhyl is killed and its influence ends in the area around the Great Forest of Rhyl and the surrounding territories.


Simple Outcome / Easy Difficulty & Common Knowledge

For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.

Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty


Warning
Obscure/Hidden Knowledge is not generally available in known references; It is not necessarily Forbidden.
DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT unless a character has the capability to gain such knowledge [through association, organization, or relation] if they do not possess it themselves or the reader intends to participate in scenarios using this material as a PLAYER! GM Narration will typically provide relevant information by check or story.


Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic

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