Hothwillow’s Wound

Posted on August 24, 2025 in Steel-Realms

Hothwillow’s Wound is a place in the Forest of Rhyl where the Orrish continue to attack from. It is somehow hidden from the druids and other gods, it is thought through some magic of The Deeping and the shamans of the Formorian Giants. The hills and mountains of The Giants Steps that run through the western edge of the Forest of Rhyl are thought to be home to it.

It is a continuing source of menace and fear, though it rarely Disgorges enough Orrish to necessitate an army. It has been sought many times, and never found.

It bears the name of the founder of Meargansdale Vale – Meargan Hothwillow, the High King’s Ranger who killed the Cloud Giant Krael Bolga in the nearby river’s headwaters.

Mushrooms of Rhyl

Posted on August 7, 2025 in Steel-Realms

One of the Notable Places and Geographical Features of the Grand Duchy of Rhyl are the Mushrooms of Rhyl. The many forests and moist environments as well as the Wylden quality have made it famous for its mushrooms.

Mushroom Sustenance: The myriad of mushrooms is a major source of protein and grown and harvested in both domesticated areas and protected wild ones.

The power of Rhyl’s natural bounty and Wylden many times creates faerie rings in the forest, and causes strange and powerful mushrooms to grow naturally in certain areas. The mystic effects of the rarer ‘blooms’ naturally draws strange and wondrous defenders. Whispers of strange mushrooms, like Fremlie Fold of elven origins, are rife throughout the north. Despite repeated attempts, the Criminal Presence in Rhyl has never been able to restrict access to or control the Mushrooms of Rhyl.

Pink Pantry Mushroom

Castigan’s Cap Mushroom

Bonnet Cap Mix

The forests have several minor anima fonts and powerful Laey Lines. Some of the mushrooms that grow in Rhyl are a direct result of this. These mushrooms are capable of being mixed into a solution that can be used as Spell Components to increase the potency of a spell. They must be mixed in a specific ratio, this mix is referred to as the “Bonnet Cap” of Rhyl.

Wyld Constraints: Repeated efforts to domesticate these by Quizmans Magisterium in Rhyl have failed. In fact, concerted attempts to organize harvesting in the wild have failed due to the influence of Wylden. Something about Rhyl’s strong attachment to the Laey prevents anything but individual foraging from evert turning up more than Dryad’s Fireknot.

• Dryad’s Fireknot: Constricts the throat, burns, useful for nothing for humanoids
• Weeping Faerie: Flavorful, tastes like garlic and onion
• Polyphore Bonnet: Large and highly nutritious

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• i20™
• iCore™

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Candy Cap Mushroom

The Candy Cap Mushroom Trade Pipeline: The Greykin Hill People have handled the Candy Cap Mushroom Harvest the Candy Cap Mushrooms of Rhyl. It is a sweet mushroom that only grows in their areas of The Bromarre Stretch with their techniques, and it makes the meat of the huge cave millipedes sweet from consuming it. They trade the millipedes with the The Kemethian Fisherfolk who in turn prepare and sell it to others in the Barony and county as a well known delicacy. Even more rare is the trade in the mushroom themselves – 100 grams goes for 100sc.

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Chronicle/Facts of The Mushrooms

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North Gate Garrison Locations and Areas

Posted on August 1, 2025 in Steel-Realms

North Gate Garrison Locations and Areas are many. It is a large area consisting of the length of the The Autumn Wall and everything on the west side of it. Territorially, the entire area is under the administration of The Grand Duchy of Rhyl in The Fortified city of Alstaad. The military presence is all managed by agents of the High King of the Steel Realms. It is not unusual to see some of Order of the Black Gorgon agents here. The Hoarblight is a terrifying death effect that targets places near and along The Autumn Wall and The Red March.

Most fortifications of the area have the Anvil of Mizras treatment.

The Red March

Posted on August 1, 2025 in Steel-Realms

The Red March is the pathway that leads through Grand Duchy of Rhyl to North Gate Garrison to fight the Lich Lords. A constant train of supplies and man power are coming and going. Martial law and necessary changes are obvious along The Red March and North Gate Garrison. All Must Serve Against the Undead – Those who take the Oath of the Day Watch and Rhylan the Living are part of a system in their region that determines who is sent to represent their home on The Autumn Wall.

Lich Lord’s Wrath: As one of the Encounters in the Grand Duchy of Rhyl here, the Lich Lord’s Anger Manifest attempt to summon the terrifying death effect of the Hoarblight along and near the The Autumn Wall and The Red March.

Many arches along The Red March and at many places in North Gate Garrison are equipped with the keystone of Aerna’s Rhylan Reveal to detect undead.

Travel upon The Red March is grim, and few speak in raised voices. Far from silent, there is a constant bustle of groups no less than 30 moving to and fro, of shifting equipment & the rumbling of carts and wagons, orders being shouted, and… the groans of the wounded on the return. A haunted look on those returning, and trepidation and bravado on those headed north. Merchants, soldiers, patrols, knights & hopefuls seeking entry to a martial order, volunteers, and pilgrims fill the road. The most devout pilgrims all wear color coded bright head bands for quick identification by priests in dire need of the power to which they have dedicated themselves to. On the outside edges are the legendary “Red Rails” – if you are lucky, their swift movement can be witnessed… though it is a harbinger of dire need or dire consequences – depending on the direction of travel.

Prevailing Weather in Rhyl: The Lich Lords send cold blasts of hoarwind and frost.

The only area the Merchant City trading interests step lightly in is the Grand Duchy of Rhyl – the stability of the flow of goods and soldiers along The Red March is paramount.

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

The Red Rail

The “Red Rail” is a set of rail lines that runs the entire length the marching road that leads to North Gate Garrison to supply the existential war against the Lich Lords. A set of rails leads to it, and one away – both connect at the ends of the march. The Automata Brigade of Virtue and Reason in Umbak built the original Red Rail system along The Red March using a form of Magitech/Technomancy.

In the intervening ages, damage done to the rail track has been repaired by skilled dwarven and human masons and smiths. The druids have bound elementals to the newer sleds on the rail, less efficient and stable than the Umbakian technology it was initially built with.

You are not sure what they are exactly, but paralleling the road is a set of large rails. You’ve seen rails for things to slide on, even short rails for transport between buildings or rooms, but these look like you could set a wagon on top of them. They are metal, embedded in stone slots and seem immovable. They appear to be well used, clear of all debris and corrosion on the top. You look into the distance. The rails follow the land, in as much a straight line as possible, rising with the elevation as they go north, and dropping south. There are signs in multiple languages warning of patrols, “constant watching from a distance”, and the danger of being ‘obstructive’ in any way.

CART

A cart races past you, making a strange whining sound as it goes. The cart is massive, with a metal base and sturdy wooden rails and frame sitting on top. You could easily fit 5 to 6 wagon loads on the platform. On the front is an odd small ‘cabin’ for lack of a better word, size enough for two to three humanoids. The platform seems balanced on something you cannot see, that seems to creak and shift slightly as it moves – reducing the worst of the rough ride as it moves.

Halfling Rail Riders: Halflings work the mechanisms in the cabin. Long ago, it was revealed that the sizes of the loads meant one or two humans could not do much in the event of repair or attention needed to the cargo or interior of the railwagon. It was more efficient to have 3-5 halflings as crew with full tools and equipment. Plus the speeds seemed to frighten them far less that other humanoids – to these “rail riders” it almost seems like a game.

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Chronicle/Facts of the Locale

Item Powers (common and Attuned) can be found under Common Knowledge tab.

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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.