Tag: adv-idea
The Glimmerglen
Posted on August 1, 2025 in Steel-Realms
The Glimmerglen is a legendary place where the power of nature is at its peak. About 40 miles into the great Forest of Rhyl, on the east edge of The Barony of Meargensdale Vale is a set of progressively higher hills running west to east known as The Giants Steps running about 4km. The Glen sits midway on the south side. It is about 1.5km long and half that wide. Vegas Deep was abandoned when activities here affected The Glimmerglen not far away. This location bears the Frost-Melded mark an ancient battle with the Dragon of Rhyl.
A stream coalesces into a series of beaver meadows and runs south to a small, tall falls that almost turns completely to mist before it hits the bottom. The sun seems to reflect ten times more than it should, creating a diffused, glittering effect.
The Har’ahdu Cunaigh – Aelpath of Helca twines through the Great Forest of Rhyl.
Hostile to Outsiders: Getting to The Glimmerglen is often fraught with accidents. The insects grow large and swarm, the birds harass climbers, game roams freely and is abundant (and sometimes huge), but there are no large predators. There are moments when phantasmal visions of strange beasts appear and fade out. In the winter, it snows an unusual amount on the nearby peaks and in the glen. It is inhospitable to humanoids,with a reputation of folk vanishing that were there moments before. Sightings of elves nearby have stoked many rumors, but they certainly do not live there – no permanent residence of any kind has ever been seen.
A Seat of Power: Long has it been whispered that a great spirit of the land lives there. Druids of the Wylde are known to seek it as a place of refuge – but only in the short term. The Rhylan Conjurors hold it as a sacred place and each make a pilgrimage to it at least once. The Great Spirit of Rhylande (spirit of Rhyl) manifests its presence here. It is sometimes referred to as “The Rhylan Tabernacle”. It is a place where The Rimbus were once strong and intersects with The Aelfpaths of Helca.
Chronicle 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.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
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.
Establishment of the Grand Duchy of Rhyl, fiefdom of the Kingdom of Gladnor > CY 6514
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
Enecio Peaks (Rhyl)
Posted on July 28, 2025
Enecio Peaks (also called the ‘dirty peaks’) drops in the south to Caolite Basin. The area is famous for the Storm Springs that seem to form instantly above the stretch of hills; These sometimes form bizarre weather formations and are even rumored to form small but violent Change Storms like the Valley of Sighs that are said to open portals to other realms. This location bears a few Frost-Melded that mark an ancient encounter with the Dragon of Rhyl. Vinewood Cut is a gap between the southern edge of the Vinewood Forest and north end of the Enecio Peaks. It is the primary east-west travel routes within the County of Dunaine and its neighbors to the west.
Peaks
Farthean’s Ridge
The west of the peaks is dominated by the ridge. Its is from this area that many red-tinged mineral streams flow west and south that give the ___ Barony its name.
Gaslard Bluff
Mount Coletonas
The Warden’s Larder (ruins)
Posted on July 28, 2025 in Steel-Realms
The Warden’s Larder is one of the Picket Keeps of the Heartlands. It was used several times to defend the lands of the Grand Duchy of Rhyl. It was torn to the ground in The Agony of Serpents by the undead horde. Its ruins are used now by the World Watchers on their patrols. The limits and stipulations for Historical Designation and Exploration in the Steel Realms are well documented.
Broken Entrance to the Underlands
The serpents that caused its destruction with their chaos magic also caused the collapse of the nearby Orrish entrance to the Underlands known as “Lom’s Catch”. It has been polluted, and every now and then scintillating streaks shoot into the air from its maw, the chaos magic still mixing with the terrible magic of The Deeping below.
Chronicle 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.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
The Monument of Broken Queens (ruins, Rhyl)
Posted on July 25, 2025 in Steel-Realms
The ancient city of Telaya – now called The Monument of Broken Queens – lies upon the Red March to the north, about half way to North Gate Garrison. It is a ruins now, its outer walls stripped to be used in fortifications and buildings elsewhere. Spurs were built around the city, reconnecting the main road of The Red March that used to run directly through the city. It was once the largest city (Population 40,000) of those settlements along the march, supplying the fortress of North Gate Garrison. Like many, it was a dangerous place with many attempts to infiltrate it and destroy it made by the Lich Lords. Inhabitants were paid the ‘Red Stipend’ to offset the danger. The limits and stipulations for Historical Designation and Exploration in the Steel Realms are well documented.
The Rhylan East High Road starts at the Eastern Gate of the capital city of Rhylan and goes east to connect up with The Red March at The Monument of Broken Queens.
Queensarc
The town of Queensarc is the arching road that goes around the west side of the ruins. It is a supply depot for the road itself and a resting point.
Chronicle 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.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
It is abandoned now, and the north-south road that once lead through it was diverted around it. Its remnants of the stone has been picked over and taken over the centuries for other settlements in the area. The crumbling remains of the Queens Tower (barracks and watch tower) yet survives, on the east side of the city amidst the crumbling ruins. On the west side is still the ruins of the Cathedral of Tenya – the broken massive stained glass window that once looked East just a gaping maw now. No one goes there but locals have been stealing stones from it for a thousand years.
The stones of the wall were actually torn down to prevent the creatures the Lich Lords summoned inside of it through the Hoarwind from using them for cover.
Dwarves built the spur roads around the ruined city that re-connected the main road of The Red March. They were built using the wall stones, pulled down and used as flagstones to support new supports for the Red Rail of The Red March.
Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty
There is also an Office for Reclamation of the Wyld projects outside the environs, mostly involving the Hoarblight that constantly strikes the ruins. There is still enough residual magic that the effect can be held at bay with powerful divine magic, but no reclamation has been able to be done within the boundary of the old outer wall of the city.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
It was notable that it was maned by a battalion of the Queensguard of the High Kings army. It ultimately shared the same fate as many of the settlements along the way, and was eventually assaulted, sacked and repeatedly undermined by hordes of undead sent by the Lich Lords. When it finally fell, The Queensguard of The High King’s army sacrificed themselves to allow the inhabitants to get away.
Houska Pass/Castle
Posted on July 25, 2025 in Steel-Realms
Houska Castle sits up on a outcrop in a high mountain valley in the high peaks of the Tolkisson Mountain Range, overlooking a high mountain Houska Pass only survivable as a crossing point by the living in one of the peak summer months. It is one of the more famous though inaccessible Notable Places and Geographical Features in Rhyl. The “Castle” is empty, and certainly seems to have not been designed in any traditional manner. It is one of the key places where a battle took place to stop the Lich Lords in their initial advance, stopped by the druids and forces of the Wylde and army of Rhyl. They used its hostility to the living to try and break through undetected. Several times it has been the site of clashes between the armies of the Lich Lords and Duke of Rhyl, proving to be a place of death and failure for living and undead alike. It is hostile to all, and now it is Just mostly ignored (although scouts for both sides keep sporadic watch to ensure the opposition does not use it either).
This place is a Safe Haven for members of the Rhylander Green Conjurists.
Primary Habitat:
Encounters
Only the World Watchers keep track of it now, and only infrequently – never being nearby for long. They are on good terms somehow with the omnivorous Houska Mountain Goats of the region.
- In the “winter months” (all but the three warmest), several weather and terrain effects will be experienced.
- Reflective Ice:
- Blinding Diffusion:
i20™ Houska Spirit Details
Push 5’ (random; no opportunity attacks), DC 16 Sanity vs. Frighten 5 rounds 1/short rest
If the defender is shoved into an attack, the attacker gets an opportunity attack; Otherwise defender gets +1 AC
iCore™ Houska Spirit Details
Pages on the web site lean towards i20™ text flavor, discrepancies will be noted in the iCore™ tab.
Houska From a Distance
Way up on a wide ledge that juts into the air from one of the peaks as an obvious constructed edifice. Whatever it is, some of its surface glints even in the sleet and clouds high up, thousands of feet. It must be easily a 80 meters long and roughly rectangular, with a height of about half that. You can swear that there might be some source of lights flickering on it in addition to the reflection.
Chronicle 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.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
It has many rumors surrounding it. It is said to be cursed, haunted, a pit to hell, and a home to all manner of cults… but it stands alone and crumbling, empty now and avoided by all – even the undead – for dozens of kilometers in every direction.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
The Order of the Black Gorgons is known to watch over what transpires at this locale.
There are many runes of Occulash inscribed (and flickering) over it – inside and out – part of the strange Defenses of Houska Castle. The defenses are often seen as the flashes of light and heat, explosions, and cracking of the ground.
Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty
The World watchers are believed to keep a small stock pile of Honeystone Pollen hidden for emergency defenses.
Deep in all Elven Wealds of Rhyl, the locations of Tell Cunetha & Houska Castle, and the Three Blades of Ceith Grebatain have a Call Stone as well for the Har Cunetha.
Houska Castle is a spirit tether. If a character dies within the active vicinity of the Spirit Tether, a spirit of the character becomes bound to the locale. It will linger in misery, making those of the living miserable unless they can find a way to sever the binding. While tethered, like most spiritus, they cannot affect the living much other than to make their frustration and anger manifest.
The Caverns Under Houska, while known to exist, are not known to be mapped or documented in any meaningful way either on their own or as accessed from Houska Castle. Those who have some out from them have hazy memories and a beguiled sense for direction and distance. It is thought that it is perhaps the effects of The Deeping of the Steel Realms – but nothing has been confirmed and no Orrish have ever been noted to emerge from them or use them to retreat to. The only persistent denizen noted here are the “ice spiders” or “crystal spiders” as they are sometimes known.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
The arch magus Morkoth was one of the primary magic to aid in drawing forth the structure of Houska Castle out of the stone.
Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty
It was recorded that, at least initially, the creation of Houska Castle included a Naga summoned by the priests of Ikribu.
Related Adventures Materials
Player Character Spirits: If a PC dies, they can try and help their friends.
Creatures in the area: Ghosts, Will-O-Wisps, Elementals