Tag: loc-rhyl
Town of Baskus (ruins in Rhyl)
Posted on June 10, 2026 in Steel-Realms
The Town of Baskus was once on route north, near the Enecio Peaks. It had originally been a supply depot long before The Red March, with caverns cut down into the limestone that could hold thousands of people and supplies for them. It had ancient trace evidence that the Dragon of Rhyl had attacked it and/or used it – it may have been a safe haven for its attacks.
It had a small population of about 850, with a few mining camps (a couple hundred at each of the three camps) to the east digging coal, tin, and some panning for trace amounts of gold from the few streams coming from the hills. It was originally thought it could be included along The Red March.
The Rails of The Red March
Posted on May 27, 2026 in Steel-Realms
The Rails of The Red March cross the Bronzed-Edge Tableland carrying traffic and supplies for The Red March to supply The Autumn Wall. 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 Red March.
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.
Cultural Overview & References for the Grand Duchy of Rhyl
Maintenance: 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.
Governance Martial law and necessary changes are obvious along the track of The Red March all the way to North Gate Garrison.
Transport Carts/Railwagons of The Red Rails
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.
Chronicle/Facts of the Rails
Item Powers (common and Attuned) can be found under Common Knowledge tab.
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.
Food and warriors are the most important cargoes.
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.
Antithetical to Magic: While there is no formal declaration, there have been incidents that hint at and rumors that speak to the magic or effect that powers the rails interfere, suppress, or even drain other magic items. Transportation of mystical items is recommended to take some other means of travel. Such travels usually avoid the Bronzed-Edge Tableland all together – opting for secure main roads on both sides going north-south.
Minor Outcome / Average Difficulty & Uncommon Knowledge
Magic Suppression of the Carts: In fact it is not the rails, but the carts, that are designed to drain mystical power of items carried in them.
Origins: 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.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
The original Umbakian rails were made with the Virtue Forges, and the Virtuous Precision of Umbakian Processes.
The Tower of Voices – Silverstone Tower (Rhyl)
Posted on May 15, 2026 in Steel-Realms
Within the prison of Silverstone Tower there is the Tower of Voices. This is a squat 3 story tower with many small chambers, all well insulated and isolated from each other containing scholars hard at work recording the ‘voices’ heard in the prison. The tower is not the tallest within the prison’s compound, but it is the brightest – painted a burnt orange and white, it is unmistakable and a beacon to those who sometimes get lost in the voices swirling about the prison. Most of the history of the Tower of Voices is part of the History of Silverstone Tower, though some Notable Events are unique to its own records.
Within the tower are the primary scribes that collect the ‘voices’ – a strange byproduct of the prison. These are the dreams & whispers that travel throughout the prison, echoes of thoughts in a multitude of languages. Then these messages are transcribed in the tower into multiple languages and sent to various scholars for study and interpretation.
Workers learn which corridors are safe, and which servants to avoid, and which can be spoken to & in without the risk of madness.
Letters Corps: In exchange for an education, many minor nobles and 2nd and 3rd born offspring are sent here to serve time as copiers, runners, and messengers for the scholars in the Tower of Voices. Those who leave after their 3 year time in service most often look 10 years older than they actually are. Those who survive the ordeal often never speak of it. Some even forget it entirely… because they need to.
Half Breed Scholars: These enigmatic sounds are recorded by scholars in the ‘Tomes of Rhylian Whispers’. Halflings of the Steel Realms and Half-Elves of the Steel Realms make the best scholars to record these whisperings in the Tower of Voices of Silverstone Tower for some reason. Perhaps the normal calm demeanor of the halflings and the particular anger inherent in the biology of the half-elves has something to do with their resistance.
The Ducal Navy of Rhyl
Posted on May 12, 2026 in Steel-Realms
The Ducal Navy of Rhyl is the navy and marines of the Grand Duchy of Rhyl. While not at time of war directly, it is a resource for the Ducal power of the region. When necessary, the High King and his naval commanders can supersede the Ducal authority and command the ships as needed. The naval ship building yards are primarily located in the Solavia’s Landing and the overflow, backup and ship building facilities at the City of Alacaster. The Ducal Navy of Rhyl take great pride in their dragon prowed ships and how integrated they are.
The Ducal Navy of Rhyl take great pride in their dragon prowed ships and how integrated they are. Of all the powers on the lake, they are the one those in trouble are most grateful to see. The Port City of Alacaster is a smaller backup port for the navy. The ship building facilities are located at Arbenants Port.
Rhylian Navy Civilian Function: The city of Solavia’s Landing is the home of the several military ships that Rhyl has for civilian assistance only operations. Of all the powers on the lake, they are the one those in trouble are most grateful to see.
Naval Ships
As of CY 9182, the navy is comprised of:
- War Sloops: 9
- First Rate: 4
- Second Rate: 3
- Third Rate: 2
- Frigates: 8
- First Rate: 6
- Second Rate: 2
- Third Rate:
- Auxiliary/Support: 13
- First Rate: 3
- Second Rate: 10
- Third Rate:
- Ships of the Line: 2
- First Rate:
- Second Rate: 2
- Third Rate:
History of Solvia’s Landing
Posted on May 12, 2026
The history of for _ within the Grand Duchy of Rhyl.
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.