Tag: undead-hunter
Stoneforge Valley of Rhyl
Posted on August 29, 2025 in Steel-Realms
Stoneforge Valley is home to the legendary Stonebreaker Company in Spring County of the Grand Duchy of Rhyl. The valley is located in the north of the county, east of the Gaur-Dinuae Forest of the elves, on the edge of the lands comprising North Gate Garrison. The legacy of the retreating giants leaves few who would do anything to this small enclave of their descendants in Stoneforge Valley. None have really had any issue though, even given that. These folk mostly keep to themselves.
Limited Access: Getting to the valley is difficult, their is a path/road that leads upwards, to The Brothers’ Doors.
Rulership: Hetman (the place has little real hierarchical leadership, they all seem to get along well in a homogeneous community)
Population: 3000 (though there is no official census provided); Looking at the population, you can definitely tell there is giant blood (Goliath (Half Colossi/Giant-Spawn)) still running deep in their veins. Tall, light gray with sometimes strange almost Rock formation patterns on their skin. These folk normally live twice the lifespan of a normal human.
Characters: For sure there are more of their kind seeking other adventure outside the The Grand Duchy of Rhyl – their amicability and size giving them an edge over others.
In Service to the Realms Levy
Every year they provide a freebooter band to the forces of North Gate Garrison for only a single year of service as part of the Realms Levy; Those that survive consider it a badge of honor, and they go on to form their own bands or pass on knowledge gained to others soldiers, watchmen, or scouts before joining their ranks or leaving the enclave in search of adventure. Their crafting of the famous Stone Forged Weapons is also considered a contribution from their people in service to the levy.
This locale trains characters in the practice of the Rhylian Undead Hunters.
Legacy of Giant-Kin Relations
It is said they still trade with the giants of Skyhollow (giant-home) in The Sky Stair Peaks to the north. Their crafters make finely made goods that their large hands of giants find difficult. Food, drink, stories & news, and finely made goods on request are traded each year in the spring at a specific place in the giant’s lands to the north. A few have tried to follow or impersonate their representatives over the years, and are never heard of again. The inhabitants of Stoneforge Valley guard the specific knowledge of their interactions from outsiders – though it is well known they interact and trade with them. The DDuke lets them be for now – they serve at North Gate Garrison in their own way fairly, and their interactions with their giant-kin do not bring harm upon others… thus far. The World Watchers are known to keep a distant eye upon such things, but do not attempt to interfere or uncover routes or track and exchanges – the peace is tenuous but works for all.
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 > Patrols | Recruiting | Sellers | Begging | Crime
Chronicle of the Locale/People
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.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
CY – Original founding of the community.
Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty
Giant-Kin of the Stoneforge Valley of Rhyl Origins: Only the Giants of Intellect and Stone have mated with humanoids outside of the south. In the past, in the Chronicle of the Giants – The Walk North, their number dwindled as they were the self-appointed guardians of giant clans, and many of their number were killed in rearguard actions. As they walked north, it was seen as a threat by many, as they often depopulated swathes of herd and domestic animals and plants in their haste. As they came to the north, just beyond The Giants Steps, they met in battle with a clan of Wyldlings. This time the stone giants were in the vanguard, and managed to parley with them, and the Wyldings saw the situation for what it was, and allied with them to escort them.
The stone giants cemented this alliance in a bond of fertility with dozens of the giant women stayed and gave birth, infusing the Wylding bloodlines with earth power and generations of giant-kin. This caused a splintering of culture and suspicion with other Wyldings over time as the bloodline produced more massive half giant-kin. Eventually they were forced to leave The Wyldes of the Heartlands and they found a safe place east in a mountain home of Stoneforge Valley to the northeast, in more ‘civilized’ lands.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
Around CY 3980 – 4228 there is a ‘great walk along the The Giants Steps of many types of giants going north into the great mountains ranges or the Freelands; The refuge of the The Sky Stair Peaks was a place of safety and prosperity for them momentarily.
Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty
The goliaths have tales of fighting side by side with the Bloodless Herd of Havaelinn Wild Heart that are unknown to outsiders; A group of locals led by some of the Stonebreaker Company fighting on the Autumn Wall in CY 8851 thought to sacrifice themselves tto kill as many retreating undead from a failed Lich Lord offensive when they spied the herd and gave of their own blood to make them flesh. They descended upon the retreating remnants and slaughtered them. Most lived, and it bought a month of respite on the wall. Since then, the ghostly elk have provided warnings to the folk of the valley.
It was also revealed that peak night of the new moon of the slaughter that the Goliath blood became undetectable to the Lich Lord’s minions.
City of Fortun (Rhyl)
Posted on July 29, 2025 in Steel-Realms
The City of Fortun is a large (capital) city Settlement in the Barony of Cunee. The walled city is dominated by 2 tall, wide towers on the NW and SW corners – small keeps unto themselves. The wall is obviously something that came later, as a great deal of the city is actually outside of it, spreading out on the west side. The road going directly north leads to the Cunee Abbey about 3 miles away.
This locale has a Chapter House of the Narcosan Order of Necromancers in Saltmarch.
Occult/Magi Services: General Occult Services is provided here mostly by Quizmans Magusterum in Rhyl. The other Orders of Magi generally focus their efforts on supplying and defending The Red March and North Gate Garrison against the forces of The Lich Lords.
Locations of Quizmans Within Rhyl
Initial Description:
Heraldry/Symbol:
Greater Sovereignty: Grand Duchy of Rhyl
Type: (see Settlement Planning and Design in The Realms)
Governance: “{title}” (see Titles and Honors of The Realms)
Population: / Transient:
Demographics:
Laws and Protocols of Note: + standard Laws and Codes of the Realms
Groups/Factions:
Primary Hospitality/Accommodations:
- Visitors Quarters > Housing (long or short)/Entertainment (arts & crafts, intimacy)
Commerce: (see Trade Organizations/Institutions of the Realms)
Institutions: (see institutions of The Realms)
- This location as a Autumnleaf Ale Houses.
- > Primary Services Secondary Services
- > Primary Services Secondary Services
Beastwood Presence: This location has the presence of a typical Rhylian Beastwood. This locale trains characters (elves) in the practice of the Rhylian Undead Hunters.
Founding: {approximate year/age and culture of origin}
Primary Surrounding Habitat and Weather:
Roads, Streets, & Thoroughfares:
- Waste: Runs/Bins > Collection | Minor Sewers or Major Sewers
Defenses: {defensive works, fortifications, garrisons, holdouts}
- Police/Watch: | Officers:
- Constables & Detectives:
- Elite Tactical Forces: | Officers:
- Militia/Volunteers: | Officers: > War Time Only?
- Military:
This Locale has a Office of the Herald representing the local Lord/Lady; Rhylan heralds all follow the Heraldic Boreal Tradition.
- Heraldsmein:
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 > Patrols | Recruiting | Sellers | Begging | Crime
Chronicle of the Locale
Historical Chronicle Information
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.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
The Transit of Western Fire is a once-a-century symbolic journey to ‘re-light the rising sun in the east’. It travels from Merkaine’s Shrine of Shieldfire in the west, east to the start of The Red March, to the end of it, then through City of Fortun, up The White Stairs to Burning Crop. There a beacon fire is lit.
Hurda Cheq (dwarven town/mine, Rhyl)
Posted on July 29, 2025 in Steel-Realms
The dwarven Settlement of Hurda Cheq on Sun Stone Top is both home and a working mine of the same name. There are small high valley fields with wild grains and mountain flowers planted and raised by the elves to be hardier (they bring fresh seeds every decade or so), in exchange for stone work done by the dwarves. The dwarves have found springs and created a series of cisterns and gates to keep the fields watered with even temperature water even in the coldest months. The town is not large, and almost everyone works in the mine industry.
The War Torches of Sun Stone Top are made by the dwarves in the enclave of Sun Stone Top (in Hurda Cheq) in the The Grand Duchy of Rhyl.
This locale trains characters in the practice of the Rhylian Undead Hunters.
The primary mining done nearby is iron, coal, and unique to the area high mountain sapphires. They employ and trade with the hill folk of Flat Peak Ridge.
This town represents the northern boundary of the dwarven Sun Stone Top enclave.
Initial Description:
This is…
Greater Sovereignty: {part of larger territory?}
Type: {type} (see Settlement Planning and Design in The Realms)
Governance: {model} (see Titles and Honors of The Realms)
Population: {total perm} / Transient:
Demographics:
Groups/Factions:
Primary Hospitality/Accommodations:
- {place} > Housing (long or short)/Entertainment (type)
Commerce: {commerce} (see Trade Organizations/Institutions of the Realms)
Barents Burning Harvest Trade Pipeline: Barents Burning Harvest is done by dwarves of Hurda Cheq & Mrallin Cheq on Sun Stone Top. They are sold in both places, though in alternating years.
Institutions: (see institutions of The Realms)
- {inst-name} > Primary Services Secondary Services
Founding: {approximate year/age and culture of origin}
Primary Surrounding Habitat and Weather:
Roads, Streets, & Thoroughfares:
- Waste: Runs/Bins > Collection | Minor Sewers or Major Sewers
Defenses: {defensive works, fortifications, garrisons, holdouts}
- Police/Watch: | Officers:
- Constables & Detectives:
- Elite Tactical Forces: | Officers:
- Militia/Volunteers: | Officers: > War Time Only?
- Military:
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 > Patrols | Recruiting | Sellers | Begging | Crime
Orb Lake (Ilbarsia)
Posted on July 14, 2025
Orb Lake is the massive high mountain lake located in the Ilbarsia chain of the Tolkisson Mountain Range. It is the heart and sacred place of the Ilbarsi Hill People.
This locale trains characters (Ilbarsi Tribesfolk) in the practice of the Rhylian Undead Hunters.
City of Sheffet (capital of Kopriane; Rhyl)
Posted on May 28, 2025 in Steel-Realms
Sheffet is the Settlement capital of the Barony of Kopriane in the County of Dunaine. Sheffet is a compact city that is constantly bustling, located on primary roads and trade routes with several goods coming from mines and camps and goods being brought to its central “Colban Market” – known locally for its ‘frost pickles’, winter rye, yellow wool wide sashes, and the outfitter camp, ‘Camp Topaz’ which handles some mining supplies and tourism for hikes. The people of Sheffet are hardy and accept outsides more than most nearby – because of their position as a trade hub. Sometimes, rarely, elves or dwarves are seen in town, though it is mostly human and a large extended family of halflings that moved from the Barony of Elik-Sa a couple hundred years ago.
Initial Description:
This is…
Greater Sovereignty: {part of larger territory?}
Type: {type} (see Settlement Planning and Design in The Realms)
Governance: {model} (see Titles and Honors of The Realms)
Population: {total perm} / Transient:
Demographics:
Groups/Factions:
Primary Hospitality/Accommodations:
- {place} > Housing (long or short)/Entertainment (type)
Commerce: {commerce} (see Trade Organizations/Institutions of the Realms)
Institutions: (see institutions of The Realms)
- This locale has a Chapter House of the Narcosan Order of Necromancers in Saltmarch.
This locale trains characters in the practice of the Rhylian Undead Hunters.
- This location as a Autumnleaf Ale Houses.
- {inst-name} > Primary Services Secondary Services
Beastwood Presence: This location has the presence of a typical Rhylian Beastwood.
Founding: {approximate year/age and culture of origin}
Primary Surrounding Habitat and Weather:
Roads, Streets, & Thoroughfares:
- Waste: Runs/Bins > Collection | Minor Sewers or Major Sewers
Defenses: {defensive works, fortifications, garrisons, holdouts}
- Police/Watch: | Officers:
- Constables & Detectives:
- Elite Tactical Forces: | Officers:
- Militia/Volunteers: | Officers: > War Time Only?
- Military:
This Locale has a Office of the Herald representing the local Lord/Lady; Rhylan heralds all follow the Heraldic Boreal Tradition.
- Heraldsmein:
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 > Patrols | Recruiting | Sellers | Begging | Crime
Known For: It supplies The Hornguard of Rhyl. There is also an Office for Reclamation of the Wyld projects here, mostly involving the Hoarblight.
Rulership: Mayor Sira honorable Claude Tovil (family granted mayoral control for 100 years in CY 9130 for heroic deeds).
- It is the seat of the Baronial Family power – Morglayne Baronial Family
Faith Services: The following faiths are represented by at least a Shrine and some clergy offering succor to followers in this location:
- Cults, Orders and Sects of Gaia (The Green Mother)
- Cults, Orders and Sects of Germaena (Lady of Earth)
Occult/Magi Services: General Occult Services is provided here mostly by Quizmans Magusterum in Rhyl. The other Orders of Magi generally focus their efforts on supplying and defending The Red March and North Gate Garrison against the forces of The Lich Lords.
Locations of Quizmans Within 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.
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.
Rhyl General Events
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 The Grand Duchy of Rhyl.
CY 5580 Fall of Dundaria in the North – Frostfang spreads, the Lich Lord power rises. Horses of the undead, fortunately disorganized (at first), sweep south and west from the heart of old Dundaria.
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.
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 7007 The area of North Gate Garrison freed & The Red March created; Money, supplies, and manpower flow into the north to fight the Lich Lords.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.