Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty

The plateau was given the name by the Umbakians before they were driven out of Dunstrand and the area of what would become Crestwold. The Dunstrandians never renamed it, like much of Crestwold’s territories. As far back as the records go, the plateau was said to be constantly covered in mist and fog of a dark gray coloring. Over the years, it literally vanishes from records – as if not there for hundreds of years as a time. In all references, it was said to be a haunted, dour place where not even travelers would make a temporary rest at in the day. No reasons are given for any of this, but it is recorded in various sources.

Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty

Over time, thousands of years, the covering mist grew smaller – but the sense of unease and fear stayed. The plateau is revealed sometimes to be covered in a small forest. Multiple streams and ponds were in the area, and although it seemed perfectly defensible, no one ever laid claim to it, because even the animals nearby seemed overtly hostile to explorers.

Eventually in CY 8947 the mist was sparse enough to reveal a ruined tower atop the plateau at times, and there seemingly exist more ruins as the mist grows smaller over time. The Plateau is said to have the appearance as if it were a god’s sand castle and it had taken a maul to it in places. The ends of its length both appear to be crumbling.

Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty

The Druids of Pranin Moorswood used an Anima Fount that was on the plateau to fuel the mist of warding for the area. They are recorded to have sought out knowledge in records of The Saelish of the ancient place. Recorded in ancient annals of the Crestwold Baronial library (and its copy in Mev of Bar-Innis) are early prohibitions from the Druids, and sanctions upon those seeking to settle it. An example of Dunstrandian settlers that vanished, only their livestock were found, was enough for its initial warning to be heeded. Notes recorded from the apprentice Magus name Uduro of House Malor centuries later writes that the Anima vein was corrupted or tainted by something, as he interpreted his mystical detection in secret (for years he performed them, making sure to carefully avoid the triggers of the ruins or the druids). He was attacked by some sort of fell flying owl-like creature his magics could not hold at bay or kill.

Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty

There was once a Ducateon settlement in the area, called Stone Mote Haven. At one point, the collapsed vale cliff face and rubble at its base was believed to be an abandoned Ducateon outholt. Most of the loose stones were used by the Bronzefolk to build on the plateau itself. References to this are only found in Brayfhayl cultural library in The Saelish.

Obscure Knowledge > Cross-referenced is a buried annotation of the settlement – that it was in both the plateau and cliff face of Yarans Vale facing it. Though it appears abandoned and collapsed – as the Ducateon normally do – there was evidence of some larger calamity. The Folk of Bronze felt an ancient hate, and there were angry spiritus of Ducateon they sensed and sought to avoid them and rekindling whatever spark had given them ‘life’.

• Dunlupian Research Only: Warning – Draconis enmity – The Shackles of Malice may be present?