Gwaldur
The region represents the deep South with its many impenetrable forests, bays, coves and islands. Known for the presence of mines and ancient fortresses, ruined cities and extraordinary landscapes, Gwaldur has earned himself the title of "Jewel of the South".
Government
A feudal empire with hereditary government. The principalities are poorly governed by monarchs whose powers are limited by written agreements with the major nobles. They respond to the deliberations of the Supreme Emperor. The correct title with which to address the sovereign is "His Transcending Imperial Majesty, Supreme Emperor Hakkan III, Herald of Light". Although it is a bored human too busy to maintain its royal status and threatened from all sides by independentist conspiracies, it is considered a great strategist and diplomat. Famous for suffering from numerous paranoia, it is constantly followed by an elite of experts in every field of knowledge. The Council tends to follow the sovereign's whims, knowing that the whole region of Gwaldur is united only by its political ability.
War
The armies are known as the "Black Hand", a militia made up of very well trained soldiers usually headed by a General. They respond to the direct will of Emperor Hakkan III, who in times of peace uses them as city guards and border patrols. Anyone can enroll in the Black Hand army and earn a living, or climb the ranks of society: many local rulers are former commanders awarded with a fief for many years of service to the region.
Population
The people of Gwaldur are known for having given birth to some of the most intrepid known explorers and rangers. Its forests are only as large as those of the nearby island of Inkari and it is not uncommon to find alchemy experts even among the non-experimental population. While in the hinterland they earn their living as woodcutters or carpenters, in the north of Deeplake merchants take advantage of the South Road to offer their goods to travelers passing through. The region is also known for the high charisma and beauty of its women, who are able to enchant a man with one glance.
Religion
Emperor Hakkan III is generally tolerant of all types of worship, provided that they comply with the laws and conventions dictated by the empire.
Capitals
Kaphnur
The capital of Gwaldur has always attracted visitors fascinated by the changing properties of the fire element. The entire area has been built on a river of solidified lava over the centuries, which has formed a surreal valley with blackish soil. The nearby mountains constantly produce new streams of magma that flow into the ocean. In the city there are numerous structures created using glass and brick, fused using a variety of grey-white sand generated by the geological encounter between volcanoes and ocean waters. The evident contrast between white buildings and black soil creates an almost alien landscape that fascinates anyone who sets foot in the city for the first time.
History
26 CE Construction of the first outpost by an exploratory expedition of the Council. The sand produced here is very rare, allowing you to create a highly resistant and semi invisible magic glass.
240 CE First Great Destruction. The city is overwhelmed by a magma river from nearby springs, the disaster is rapid and inevitable.
1901 CE The river of lava soon solidifies, forming the ground on which the first city will be founded, erected on the remains of the previous one. Lava stone and obsidian is used for the structures.
2101 CE Second Great Destruction: A deep abyss swallows the city centre, and everything is destroyed in the surrounding area. The buildings are reconstructed again this time using magic glass created using the nearby sand. All the grounds of Old Town become an open-air dungeon before being patrolled and safely placed by the Red Brotherhood.
Districts
The Mouth
It is the area formed by the final part of the lava river. In this area, the soil is sterile and unstable: it forms a large cascade of fine black sand that descends down to the ocean. It constitutes an "active" zone of the town caldera and is under close observation by some councilors of the Emperor.
Blacktower District
So called because of the black chimneys and geyser mouths on the west side, in Blacktower you can find commercial activities and temples of the gods, as well as alchemy emporiums, blacksmiths, forges and stone workers. The district is located on top of a large solidified heap of volcanic rock and many people think that it may be the safest area of the city.
Gleaming Caves
The sand in this area makes it possible to forge crystal clear glass, very resistant, easy to handle and almost invisible. A large part of the sea trade is concentrated in this district and each house has a shop on the ground floor. The name comes from the light show created by the refraction of the sand on the walls of the coastal caves.
Points of interest
Transcendent Palance
It is the seat of the Emperor, a floating palace, with many floors and rooms. Protected from fields of energy and areas of dead magic, the place reflects the paranoid personality of the owner, who from here controls all the affairs of the region. The people are never admitted to the palace except on special occasions or under constraint. Few old wizard claims that the palace is actually trapped between the Material Plane and the Shadow Plane.
The Old City
The ancient northern part of the city is now an arid and hot expanse of blackish houses and melted stones. For years many adventurers have made their way through its ruins to find some valuable objects, and now the plain is devastated by excavations, boxes and rough pile dwellings on lava lakes. The destruction was caused by a powerful spell that opened a portal on the Elemental Vortex during the first reconstruction of the city in 2101 CE.
Mirror Halls
An ancient labyrinth of mirrors with unknown purposes, probably belonging to a secret organization or to a cult that has now disappeared. The mirrors were created by merging the strange fine sand formed by the encounter between magma and the ocean of this area. Although today it is considered an attraction for tourists, many people think that the dungeon hides, somewhere, a great mystery.
The Black Hand Monastery
Its inner caves are home to the town guard, barracks and lodgings of an ancient warrior monks. Given the unique nature of the arts taught, it is highly likely that murderers and thieves will also be trained in some reserved areas of the place.
Steam Sources
After the first reconstruction of the city, it was thought that it was easier to extract energy directly from the subsoil of the heaters, through geysers and vapours. The entire area is an industrial district, as well as a huge deposit of scrap and ruins brought here from the Old Town. In its market you can trade any mineral for basic necessities or magic items.
Cities
Eathos
It is the southernmost city in the whole continent. Located at the mouth of a large, nameless river, Eathos is in many ways a challenge. At the limit of civilization, and yet so close to it, the outpost is a retreat for many former powerful ex-powerfuls, be they criminals or paladins, who seek some peace and quiet before they leave the world. Famous places include the Eternal Tower, a large stone structure that acts as a tower of observation towards the unknown oceanic horizon, and the "Magic Jar", an emporium of wonderful and exotic objects.
Nur-Batosh
The cultural centre of the region, the outpost is home to a group of adventurers called "The Silver Company". Formed by an elf, a human, a halfling and a dwarf, this group has gained popularity by discovering the secret accesses that lead to a mysterious structure called Well of Souls. There are rumours that they are preparing for a final expedition inside the structure, and that the Council is secretly monitoring both their achievements and those of other groups of adventurers attracted by the numerous dungeons still hidden in the mountains.
Vardanos
Built on an old central caravan hub that connects traffic from the southern peninsula to the territories of Deeplake, the city was built on the remains of an ancient settlement of Native. The city's history is not clear in this regard: it seems that the Native people entrusted the control of the city to a powerful magician who later went crazy and began to poison the population slowly through experiments on venephic vapour clouds produced in the recesses of his laboratory. Part of the castle owned by this ancient magician is still intact, even if the entire complex is closed to the public for security reasons.
Zarhia
Beyond the Magma Sources lies the city of Zarhia, a gathering place for pirates and smugglers who stop in the Dragon Bay. The port is also very popular with adventurers looking for a seaside passage to reach the islands or some distant coast. Climbing up to the square you can visit the Yorun Emporium, an elf shop in which the owner is famous for his low stature, so much so that he reconsidered his belonging to the elf race, and a series of side lanes known as "The Rivers" that host a network of former sailors dedicated to the black market.
Mountains
Peaks of Kaphnur
Originally, the Peaks consisted of a mountain range that extended from Kaphnur to the border with Dreamor, further north. Now the rocky formation occupies only the southern part of the territory, being the other half sinking into the earth and characterized by the presence of the deep crater of Perdol. On these mountains, the paths are treacherous and often only accessible by pressing the back against the rocky cliff. It's rare to find some sentient creature on these mountains, it's much more likely to fall into cracks, starve, get lost in the rocks, or get assaulted by whole groups of hungry beasts.
Magma Sources
It is the name given by some researchers to the whole of the various pools of fire, geysers and heaters that produce incessantly magma at a short distance from the capital. It is not an inhabited area, the temperature reaches peaks capable of melting the rock and transforming it into very fine white sand, especially towards the valley, towards the ocean. The constant volcanic activity has always been the object of study and concern of the populations of the region, and the sightings of ever more numerous dragons in these areas lead us to think that the rock formations of lava and basalt can conceal, in the cavities below, much more than a simple lake of fire.
Dungeon
Deep Mines
Once rich in precious minerals, the mines are now a large underground cave and passageways complex, many of which have been eroded over time. No one has been digging here for a century, ever since a collapsed tunnel opened the way to a large unnatural well that seems to be bottomless.
Well of Souls
Some obscure legends tell that in the dungeon known as Souls' Well, there is buried a chamber containing an Askari Altar, with extraordinary powers. It seems that it can infuse a dead body with the soul of a deceased person before it reaches the Judgment Plane. If it were true, many would kill to seize this power.
Forests
Forest of Ebor
One of the thickest known thickets, second only to the Inkari Jungle, the Ebor Forest stretches from the Rest Coast in the West to the Dragon Bay in the East. It is a very dangerous place inhabited by all sorts of creatures who live hidden in the shadow of its branches. Many people claim that the Forest hides a wild native population that has never fled from the continent, so it is the destination of many adventurers eager to discover relics and hidden treasures.
Shadow Forest
This area on the northern border of the region is covered perpetually by an aura of grey shade that descends from the nearby mountains and makes the area the scene of many legends. There are those who speak of evil spirits that kill only whispering, those who speak of huge sprawling beasts that move between trees. The last rumours concern a farmer who is sure to have seen in the depths of the forest a breed of dwarves never seen before, with greenish skin, intent on burying something big in the undergrowth.
Keeps
Oduur Keep
This sandstone and basalt stronghold on one side of the mountain reminds the traveler of the beauty and mystery of the Gwaldur region. The caravans in the region are very careful not to transit near its imposing walls, so as not to "wake up those who guard the pass". Whatever it could mean.
Morganis' Tower
A dwelling place of an elderly sorcerer, his death has led numerous creatures to invade the rooms of this structure in lava stone. Recently, an Xao-Thol group has been seen wandering around the Tower, casting elemental spells and subjugating the surrounding creatures.