Heart of the Verdant Empire

The Selukar Basin is the fertile, river-nourished core of Faenas and the cradle of the First Empire. Centered on the broad flow of the Selukar River and the calm expanse of Selukar Lake, this region was once the richest agricultural zone in Arcasia—a land where cities flourished, roads converged, and the Empire’s greatest works rose from the soil.

Today, the Basin remains the beating heart of Faenas: politically fractured yet economically vital, dotted with ruins of imperial splendor and bustling market towns. Whoever controls the Selukar Basin holds the keys to the continent’s history—and to much of its future.

Geography

The Selukar Basin stretches from the foothills of the Veil Mountains in the north to the plains leading toward Namék’s Ridge in the south. The land is shaped by centuries of stable waterflow, creating:

• broad floodplains
• terraced vineyards
• rolling farmland
• marsh-laced delta in the lower river
• scattered woodlands

The soil is deep, dark, and exceptionally fertile. Even in the Fifth Age, Faenas relies on grain and produce from this basin to feed its cities.

Major Geographic Features

Selukar River
The main artery of Faenas, navigable along much of its length. Barges, ferries, and merchant vessels make constant use of its waters.

Selukar Lake
A wide inland basin with fishing villages and ancient ruins hidden beneath its shallows. Legends claim the lake hides an old elvish way-shrine.

Greenward Slopes
Gentle elevations west of the Basin where vineyards and orchards flourish.

Amberwood Vale
Light woodland terrain surrounding Ambervale, known for deer, mushrooms, and bandit hideaways.

Settlements and Cities

Nucester — Seat of the Broken Crown

The political and symbolic center of Faenas. Home to:

• the Aureate Palace (former imperial residence)
• the Hall of Judgment
• the Hall of Concordance
• the Grand Observatory

Nucester’s strategic placement on the Selukar River made it a perfect imperial capital. Even after the Sundering, it remains the region’s cultural and judicial heart.

Ambervale — The Crossroads of Faenas

A vibrant trade city connecting north, south, east, and west. Its roads lead to:

• Nucester
• Northold
• Wolf Watch
• Quam-Pherish

Caravans crowd its markets; diplomats gossip in its inns; mercenaries wait for work. Ambervale is where politics, commerce, and secrecy collide.

Northold Roadstead (Basin Edge)

While Northold itself lies further north, the Selukar Basin includes the lower trade road that links Ambervale to this mountain-frontier bastion.

This road carries timber, iron, and mountain herbs into the richer lands below.

Selukar Crossing — The Broken Bridge

Once a mighty imperial bridge and fortress.
Now, a ruin haunted by:

• stories of Sundering-era battles
• river spirits
• scavengers
• patrols of High Faenas attempting (and failing) to maintain a foothold

Controlling the Crossing is crucial for any army moving through the Basin.

Economy and Trade

The Selukar Basin is the most agriculturally productive region in Faenas.

Exports

• wheat and barley
• grapes and wine
• river fish
• orchard fruit
• pottery
• linen
• timber from the northern fringes

Trade Routes

Ambervale sits at the nexus of:

• mountain trade from Northold
• western maritime goods via Wolf Watch
• southern caravans from Quam-Pherish and Medo-Zogan

Nucester remains the ceremonial trade capital, but Ambervale is the practical one.

Culture of the Basin

The people of the Selukar Basin carry the strongest memory of the Empire. Their culture reflects:

Imperial Pragmatism

They value law, order, diplomacy, and education.
Even small villages keep fragments of imperial architecture or carved tablets quoting old rulings.

River Tradition

Festivals celebrate the river’s seasonal rise and fall.
Boat races are common.
Children learn to swim before they learn to write.

Agrarian Pride

Farmers here are wealthy compared to most Faenian peasants. Many own ancestral lands dating back generations.

Layered History

Every hill seems to hold a ruin.
Every road passes a shrine.
Every harvest carries echoes of an age long gone.

Political Control

After the War of Sundering, the Selukar Basin became the contested heart of Faenas. Control over its wealth and waterways makes or breaks kingdoms.

Today, its territories are divided among:

High Faenas

Controls Nucester and maintains the imperial legacy.

The Sapphire Dominion

Seeks influence through marriage and trade rights.

The League of River Princes

Competes fiercely for control of Selukar shipping lanes.

Mercenary Companies

Hold rural districts during lean years or drought.

No realm holds the Basin entirely. Power shifts constantly.

History

Birthplace of the First Empire

The Dawnmaker Dynasty rose from these plains, built Nucester into the Jewel of the Riverlands, and unified the region.

Kurai Influence

Kurai advisors and commanders walked these roads, trained imperial soldiers, and guarded the Palace.

The Kurai Coup

The Basin suffered heavily in the initial uprising and subsequent crackdowns.

The War of Sundering

Key battles—Selukar Crossing, the Month of Ash, the Siege of Nucester—broke the Empire’s spine.

The Fifth Age

Now a land of competing successor states, wandering scholars, and endless opportunities for adventurers.