Locations and Landmarks of Elyria

Gold Coast

The Gold Coast rests along the eastern side of Elyria facing the Middle Sea, taking its name from the golden sands and beautiful sunrise that shines upon the waters in the early morning. It is regarded as the most hospitable area heading south towards the Witherbleach Desert. Several small cities and communities are spread along this coast, and many farming communities and spice mines occupy the rather arid landscape.

Crimson Coast

The Crimson Coast occupies the long western end of Elyria. The stunning red sunsets paint the waters in beautiful hues of pinks, oranges, and purples, and the entire coastline glows with red light that illuminates the hills and farmland like a wildfire.

Vita River

The Vita is the longest river in Elyria, which runs from Michael’s Gate, through Lumen, and into the ocean. The river is the lifeblood of the otherwise arid lands in the shadow of the Drakeclaw Mountains. Most of the population of Elyria dwells within a few miles of its banks, which also functions as a prominent route for trade and travel from the east to the west of the nation. The river is one of the widest and longest in the whole continent, rivaled only by the Torvista river in Terene, the Woodrun River in the Eastern Vales, and the Drann River in Westemär. The rich blue water and freshwater fish are common traits of the large river. Several smaller streams feed the Vita from the runoff of the Drakeclaw Mountains and hydrate the land, allowing the lush fields and great farming communities that make up the heart of Elyria.

Hearthland Valley

The Hearthland is characterized by its fertile golden fields of grain and corn, which stretch along either side of the great Vita River. The Faith of the Sacred Flame speaks of these lands as the cradle of all civilization, as many believe the valley was the first settled land on the continent, and that all life sprang from the great river.

Southern Reach

The Southern Reaches encompass the furthest latitudes of the Elyrian peninsula, stretching along the southwestern edge of the continent. The Pale Tooth Mountains collect rainstorms blowing in from the ocean, and shield these lands from the harsh dry heat of the Witherbleach Desert, creating a lush tropical coastline. These idyllic lands have yellow sandy beaches, flowing rivers, humid forests, and large stretches of grassland. The many small towns speckled along the coast are known for having incredibly beautiful ocean-facing villas, enchanting beaches, and warm weather year-round. About a million people live in the Southern Reach — almost all are human with small amounts of dwarves, elves, arcane ancestries, and smallfolk. The Southern Reaches are the frontier of Elyria. Ostensibly, Elyria makes claim to the whole region as part of the Elyrian na tion; but in fact, the Southern Reaches are wholly independent of Elyria. Separated by the desert and mountains, Elyrian forces face the same geographical problems controlling this region as the sorcerer-kings of old. While a great deal of trade and travel does occur, the people here owe no fealty or obligation to Elyria. Nevertheless, the people of the Southern Reaches have close cultural ties to their neighbors, and many try to ingratiate themselves with Elyrian politics and society. However, the region has deep traditions associated with the worship of the Old Gods Lugh, Nuada, Danu, and Gaibhne — deities with overlapping portfolios and occasionally similar rites to the Faith of the Sacred Flame. As such, when the Faith of the Sacred Flame spread into this region, several hybrid faiths emerged which combined the teachings of Saint Tarna, the ideals of the Sacred Flame, and the myths and legends of the Old Gods. The strange mix of beliefs in the Southern Reaches has often raised the concern and ire of the Divine Matriarchs of the Sacred Flame, as these practices and theologies are considered deeply heretical to the mainstream clergy. Some have even branded the priests and monks of the Temple of the Sun as cultists worshiping forbidden gods and plotting against the Faith.

Witherbleach Desert

The Witherbleach Desert spans south of the Hearthland all the way to the Pale Tooth Mountains and makes up a majority of the landscape of Elyria. The rocky desert is largely flat, and is made up of white cracked earth for miles in all directions. Small plants and occasional trees grow from the ground, but they are all pale and bleach white, like frail bony hands jutting out of the earth. Even more consistent are the sun-bleached bones of various animals, and occasionally people, who have not survived the harsh desert landscape. Vents of sulfur spew out from the cracked earth in some places, and oil pools occasionally form on the surface. The fumes from the oil and sulfur cause the entire desert to have an acrid, unsettling smell. Occasional clusters of rocky white chalk hills offer some shelter, and sometimes house small cave systems with under ground aquifers. Many of these are inhabited by strange and dangerous desert creatures. There are no Elyrian cities within the desert itself, and is deemed by most to be inhospitable. This is not so, however. Generations of nomads have thrived in the dry desert, carving out their own way of life. Among them is a circle of Druids of Lugh, but no one is exactly sure where specifically they call home. Occasionally, devout worshipers of the Sacred Flame will make a pilgrimage across the desert. They follow the footsteps of Saint Tarna by heading towards the Pale Tooth Mountains. Few return from these pilgrimages

Pale Tooth Mountains

The Pale Tooth are a long ridge of tall, steep, white mountains, filled with abundant chalky limestone deposits, which paint the mountainsides a pale hue. Many of them are so steep that it is nearly a sheer cliff to reach the summit, where many mountains end in flat plateaus. From a distance, the moun tains appear to many as a row of crooked white teeth jutting out of the sands of the desert. Deep within mountains is said to be the place where Saint Tarna met the archangels Michael and Gabriella. There, the great warrior swore a sacred oath and became the First Paladin. How ever, none since Saint Tarna herself have found this sacred place. Today, the range of mountains is home to several dragons, stone giants, and several independent communities based around the worship of Danu, Gaibhne, Nuada, Shegorach, and many of the other Old Gods.