Tethol Vardis

Background: Originally a native Cembrean site of worship, an Aventhyri expedition drove them out and built an outpost, though the swamp and localized flooding required constant repair, the settlement expanded to the cusp of a large town with expectation of greater investment in the area. When Aventhyr's fortunes flagged and stagnated, Tethol Vardis went into a decline as further colonization of Cembrea halted. Ospos, being interested in the area took over nominal governance though left the local structure intact while providing enough funding for the town to continue to function.   History: Small, swampy waterfront town along the Oriatzaia River. Its importance having waxed and waned throughout time; originally known for the strange, ancient ruins that lay on across the local hills and one of the few locations of Dreamwood in the eastern hemisphere, before becoming a busy town that functioned as the last "civilized" jumping off point into the greater depths of Cembrea.   Current: With the overt colonialist attitudes of the various powers put on hold due to the The War of the Haro Minnaou and the interest in Cembrea a secondary concern, Tethol Vardis has become a quiet backwater again. The greater outlying townships falling into the swamp, decaying into disrepair as either the money or the will, gave out.   Style: Tethol Vardis is a mix of several architectural and artistic schools of thought. The vaulted roofs and nature frescoes of the native Cembreans was shrunk down to more medium height by the Aventhyr who added their own trefoil arches to the vaulted roofs and changed the frescoes to bas relief sculptures of daily life, as to remind them of home. Later Osopsi additions included reinvigorating the greater height of the original Cembrean style that fitted with their religious convictions of depicting the great distance of heaven to earth, with more devout artwork in the copied bas relief style.   Old Tethol is the colloquial name given to the ruins that dominate the hills overlooking the actual town; various archaeologists, explorers, and treasure hunters have combed the ruins.