The Hollow Beneath

Deep beneath the roots of Mount Virellen lies a crumbling system of ancient ruins known only as The Hollow Beneath. The tunnels stretch like veins under the land, untouched by time—and forbidden to humans.

Not because of superstition.
Not because of law.
But because the place itself refuses them.

Doors stay sealed, pathways shift, and any human who lingers too long begins to suffer from the Hollowing. They forget their name—or worse, hear whispers in languages they were never meant to understand. Creatures still linger in the deep—beings older than Vailreth, perhaps even older than rain.

Other folk may pass through cautiously. Some even live in the upper chambers. But the humans?
They are not meant to be here.
Not in body. Not in soul.

Some say it was once a temple for sky-blooded beings. Others believe it is a wound in the world, still healing. Whatever truth remains, only one thing is certain:

When the rain reaches the Hollow, even the stone begins to hum. Or perhaps it was the hum of The Unseen- the guardians rumored to guard and watch the Hollow.

They are not cruel.
They are not kind.
They are simply ancient.

No one knows what would happen if a human made it to the heart of the Hollow. Perhaps nothing.
Perhaps everything.

One thing is clear though: the guardians do not intend to find out what would happen if a human were to reach the center. Despite the passing of time, they were still holding a grudge that was forgotten generations ago. They have not forgiven. They do not forget.