Regions

Sapling Grove

Also known to some as the “Forest of Beginnings”, Sapling Grove is a massive stretch of untamed wilderness on the western coast of Grimmvale. Home to a once-grand kingdom in ages past, the peaceful forests are covered in the ruins of that fallen empire, and the majority of it’s inhabitants are beasts and monsters, hiding in the dark.

Some pockets of Civilization still linger within Sapling Grove. The Pigmen live in quiet solitude among the trees in small villages scattered across the region. Their largest settlement is Bricktown, home to the church of Rosolom, and large-scale dye production for their people.

Further south, separated by ruins, wilderness, and abandoned mines, lies the secluded city of Sugarshade, inhabited by the Candians; artificial beings made of sugar and candy, and watched over by the Candy Witch. Following the roads further south in the wrong direction could lead to people becoming lost on the Fae Peninsula, where the mischevious Fairies are rumored to reside, though no one has ever returned from there alive.

The Southern Coast and along the Cocytus River that separates the region from the human kingdom of Ambervale are a series of ports and harbours, the largest of which is the infamous Port Stormcast. The Port is a den for Pirates, thieves, and scoundrels, and is believed to be the current hideout for Grimmvale’s Thieves’ Guild. And yet, many traders are forced to pass through the port’s waters, as the Cocytus River is still the safest river to traverse to reach Darkwater Lake and the territories beyond.

Hexenmist Swamp

The History of Hexenmist Swamp is steeped in blood and violence. Home to both the Orcs and Valekin, these bogs and wetlands have seen countless wars and conflicts both internally and externally. Crumbling cities and mass graves can be found littering the drier areas of Hexenmist, while the wetlands and rivers are home to some of the largest and most vile animals Grimmvale has to offer, many being mistaken for monsters themselves.

However, for those looking for more in the region, there is deep history and technology buried in the mud and muck, just waiting to be discovered, as evidenced by the abundance of ancient debris that cannot be replicated today, and the hidden factorium that lies dormant, if only for the time being.

Ambervale

The human kingdom of Ambervale is one of the largest powers in Grimmvale. Ruled over by the Steel Empress, who sits in the Crystalline towers of Gemstone City, and guarded by the Star Witch, few can contest the power in Ambervale.

However, their fall may lie internally. Thanks to the power of the Witch, the humans of Ambervale have been able to cheat death, raising their dead as the Undead. Still with their souls and memories from when they were alive, the Undead have bolstered the economy and infrastructure of the region for countless decades.

Unfortunately for the still living humans, many Undead have begun to tire of being treated like second-class citizens, and some have even begun to rebel. Operating out of the hidden city of Necryptopolis, the Undead Rebellion seeks equal rights for Undead and Humans alike, helping to bolster their numbers by the day, and throwing the region into chaos as work lies incomplete, crops rot on the vine, and the kingdom begins to wither from within.

Ongrom’s Spine

The large Mountain Range on Grimmvale’s Eastern Border is known to many as Ongrom’s Spine, named after the Sky Titan himself. The mountains are home to a surpising amount of life, while also shielding those in Grimmvale from the massive sandstorms of the Golden Desert just across the range.

The Southern region of Ongrom’s Spine is known locally as the Southstone Range, and has become home to the Goblins, building cities out of scrap recovered from the ruins found in many regions. As a result, the Goblins have become exceptionally crafty, and reknowned as some of the best Engineers in the land.

The Northern region is referred to as the Cragstone Peaks, a land where oxygen becomes thin and temperatures become frigid. None of that bothers the locals, the Trolls of Boulderburg, who call these mountains their home. Watched over by the Rune Witch, who makes her home in a grand palace built on the highest peak, called Skytouch Palace, the Trolls are a hardy and ferocious breed.

Separating the regions is the Scarred Pass, a massive chasm that can only be crossed over the Thousand-Hand Bridge. But for those that are more foolish, some believe that the breach can be traversed by going underneath, through the Cavernous Alpines. However, the caves that snake beneath the mountains are far from safe, and some say they contain dangerous wild magic in some areas that can rob time itself from people.

Verdant Undercroft

A mysterious region of Grimmvale, long forgotten by the surface world. The Verdant Undercroft used to be a grand kingdom deep below the mountains of Ongrom’s Spine, before a massive conflict between rival kings triggered an enormous earthquake, which collapsed the caverns the Undercroft was made from. As far as anyone knows, there were no survivors, and the Verdant Undercroft is now a distant memory, fading into legend and myth.

Golden Desert

Legend says that the Golden Desert used to once be a lush green grassland from which the mysterious nymphs hailed from, but for as long as the locals can remember, it’s always been the golden desert; it’s shining sands both stunning and deadly.

Many warring tribes live out on the sands across the mountains. The most notable are the Djinn, who are peaceful, worshipping their god Oa and inhabiting small towns such as Sunshield and the Aurum Oasis; and the Ifrit, who rule over the land from their grand city of Rhadapad.

The city of Rhadapad was built up around it’s arena, which was once a massive meteor crater. Now, it is the home of the Crucible; a grand event held every year in which fighters compete for the glory of the Sultanate, and to gain a favour from their rulers should they win against all others.

However, further north lies the great Gilded Storm, a whirling dervish of metal, wind and death that consumes all in it’s path. It is believed the only thing holding the storm back from consuming Rhadapad and all the other tribes is the presence and power of the Desert Witch, who quietly defends the region out of sight of all civilization.

Darkwater Lake

The gateway to the rest of Grimmvale, Darkwater Lake is a trader’s paradise, and as such, also a Pirate’s dream getaway. The Lake is as big as a small ocean, containing several inhabited islands and a number of different species, from the secluded Merfolk, the strange and bizarre Fishmen, and the contemplative and wise Galapagens.

The largest port on the lake, Eastport, acts as a gateway for merchants looking to traverse the Scarred Pass through to the Golden Desert and beyond. Northshore Isle meanwhile, is another popular locale, inhabited mostly by humans that claim to be descended from a fallen ancient kingdom that once existed up north.

Despite how peaceful the region can be, many ships avoid crossing the central part of the lake directly, lest they run afoul of the Siren Witch’s sea beasts that roam the depths, and sometimes come to the surface to hunt, much to everyone’s despair.

Cinderfell

The purple trees of Cinderfell play host to all manner of fiery creatures and mysteries. Of all the regions in Grimmvale, it is the most peaceful, thanks to the ever-present watch of the Hearth Witch, and the sheer might of the Bearen that inhabit the land, living in small communes, like Campfyre, Howl Town and Hearth-Home.

Lupine Forest

The other great nation of Grimmvale, Lupine Forest is as large as two regions combined, and ruled over by the Wolf King and the Illgari. The grand spires of Fenrirnakk inspire fear and intimidation in any monsters that would try to approach, and act as a massive bastion of civilization in the region.

Lupine Forest is scattered with towns and villages all over the place, from the Orchard Isles on the West Coast, to the small hamlets like Wolfville, the region is home to both Illgari and Humans, who used to live in peace with one another.

However, all of that has been shattered by the Wolf King’s campaign of war and terror that he has begun unleashing on all of Grimmvale, starting with his own region, enslaving humans and uplifting the Illgari above all others.

Cities like Geatholm have become havens for human hunters and executioners, while the Temple of Fenris slowly becomes abandoned as the Illgari have less and less use for their gods that demand peace. And all the while, Wolfville burns, with only a single family being able to escape the occupation. And thus, our story begins…