The Central Rings

The central area of the Lower Realms is named for the series of circular walls that break up the various layers and districts of the region.  The outermost wall is a tall reinforced wall that stands around 20 feet tall.  This outermost wall is usually referred to simply as 'The Ring' and to many who are unfamiliar with the region view this as the eponymous ring that the region derives its name from, when it is actually just the first of 5 rings that comprise the region.  The center-most two rings make up the city of Triswell, and two smaller walls provide both defense and territory markers in the farming region between Triswell and the outer ring.
The Central Rings is also used to describe the surrounding regions outside of The Ring, this exact territory has never been officially declared since the Holy Church only lays claim to the lands within The Ring, but it generally assumed that everything south of the Wyvernwold forest, east of Lake Gwinyhm and west of the ruins of Lightreach Temple fall into the 'Central Rings' geographic region.

History

In the Age of Heroes, the Central Rings was the heart of the Kingdom of Aldamere and home to its capitol city of Aldmera.  After the fall of the Old Kingdom during the Night of Ashes and the end of the Fourth Age, the land took a few decades to recover.  During this time, both Brighthurst and Yhuson had declared themselves as independent city-states.  Seeing the struggles that the people of the land were going through, the Holy Church declared in 5A22 that they would pour their coffers into rebuilding Aldamera into a city-state that any and all could call home.  The city was completed in 5A48, utilizing the aid of the Merchant's Guilds of Yhuson, the Mages Guild, and the Adventurer's Guild on top the Holy Church's resources.  The city was dubbed Triswell, named for Queen Triswella Aldamere - the last queen of the Old Kingdom.
True to the Church's word, it asked for no requirement to gain citizenship in the city-state.  It did however build a system of taxation in order to accommodate resources for the abundant influx of population.  Next to the faith of the Holy Church, the taxes became the next most associated concept with the region.  Though the Church worked to maintain a sense of fairness in the system, and it wasn't always relegated to coin.  Farmers in the outer rings for instance are ordered to give 60% of their crop to the Church, and are free to keep the other 40% for themselves to either eat or sell for additional profit - in exchange, they are never expected to pay a tin piece for the farmland they toil.  Many have criticized the Church as ruthless in their pursuit of taxes, but defenders argue that they must be to ensure that all who enjoy the crowded city are contributing to the overall wellness.

People

Humans and Halflings make up the majority population of the Central Rings, followed by Hill Dwarves that have chosen to stay following the fall of Aldamere.  Elves of any walk of life are treated as actively hostile by their mere presence and Elven adventurers, traders or travelers passing through commonly hide their ears while in the Central Rings.  While only the occasional Iosvih'elen Dragonborn makes it into the area, they are normally treated as a threat but with much less if any active contempt.  The Church teaches after all that the dragons were a punishment for the Elves' sins on the world, the Dragonborn are just the descendants of that punishment.

Faiths

It should come to no surprise that the home of the Holy Church overwhelmingly follows its teachings. While the Holy Church has never made worship in their city-state mandatory by any means, its tenets have become so interwoven with the way of life in Triswell, most who are staunchly opposed to the Church often risk the Borderlands over staying in the Holy Land.  Outside of the Ring however, it is not impossible to find a number of smaller faiths being practiced.  The verdant farmlands have brought a number of smaller Druid Circles to the region, and Elemental Worship appears from time to time for similar reasons though usually much more secretive in practice.
The Holy Church strives to make its "sister faith" of the Dwarven Old Ways welcome in the region, but some Dwarves have found it somewhat patronizing.

Notable Areas

Triswell

Main Article: Triswell 
Triswell is the city-state at the center of the Rings, and the seat of the Holy Church.

Sinner's Rest

Following the Golden Road west of Triswell will lead you to the town of Sinner's Rest.  It has become a respite for those who cannot meet the burdens of becoming a citizen of Triswell, and as such as only grown since the start of the Fifth Age.  It was originally a town called Coldwell, but the name was changed after the Church built the Ring and the town ended up just on the outside of its border.  It is a common stopping point for those who wish to make a pilgrimage to the Holy City-State.  This has equally sparked up something of a tourist trade where street merchants will try to peddle reliquaries and holy symbols, maps to shrines, and any number of other religious paraphernalia to pilgrims.

Easthaven

When traveling eastward along the Path of Knowledge, the first town you'll meet after emerging from The Ring is the town of Easthaven.  Sometimes called the first 'Free' town that doesn't explicitly fall under the Church's laws and taxation, it has become a large town that is home to many who chose to avoid or could not meet the financial burden of living in Triswell.  Easthaven is renown for its massive farmer's market where both Borderlands farmers and farmers from within the Ring with crop leftover after taxes come and sell their wares.  Harvest time marks a near month long festival in the town.

Rivercrest

The southern town of Rivercrest is often considered a risky location due to its proximity to the borders of the Southern Wilds, but it also serves as a last bastion for many adventurers and travelers headed into the jungles to the villages' south.  Rivercrest was originally a Wood Elf town dating as far back as the Second Age, and even survived the Third Age as a slave settlement overseen by the dragons, and somehow even making it through the Night of Ashes unmarred.  This makes the small village one of the oldest towns in the Lower Realms.

Wealdstone

Prior to the destruction wrought by the Night of Ashes, Wealdstone was on the edge of the Wyvernwold.  Now it has become a prominent mining village that uses the exposed rock as a rich font of quarried stone and minerals.  Wealdstone is often debated as being a part of the Estwind Falls region and it indeed lies right on the edge of the two areas, but the people of Wealdstone have made it clear that they don't have any fondness for the mages of Brighthurst and would like to be kept as far from them as possible in terms of political association.

Dhol Turim

The southernmost Dwarven settlement in the Lower Realms, Dhol Turim is a village located where the Stone Road meets the Azurali River.  Dhol Turim has a bit of an odd reputation being primarily a fishing village that utilizes the massive Azurali as a means to catch their crop.  This has led to the town being called the home of the Merdwarves or Fish Dwarves.  A name the locals don't really seem to mind, since they have pioneered a number of river fishing techniques that have made them the envy of anglers across the Lower Realms.

Heroes' Vigil

Once a mighty fortress than served as the vanguard of the Old Kingdom's defenses, this fort still serves as the headquarters of both the Rangers and the Adventurer's Guild.  It serves as the base of operations for many adventuring teams who operate across the Borderlands. Nowadays, the fort is less prestigious than in the days of yore but those who work from it don't view it as any less vital.  Be it the constant watch over the Chaos Scar and the Southern Wilds or coordinating between the smaller guilds all over the Lower Realms, Heroes' Vigil remains the forefront of the Lower Realms - and especially the Borderlands - defense against monsters, threats and all that is evil.

The Chaos Scar

It is said that the Chaos Scar is the site where the remaining heroes of the Old Kingdom rallied and defeated the invading gnoll armies and spilled the blood of the Avatar of Yeenoghu that ended the Night of Ashes.  The Primordial God's blood soaked into the land and corrupted it into the very visage of the Chaos below.  To this day the Scar is home to entire tribes and clans of beastkin, goblinoids, and monsters.  Some have even rumored that buried deep within the Scar is the still beating heart of the Avatar of Yeenoghu, awaiting its worshipers to breathe new life into it.

Kingswatch

In the Fourth Age, the Kingswatch was the sister keep to Heroes' Vigil.  Something of a lookout point for threats emerging from the Southern Wilds.  Alas it was a smaller and less defensive location than Heroes' Vigil, on the Night of Ashes when the Kingswatch's beacon burned bright it was because the keep itself had been burned down.  The ruins still rest atop the blasted heath of a hill.

Lightreach Temple

This ancient temple has been used by many organizations and faiths throughout its long history dating back to Age of the Star.  Archaeologists from Brighthurst have documented no less than sixteen different faith-based orders than have left evidence of their time in the Temple.  Some include the Druidic Circle of the Moon, an ancient order of holy knights in service to the Gods, a cult of dragon worshipers, and an elemental cult to the plane of energy and the plane of fire.

Alternative Name(s)

The Rings, The Holy Lands

Location under

The Lower Realms

Included Locations

• Triswell

Owner/Ruler

Elza Daelus

Owning Organization

The Holy Church