The Arakhor Tathra
Where the Severed Tops begin to give way to the southeastern hills of Iotura is a sea of green. A dense forest created as a desperate last defense during the Reckoning, the Arakhor Tathra is a beautiful, temperate rainforest with diverse inhabitants, sentient and otherwise. Where the forest borders the Saltmeadow Marshes to the north is a series of hills and ridges that keep the swamps from bleeding over into the serene forests, and foothills rim the base of the Severed Tops to the west.
Otherwise framed by tall, cliffed shores, the Arakhor Tathra is a largely isolated, peaceful region, as there are but a handful of safe passages into its lush depths. Of the great forests of Emaxus, the Arakhor Tathra has no rival. An eleven-year war between Orakgra, Camaerith, and Camaerith's allies to the north just ended, and the forest bears its scars in burned battlegrounds and mounded corpses across the region. Though the forest is still largely healthy and the war is over, change has still come -- and that's ignoring
Various ancient elven ruins are strewn across the Arakhor Tathra, remnants from the Camaerithian empire that ruled before the Reckoning. In the heart of this forest is a wonder of impossible proportions, a sky-scraping tree known as the Wild Heart. Made by Valereth and Syluru working in tandem, this tree, with its mile-wide trunk and vast canopy of thick branches, is a divine wonder unseen elsewhere on Emaxus, and has become the refuge of one of the most ancient societies in Emaxus: Camaerith, the pre-Reckoning capital of the elven civilization of the same name, nestled among the forest-like canopy of the Wild Heart.
Camaerith
Large City <> Population: 19,581 (98% elf, 2% other) When people find it hard to grasp that there is a massive tree known as the Wild Heart within the Arakhor Tathra, they find their minds blown by the idea that there is an entire city nestled within its branches. More ancient than any other elven city on Emaxus and more isolated as well, Camaerith is one of the four Shelter Cities and the greatest bastion of elven culture and power in Emaxus. In fact, only a handful of decades ago did Camaerith open its gates to non-elves, and even then, only those druids who have proven their devotion to Syluru and nature were allowed inside; however, Camaerith has undergone an unbelievable amount of change in the last decade. Between joining the Camaerithian Concord, waging an eleven year war against Orakgra, and then ending that war because of a large-scale, narrowly-avoided coup by an ancient secret society, Camaerith has changed and will continue to change in the coming months and years.Government
Camaerith is bound in a theocratic-meritocracy: there is a council that oversees the city, known as the Camaerithian Circle. This group of nine elves runs each facet of the city, each member overseeing a specific sphere of Camaerithian society or culture. The Circle and its members can be found in detail in The Factions of Iotura. The Circle ensures that peace and prosperity is maintained throughout Camaerith, and is tasked with protecting the people of the city. The Arms of Mithril defend the city, a group of some two thousand elite elven rangers/warrior-archers. They are supported by spirits of the woods and the arcane, and powerful magic users. Camaerith is a member of the Camaerithian Concord, a military alliance between the elven city-state and the Theussaun Protectorate.Prejudice
Given its long-maintained and carefully preserved isolation, the Camaerithian elves are rather prejudiced against outsiders. They see the shorter-lived races of Emaxus as children, and have an extreme disliking for orcs and goblinoids, especially with the ongoing battle against Orakgra. Camaerithians treat other elves with much more respect than they would a non-elf, but often times see them as lesser, depending on their birthplace or their heritage. Camaerithians view themselves as pure and unsullied, having never left the grace of the gods and constantly living in Syluru's embrace, which makes them "superior" to other elven communities -- but many of those opinions are being reexamined in the wake of Order of the Forgotten Blood's coup.Ancient and Mysterious
Camaerith is nestled amongst the mile-high canopy of the Wild Heart, and is thus nearly impossible to reach unless the Camaerithians desire it, or one is bold. Due to the ancient and ever-growing wards surrounding the city itself, the only way to enter the city - even magically - is through the portal that the Camaerithians have established at the northern base of the Wild Heart. Heavily guarded by Concord forces, this single shimmering gate of marble and arcane confluxes hides one of the only true glances at pre-Reckoning society. Granted, the Camaerith of today is far removed from the Camaerith of the Age of Rebirth -- but you'd never catch a Camaerithian saying that.Geography and Climate
Camaerith is perched nearly a mile above the surrounding forest atop the Wild Heart; however, the tree's wondrous properties allow the Camaerithians all the trappings of normal civilization, and a handful of blessings. There is impossibly fertile soil for crops, entire forests riddled with game, stone, mithril, and freshwater. Camaerithians want for not, and it is this impossible abundance of resources, basic and luxury, that contributed to the elves' long-time isolation. Due to their height, Camaerith can get cold during the winters; however, the Arakhor Tathra is an extremely temperate rainforest and as such snow is nearly unheard of, even in the mile-high canopy Camaerith resides in.Landmarks
Arcanul Conservatory
Birthplace of the Arcanul Ordinate and foremost arcane college on Iotura, the Arcanul Conservatory is a massive academy within which unbelievable arcane experiments and studying occurs that regularly pushes the boundaries of arcane understanding. The Conservatory is divided into three main areas: the university, the observatory, and the conservatory grounds. The university of the Conservatory, dubbed the Arcanul Academy, is the foremost place of arcane learning in Iotura, and some believe it may be the foremost place of learning in all of Emaxus. Regrettably, few non-elves have ever attended, but with the Arcanul Ordinate's recent shifts in policy - thanks in large part to Ilthinaluvar (Archmage) Aramoira - more foreign students are being allowed inside. Alongside that, the Ordinate has opened numerous campuses in other cities. The Conservatory's tall, marble towers are some of the few structures in Camaerith to break the high canopy of the Wild Heart, and its sprawling libraries are believed to be some of the few places where pre-Reckoning knowledge is still maintained fully. The grounds separate the Academy from the observatory, a beautiful labyrinth of gardens and marble plazas that reflects the Arcanul Conservatory's arcane roots and Camaerith's ancient elven flair. These keep a series of paths hidden that allow one to travel from the university to the observatory, or vice versa, but the ways are kept shrouded in magics. Should the Conservatory ever come under assault, or a heist be planned against it, non-Conservatory mages would find it exceedingly difficult to traverse the gardens. Any character who does not explicitly know the path must succeed on a DC 25 Survival check or become lost in the gardens for 1d4 hours before being spit out where they began. It is up to the DM as to how one could figure out the path, but being led by or told the way by a Conservatory member is usually a good place to start (though exceedingly difficult in its own right, given the Conservatory's guarded nature). The observatory, dubbed the Arcanul Observation Tower, is rivaled by scant other places in Emaxus in terms of capability and technology. Fused with the most ground-breaking elven magics and metalworking, the strange apparatuses within the tower allow one attuned to their functions to view anywhere in the known cosmos. Any spellcaster who is attuned to the Observation Tower's apparatus can use it freely, but an unattuned spellcaster must fuel the apparatus with a spell slot of at least 4th-level and succeed on a DC 20 Arcana check to use the arcane technologies.Temple of the Dual Gods
Of temples to Syluru and Valereth, the Temple of the Dual Gods has no rival. It dominates the central area of Camaerith, with open gardens and silver pools that surround its marble structure, crisscrossed by beautiful, white stone paths and archways, which create a sense of aura and majesty around the central structure itself. The raw magic infused into the very soil, air, and water surrounding and within the temple creates small wisps of bluish-purple energy and arcane servants that travel about the temple and its grounds, and spellcasters and clerics find their abilities amplified while within the presence of the temple and its gardens. An arcane spellcaster (wizard or sorcerer) or a cleric devoted to Valereth or Syluru can upcast all of their spells by one level without expending a higher level spell slot (ex: a 3rd-level Cleric of Life devoted to Valereth could cast healing word as a 2nd-level spell while expending a 1st-level spell slot).The Mother of Peace's Shrine
While the Wild Heart itself is a beacon to druids far and wide, the Mother of Peace's Shrine is the golden apple within. Accessed from tunnels within the Temple of the Dual Gods above it, the Mother of Peace's Shrine is the beating heart of the massive tree it is within. The raw power of Syluru flows forth from this secluded place, and the druidic power of the Shrine is kept guarded by the circle that oversees it: the Circle of the Heart. This powerful group of druids and archdruids ensures that only those who must see the Shrine are allowed within and keep this last great monument of Syluru's will pure and clean. Should any harm ever come to this Shrine, it is likely that the Wild Heart as a whole, if not all of the Arakhor Tathra, would suffer.The Dividing Hills
Extending from the Severed Tops to the shores of the Obsidian Ocean, the Dividing Hills form the southern geographic barrier of the Saltmeadow Marshes. They have also functioned as a simple geographic border between the Arakhor Tathra and its northern neighbors.Grove of Syluru
When one is making their way through the Arakhor Tathra, it can be easy to get lost within its depths. Often times the elven root paths and small trails can disappear in the brush or get lost in the forest's small, crystalline brooks and streams; however, if a traveler is pure of heart and respectful of the sanctity of nature and finds themself in need of aid, they will often come upon a dense wall of lush trees, coursing with strands of arcane blue energy. Approaching this natural wall, the trees and vines will actually recede and reveal a path. Following said path, one will come upon the Grove of Syluru. No one actually knows where this holy place is located, but if one has lived their life free of wrong-doing and with compassion for the other creatures that inhabit Emaxus and seeks it out, they shall find the Grove. A place of unbridled druidic energy and raw life force, the Grove of Syluru is often described as a crystal-blue pond rimmed by ancient, arcane trees. Bathing in or drinking from this pool will see one's injuries healed, their hunger and thirst quenched, and peace and resolve brought to their weary mind. If a character bathes in the waters of the Grove for 10 minutes, or drinks their fill, they heal to their max HP, are full as though they ate a day's worth of rations, and gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws for a week. It is up to the DM if a character is worthy of discovering the Grove, but be aware that this can happen at any time if one is traveling through the untamed regions of the forest.Isael's Hand
Forming the northern (and land-based) half of the pair of geographical features known as the Lovers' Grasp, Isael's Hand is a mountainous peninsula in the northeastern corner of the forest. The moniker given to this area is fitting, given the constant storms that shroud the ancient ruins and challenges within. Ancient giant strongholds, dragon lairs, and other ruins dot the mountains of Isael's Hand, many filled with either their ancestral inhabitants or new, different creatures. Some followers of Isael believe that there may be some ancient temple of the Tempest hidden within this region, but no one knows for certain.Mizozagh
Small Town <> 8,286 (61% orc, 28% goblinkin, 11% other) Founded a few decades ago by settlers from Orakgra, Mizozagh was once a small farming town on the borders of Orakgran lands, with the edge of the Forest of the Archeart a few miles to the northwest. But after the Massacre of Mizozagh a decade ago, the town was abandoned for several years, left in a state of ruin and open graves from the Camaerithian Concord's assault. After the Disaster at Bleeding Hill, the Concord was pushed back and Mizozagh was reclaimed by Orakgra. Since then, they have rebuilt the settlement into a fortress town, and though there is some agriculture and such, much of the town was long devoted to holding the line against the Camaerithian Concord.Government
Mizozagh is a constituent city of Orakgra, and follows the Cashiph's laws and orders; however, the day to day management and such is handled by the Emshir, Briggurk, a powerful and intelligent bugbear woman. She handles the logistics and defense of the city, and ensures that Orakgran laws and traditions are adhered to. She reports directly to Cashiph Zitih, and is a long time ally and friend of the Orakgran leader. Mizozagh is defended by 2,000 Malkanaks, who report to Emshir Briggurk.Recovery from Ruin
Mizozagh's original population and small garrison was completely annihilated during the aptly named Massacre of Mizozagh, in which the Camaerithian Concord's forces wiped out the town, salting the earth and torching the structures of the settlement. In the early 890s AT, a few years after the Massacre, an Orakgran Reclamation Force retook the city from the monsters and scavengers that had claimed the abandoned, bloody ruins. Once Mizozagh had been reclaimed, it was rapidly rebuilt and resettled. The defenses were shored up and amplified, and a massive garrison was established to ensure something like the Massacre could never happen again. Since its resettlement, the people of Mizozagh see themselves as the inheritors of those who were butchered before, and see it as their job to ensure Mizozagh prospers.Geography and Climate
Mizozagh is perched atop and between several hills, and wrapped by palisades and fortifications. A dense band of farmland surrounds the town, which are then protected by bunkers and small outposts. The city appreciates long, hot summers, and short, wet winters, and can also have brutal hurricane seasons.Orakgra
Large City <> 34,670 (75% orc, 15% goblinoid, 10% other) In the early months of 877 AT, a group of orcs, goblinoids, and a handful of other "monstrous" races fleeing from persecution abroad arrived on the southeastern shores of the Arakhor Tathra. Numbering just over a thousand and landing on rafts and shoddy boats, these refugees saw a land that could be made their home before them. Untold hundreds of square miles of lush forest and land, ready to be settled. They did not know of the holiness of the trees they would cut down, and they did not know the ancient civilization they would incur the wrath of. The people of this new settlement, Orakgra, began to clear the forests near their new settlement, and began building a city. A home for them to finally settle down. Since then, their population has boomed, and they have cut out a small portion of the forest for themselves, even building a small kingdom of cities formed from the Orakgran settlers. But they have fought for this existence every step, as the Camaerithian elves see their settling as a crime performed to spite the Children of Yamma and their followers. While these claims may not be true, Orakgra has been forced to mobilize and many Orakgran people know only war.Government
Orakgra is the seat of the territory of the same name, and as such, the main government is housed here. The Orakgran people are led by a Cashiph, an ancient title for an orcish leader. Seeking to reestablish themselves as a race with a real society and civilization, and a beacon for all "monstrous" people, Orakgran leaders bear this title with pride and honor. The current Cashiph is Zitih Ironheart, a powerfully built orc woman with many successes in battle and in policy under her belt. She has lead the Orakgran people since the beginning of the war against the Camaerithian Concord, and has proven herself to be a brilliant leader with a deep love and belief in her people. Orakgra is defended by 1,500 Malkanaks who are lead by Emshir Miradane Greatpelt, a stalwart minotaur woman who commands the garrison of Orakgra and reports to Cashiph Zitih herself.War
Since the few months following its inception, Orakgra and its people have known only war. They have had to fight constantly to protect the existence they hope to carve out for themselves, and though many in Orakgra desire peace and stability, there is a growing faction of warhawks who believe that the war with the Camaerithian Concord is just another sign that things won't change. That the types of people who constitute Orakgra can never know peace, not in a world that hates them. Currently, the leadership of Orakgra still maintains hope. They fight tooth and nail not out of a desire for violence, but out of a desire for peace. And the majority of the Orakgran people feel the same way, at least for the foreseeable future. But as the casualties rack up and the war drags on, the warhawks gain more traction among parents that will never see children again and siblings who have lost siblings. If the war continues for too long, it could reach a critical mass where it truly never ends, and the hope that burns within Orakgra truly dies.Geography and Climate
Orakgra appreciates temperate warmth year-round, with very mild winters and very rainy springs. The late summer and early fall can have brutal hurricane seasons, but never anything too horrid. The city is surrounded by lightly forested hills and plains, and sits upon the jagged, cliff coasts of the Ozmit Sea, where the Orakgran people manage to barely eke out a functioning harbor and port.The Pools of Remembrance
Along the eastern shore of Iotura, where the huge trees of the forest hang over the brutal waves of the Obsidian Ocean, there is a series of crystal blue ponds that were blessed by Syluru during the Reckoning. Overseen by the Empyrean Circle, a group of druids devoted to the Circle of Dreams, the small, peaceful bodies of water known as the Pools of Remembrance are a holy site for all followers of the Mother of Peace. Shadowed by the overhanging canopies of the trees surrounding, the Pools of Remembrance are a place where elves can see memories of their past lives, reflected in crystal-clear definition upon the undisturbed surfaces of the pools. If an elven character spends a full cycle of their Trance racial feature on the shore of a pool here, they can choose to view one full memory of their choice from one of their prior lives. The character determines the basis of the desired memory, but the DM determines the specifics.Ragga
Large City <> 26,891 (75% orc, 10% goblinkin, 6% minotaur, 9% other) Perched atop the cliffed coasts of the southwest shores of the peninsula Orakgra sits upon, Ragga is a city of farmland and agriculture. Ragga provides the other Orakgran settlements with almost all of the food they don't grow in-house, and is the breadbasket for the Orakgran people. As such, it is the least industrial or militaristic of the Orakgran settlements, but also has a disproportionately large population due to the abundance of jobs and land; however, a significant portion of this population isn't actually within the city, living instead in homesteads spreading out from the city walls where they work land and ranch animals.Government
Like the other Orakgran settlements, Ragga is subservient to Orakgra itself and the Cashiph; however, like the other Orakgran settlements, Ragga has its own Eshmir who handles the day-to-day of the city. Ragga's Eshmir is a firbolg man by the name of Traceran Alderbell, a kind farmer who ensures that the safety and wishes of the people of Ragga are attended to. He reports directly to the Cashiph, and serves as a peaceful advisor to Zitih to help balance the needs of the homefront and the warfront. Ragga is defended by a garrison of 1,000 Malkanaks, who report to Eshmir Traceran.Geography and Climate
The Ragga city proper is perched atop the cliffed coasts of the Silver Sea, which allows it to be easily defensible. Rimmed around the city inland are farms that stretch for miles over lightly forested hills and dales. The city appreciates long, hot summers, and short, wet winters, and can also have brutal hurricane seasons.Syluru's Hand
Forming the southern (and water-based) half of the pair of geographic features known as the Lovers' Grasp, Syluru's Hand is a long bay that juts into the northeastern portion of the Arakhor Tathra from the Obsidian Ocean. All of the major rivers within the Forest of the Archeart flow into Syluru's Hand, and some believe that these represents fingers of the Mother of Peace's power flowing into the region so as to maintain the natural beauty she and Valereth created. The bay is framed largely by cliffs and rocky beaches, as most of the coast of eastern Iotura is, and is thus rarely used for trade or anything similar. Nevertheless, a handful of the coves and caves around Syluru's Hand are inhabited by pirate communities or have been made the home of even worse creatures.Umecan River
Dubbed the "Lovers' Bond," the Umecan River flows from the mountains of Isael's Hand into the bay that is Syluru's Hand. The mouth of the Umecan River creates the great Lovers' Shower, a near half-mile wide waterfall that cascades from the tops of the coastal cliffs and into the bay below.Urizumin River
Of the two largest rivers in the Forest, the Urizumin River is northward and slightly larger. Starting in the Severed Tops and with tributaries from the entirety of the northwest portion of the region, the Urizumin River is a massive, steadily flowing river. Even the Valfiel Run meets the Urizumin near its mouth into Syluru's Hand, and the sheer volume of water flowing out creates a deep, gorged delta where the river meets the sea, even in spite of the cliffed shores of the water. Due to this, the river splits into countless smaller branches, which have eroded deep, sheer-faced canyons into the coastal cliffs, with dozens of waterfalls and white water rushes before the vast delta reaches Syluru's Hand. This danger prevents the Urizumin River from being used as a trade artery.Valfiel Run
Beginning in the Dividing Hills, the Valfiel Run is a shorter river that flows southward towards Syluru's Hand. It reaches the Urizumin River near its mouth, and joins the much larger river in making a massive, canyoned delta in the cliffed shores of the bay.Vrud Grugzok
Small City <> 15,972 (50% orc, 26% goblinkin, 10% minotaur, 14% other) Vrud Grugzok rests upon the cliffs of the northern coast of the Orakgran peninsula, overlooking a small bay. With a decent amount of farmland surrounding Vrud Grugzok, the city is actually the main cultural center of Orakgra. Here, many scholars and priests hope to establish a true culture for the people of Orakgra, and prepare the civilization for the hopeful end of the war with the Camaerithian Concord, when they can know peace and begin their own history. Temples to the Children of Yamma reside here, where the people of Vrud Grugzok hope to garner the favor of the gods their people have historically known as enemies.Government
Like the other Orakgran settlements, Vrud Grugzok is loyal to and obeys the will of the Cashiph. And, like the other settlements, the day-to-day of the city is handled by the Eshmir. Vrud Grugzok's Eshmir is Cirones, a centaur man who is a willful follower of Xaen, and a man who hopes to see the future of the Orakgran people in the light of the Children of Yamma; however, he also understands that Orakgra has a destiny and a duty to establish a new legend for races that have been marginalized and ostracized since the Reckoning and hopes to ensure that their culture and heritage is maintained. Vrud Grugzok is defend by 1,200 Malkanaks, who report to Eshmir Cirones.Geography and Climate
Vrud Grugzok overlooks a small bay from its perch atop the high cliffs of the coast. It is rimmed by farmlands that sprawl over hills and dales, and also has a number of quarries for the temples and museums within the city. The city appreciates long, hot summers, and short, wet winters, and can also have brutal hurricane seasons.Wild Heart
There are those who consider the entirety of the Arakhor Tathra a wonder and if those people were to behold the Wild Heart, they would be absolutely awe-struck. Even those who call the Wild Heart their home find the massive tree to be a true marker of the power of the Children of Yamma. Created by the combined will of Valereth (to manifest beauty) and Syluru (to create a wonder of life), the Wild Heart is a massive tree of unrivaled proportions. Over a mile wide at its trunk base, with a canopy that spans nearly five miles at its widest point, the Wild Heart is the geographical, spiritual, and natural heart of the Arakhor Tathra. Some scholars believe that its roots span the entirety of the forest, connected to every single tree and every creature's essence. Nestled among its unbelievably wide canopy and tree-sized branches is an elven city, ancient and holy: Camaerith. Followers of both Syluru and Valereth, who they dub the Dual Gods, the elves of this city beseech their gods to give them that which they need to prosper. Miraculously, the Wild Heart has soil atop it to grow food, game for clothes and sustenance, and even stone and ores manifest upon the canopy, allowing the elves of Camaerith to construct beautiful structures of elven architecture and grace.Yinsandoral River
The more southward of the two largest rivers in the Forest, the Yinsandoral River begins in the Severed Tops and flows into Syluru's Hand. Its tributaries form the majority of the region's southern water table, and the river forms a large, calm flow across the Forest. It branches into several, smaller waterfalls at its mouth, which each create several hundred-foot wide cascades of thousands of gallons of water into the bay below.Religions:
Majority: Syluru, Valereth
Minority: Yamma
Maps
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Camaerith
The map of the ancient elven city of Camaerith!
Total Population:
~200,000 (25,000 Camaerithians or Camaerithian-aligned forest folk, 160,000 Orakgrans, 15,000 neutral or otherwise isolated peoples)
Imports: industrial and precious metals, stone
Exports: lumber, arcane components and goods, knowledge
Type
Region
Related Tradition (Primary)
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