The Wall of Daren

The wall that encircles an island

There is nothing beyond the Wall, lad. Nothing we should be bothering ourselves with, anyway. Mark my words, that Wall was built for a reason, and I doubt it was to keep us in.

— A father to his curious child

Stretching for several hundred miles around the perimeter of the island, the Wall of Daren is both a wonder and a bane to the people who live in its shadow. As far as the Darenites are concerned, the Wall has always existed. It was built before the Renewal, and the people woke up to its existence.

Architecture

by TipKilby

The Wall runs around the entirety of the island of Daren, clinging to the cliffs and coastline. It stands over thirty metres tall, and scholars estimate its walls to be around eight metres thick.
It is crafted from some kind of hard grey stone with no visible seams. It appears as if the wall was carved in one single piece, though scholars argue that such construction would be impossible.

The Wall is pretty much devoid of decoration, its edifice stark and unforgiving. The only parts where this proves untrue are the areas around the Gates, where there are decorative carvings, as well as words in a language no one understands. There are four of these Gates, one for each of the cardinal directions - north, east, south, and west. The gates are each about fifteen metres tall, made from metal and stone, and spartan in their design. Each Gate is locked by either arcane or mechanical means and, in five and a half thousand years, no one has ever figured out a way to get one open.
As well as the Gates, some parts of the Wall contain hidden chambers. This is particularly true in the spaces beneath the Wall, as though the builders were trying to avoid compromising their creation's defensive capabilities. Most of these chambers are locked and have never been explored - though not for lack of trying.

Protection or Containment?

The overwhelming majority of Darenites believe the Wall was built to protect them from the outside world. This is reflected in their worship of Reus, the God of the Wall, who they believe guards them from external threats.
This belief was affirmed in 3092 EA, when something from outside began attacking the Wall. Though to the Darenites the source of the attack is a mystery, it was actually an Eriasian war ship , who reacted aggressively to a lack of response to their hails. When the first cannonball hit the wall, however, something in the Wall sparked to life. There was a loud crack that echoed across the whole island. Faintly purple arcane energy erupted from the top of the Wall, covering the whole island in a crackling, shifting dome. The dome lasted for five days and nights. Since then, no one has ever attacked the island again.
Though generally the Wall is accepted to be a structure of protection, sceptics believe that the Wall was actually built to keep the Darenites in. They generally cite the Gates, which the Darenites cannot open if they wanted to, that scholars have spent lifetimes trying to figure out.

The God of the Wall

Most Darenites worship a deity they call Reus, the God of the Wall, and have done for thousands of years. Reus is associated with fortitude, protection, and physical strength.
The religion is actually split into two distinct sects. Traditionally, Reus has been depicted as an entity separate from the Wall. It is said he strides around the perimeter of the island, taller than the Wall itself, and keeping an eye out for outside threats. He is portayed as a large, muscular man with a braided beard and a crown of stone.
Just over a thousand years ago, a follower of Reus claimed to have visions of the Wall itself, breathing as though it had lungs. This split the religion, and the second sect believe that Reus is the Wall - and that the Wall is alive.

Beyond the Wall?

Curiosity is a common human trait, so it is no surprise that generations of Darenites have wanted to explore the world beyond the Wall. Whilst in Daren, the idea of crossing the Wall is blasphemous, that has not been enough to dissuade more adventurous youths from attempting it.
The first hurdle is climbing the Wall. As the surface is smooth, with no hand-holds, this is normally enough to prevent would-be adventurers.
In over five thousand years, less than twenty people have reached the top of the Wall. Tales from the top mostly describe endless waters, though several have also told stories of land visible from Daren.
Only one person - a fifteen-year-old boy named Halas - never returned from the top of the Wall. However, no one on Daren actually knows what happened to him.