Gate of Nevermore

The Gate of Nevermore stands as a solemn monument at the threshold of a desolate, frozen tundra. Once known by a different name—now long forgotten—the gate once led to a thriving region of warmth and abundance, home to a grand civilization of scholars, artisans, and the most advanced magical researchers of the realm. However, with the darkening of the Abericlase, the landscape changed dramatically, and the area beyond the gate transformed into a frozen wasteland. The gate now serves as the last remnant of that lost world, its name changed to reflect the hopelessness that came after the world went dark.

Geography

Beyond the gate lies a vast, flat expanse of frozen land. The tundra stretches to the horizon, with jagged ice formations and treacherous snowdrifts. In the distance, a faint shimmer of auroras sometimes lights the sky, but no living thing stirs beyond the gate.

Ecosystem

The land beyond the gate was once a verdant plain, filled with rich forests, flowing rivers, and vibrant fauna. It was known for its lush greenery and fertile grounds where magical experiments and rituals were conducted to enhance the crops and the land itself. After the Abericlase darkened the area has since transformed into a frozen, lifeless tundra. No plants survive here, and any living creature that ventures too far beyond the gate quickly succumbs to the cold. Even magic users report that their spells weaken or go haywire in this area.

Localized Phenomena

The tundra beyond the gate is unnaturally cold, with temperatures plummeting far lower than is natural for the region. The source of this freeze is unclear, but it seems tied to the loss of the Abericlase's power. Even fire-based magic struggles to ignite in this environment, and those who venture too far into the tundra often return with severe frostbite—if they return at all. On nights of the full moon, strange, ghostly lights are sometimes seen flickering across the tundra, taking the form of shadowy figures engaged in unknown tasks. Some say these are the spirits of the civilization that once lived here, trapped between worlds.

Fauna & Flora

The region was once known for its diverse and magical plant life. The most famous species was the Everspring Fern, a plant that never withered and could be used in powerful healing potions. Birds and deer-like creatures called the Albiris roamed the plains, providing sustenance for the local inhabitants. The only remnants of life are the twisted, ice-covered skeletons of the Everspring Ferns, now nothing more than brittle stalks frozen in time. No animals remain.

History

The gate was once known as the Gate of Lyria, after the ancient city of Lyria that lay just beyond it. The city was a center of knowledge and magical development, with academies dedicated to perfecting the art of extracting energy from the Abericlase. When the second Abericlase went dark, the city of Lyria and the entire region beyond the gate were consumed by an unnatural, icy catastrophe. Scholars speculate that the city's experimentation with the Abericlase's magic may have backfired, leading to the explosion of magical energy that plunged the area into eternal winter. The survivors fled, and the gate was abandoned. Over time, as explorers and adventurers entered the tundra and never returned, the gate became known as the Gate of Nevermore, reflecting the hopelessness of recovery. The renaming happened slowly, with rumors spreading of the many failed expeditions that sought to reclaim the lost city of Lyria. The name Nevermore was first uttered by a group of explorers who returned after losing half their party to the cold. From there, the new name stuck.

"Once a gateway to the heart of knowledge and wonder, the Gate of Nevermore now stands as a silent sentinel to the frozen despair that swallowed a world of promise."