The Masterless Valley
Geography
The Masterless Valley is a massive valley that dominates the lower half of the island of Centrailia The north eastern half of the valley is an expansive plain known as the Plains of the Great Boar , while the south-western section is dominated by a The Forest of Whispers . In the plains there are two large lakes, and and the forest is dotted with smaller lakes. Near the western coasts the forest gives way to salt-marshes which creep inland towards the south west. On the east side of the valley is another forest which butts up against The Zikarian Bluffs which sepparate the Masterless Valley from the eastern mountains: The Spine of Guragard . On the otherside of the mountain (not considered part of the valley proper is a great desert.
The Valley is dotted with ruins from an age long passed, and the only thing commonly known about the origin of the ruins is that the civilization is coloquialy called "The Empire of the Great Wyrm ," called that for the prominent symbols of Great Wyrms in many of the places that have been discovered.
The only road though the valley travels north to south, crossing the Hyrix River and enters the Forest of Whispers on its way to Pendlebridge The road is sometimes called The Wind-Song Path due to the monolithic cairn stones that can ocassionally be seen along the side of the road. When the winds blow southward on the road the many holes carved in the cairns let the rocks and wind sing a song for travelers. The song is said to restore one's soul, and rest one's feet, for those lucky enough to hear it.
Ecosystem
The Forest of Whispers
The Forest of Whispers is the forest at the heart of The Masterless Valley. The forest supports most of the larger flora and fauna in Centrailia; thought to be because of its abundant resources and harsh ecosystem. The forest's air has been described as "thick with arcane potency" and "hanging heavy with the humidity of a jungle in places". The large flora bursts from the ground at an unprecidented rate, "as though compelled to grow by divine will" and many explorers have reported getting lost because the wild growth changes the forest behind you as you walk. The creatures of the forest also make exploring its depths a difficult task, their absurd size means that even toads pose a hazard, reportedly growing to the size of small children. Bears the size of bull-elephants have been reported fighting wolves as tall as moose. Armchair scholars have hypothesized that the creatures grow so large due to the trophic transfer of whatever accelerates the growth of the local plants, but none have been able to study the area in saftey for long enough to test the hypothesis.Lithuria Lake
Lithuria Lake is the larger of the two lakes in The Masterless Valley. The lake is fed from The Hyrix River which comes from the north western split of The Spine of Guragard but it has no known outlet. There is a small set of ruins on the north-eastern lakeshore which are believed to have been patially swallowed by the lake. The lake is known to teem with life, thought to contain hundreds of species of fish not found elsewhere. The lake sports several beaches with very fine black sand said to glitter in the light of the full moon. Legends speak of a monster which lives in the lake and moon bathes on the shores on nights with particularly clear skies. Reports of what kind of creature the monster is vary wildly though, and many scholars are skeptical about the existance of such a creature. The most common descriptors of the monster describe it as a black lizard not unlike a crocodile with a long neck, cobra hood, and a mouth that glows sky blue when it cries out. Also not uncommon among the tales are descriptions of a song like that of a whale which can be heard while the moon shines upon the lake's surface. Those familiar with the legends call this monster The Maiden of Lithuria Lake .Black Lake
Black Lake is the second largest lake in the valley. Its nestled into the very northern tip of the valley up against the mountains. The lakes waters are pitch black, and when the wind stills the surface of the water is said to look like smooth obsidian. While fish have been caught at the lake, they're always described as pale with sunken eyes, and horribly gaunt. The lake seems to get its water from a subterrainian river. There is a large site of ancient ruins on the eastern edge of the lake, thought to be an ancient city, though there are many things noted as odd about the ruins by visitors. In recent years the city and lake have become too dangerous for most to visit, and its reported that the ruined city has become the home of a large goblin burrow.Plains of the Great Boar
The Plains of the Great Boar dominate the majority of The Masterless Valley. They're home to a breed of boar found nowhere else in the world, sometimes called King-mocker Boar for their propensity to attract the attention of royalty looking to assert their greatness through a great hunt. Few who seek the King-mocker return with their retinue of soldiers fully in-tact and fewer still manage to fell such a beast. Also found on the plain are giant termite mounds, many are twice as tall as a man, and the termites found within are said to be as large as a man's thumbnail. When not terrorizing lords, these termites are one of the King-mocker's favorite meals. The termites serve a vital role in the ecosystem, providing food for many of the plain's denizens. Perhaps the most beatiful sight to be found on the plain are the Peacock Ferret . They're descibed as ferrets the size of a small horse with eagle tallons for feet, long beaks, and shimmering rainbow plumage. They have manes of prismatic feathers which they expand like a frilled lizard. They can ocassionally be spotted playing in the water along the river banks of the Hyrix river, or dancing and jumping with each other in the planes as a form of play. While typically friendly when approached by individuals, groups approaching them have been slaughtered for not reading the warning body language. Armor thought to belong to poachers has been found near their nests, with talon like gashes and spots crushed in by their blade like beaks that indicate that the fullplate offered litte protection. Its believed that the beasts normally prey upon the Electric Lizard , and Greater Stone Boa which can be found on the plain in abundance.
Type
Valley
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