Zar-Kesheth
The Fields of Chaos.
"Zar-Kesheth is quite an interesting region, indeed. And while it is found only in Miand it has its similarities with the Wilds of Creastvkr.
But beyond that it is a damaged locale that bear the most visible scars of the Great Sorrow. At least within the borders of Miand ... I think I know of a good book about it. Excuse me for a moment, and I come back to you shortly.
Zar-Kesheth is perhaps one of the most fantastical geographical regions in all of Miand Setting Introduction. As well as the most feared, as it is a testament towards the destructive powers of the Daugther. Here, the Fabric of Reality was torn asunder and the barriers between realms crumbled. It was the epic center of the Sorrowing; that which caused the world itself to be reborn like a grand phoenix.
Characteristics
The Sky Tower of Zar-Kesheth
The most central landmark of Zar-Kesheth is known as the Leaning Sky Tower of Zar-Kesheth. It is visible from wherever you stand in the region, as well as from a good distance from its borders. It is visible from a distance of several miles but only a few courageous individuals have seen it up close.
Perhaps surprisingly, it is one of the safest and most stable locations to be near in all of Zar-Kesheth, but due to dangerous weather phenomena and environments, it is not easy to reach. Some thus see it as a challenge to be conquered and it has become a desired destination for pilgrimages, especially by Exalted Wardens, who have the greatest chance of reaching it more or less unharmed.
It is unclear exactly why it emits such a reality stabilizing presence, but most scholars believe that it might be something located within its unreachable interior.
Description
Oonly a select few individuals and entities are said to know exactly what the Leaning Sky Tower of Zar-Kesheth was before the Sorrowing. But they rarely speak of it. This concerns the members of Highkind particularly, especially their scholars.
The Tower itself reaches high up into the sky, and its top is usually obscured by low clouds. It and a major portion of it appear to have broken apart from its lower levels, of which it now floats above while ever so slowly rotating clockwise.
Large sections of the Tower float between and around the two sections slowly in a counter-clockwise motion. It is not known why this is.
A Thousand Sky Islands
Sky Islands can be found above almost any large landmass in Miand, but nowhere are they as numerous as they are above Zar-Kesheth. Thousands of them slowly drift among the clouds at different rights, defying the constant tug of gravity. The larger they are, the higher up they are located and the shadows they cast down are cold and imposing.
And a Thousand Craters
Craters from which the Sky Islands were born can also be found in abundance across Zar-Kesheth. Some are deep, most are relatively shallow and a majority have become overgrown with thick vegetation. A few others still smolder from the primal heat that created them.
Zar-Kesheth Anomalies
Due to the fact that the Fabric of Reality is in such a bad shape in Zar-Kesheth, the region is plagued by all manner of anomalies, both in regards to the weather and the environment itself. Some of which are not of Miand.
Sky Lightning
Lightning that strikes from clear skies without any warning is by far the most common weather phenomenon in Zar-Kesheth and is a daily occurrence, no matter the weather.
They are hot enough to melt stainless steel and leave behind tiny purple-shaded stones which are more or less electricity in physical form. Known as Etramin, they are more than meets the eye. They are collected en masse by Prospectors not only because they are valuable energy sources for machinery, but also because leaving them be will give fuel to further, greater dangers.
Hearts of Zar
If one leaves behind Etramin stones there is a high possibility of them being absorbed by an Embryo Forest. If so happens, an environmental anomaly known as a Hearts of Zar — or Hearts of Etra — will be created. They are the main reason why Prospectors go to such lengths to collect as many of the crystals as possible.
From witness reports, a Heart of Zar usually hangs from the surrounding trees and is so heavy it almost weighs them down to the ground. It slightly pulsates with a stark crimson shine.
It is somewhat similar to a cocoon in nature, as the essence of the Etramin stone is stored within it, and is slowly evolving into something different. The transformation process only takes a few hours, after which a creature of stone and lightning will crawl out: An Etragent.
Etragant
Few creatures are sturdy enough to be native to Zar-Kesheth and even thrive among its chaos. One such creature is the Etragent. Born from the Etramin stone, and evolved within the Hearts of Zar, they are seen as creatures that embody chaos, and by extension, Zar-Kesheth itself.
They appear to be an amalgamation of Etramin stone and Embryo wood, and even seem to bleed valuable ember-colored Embryo Sap when they are hurt. The fact that they are made out of nothing else other than valuable and rare materials has made them prime targets for many greedy hunters and even Prospectors.
However, due to said materials being sturdier than steel, killing them is no easy achievement. And then there is also the fact that they give off electrical charges from their body that are hot enough to melt steel. Most who have met them once, stay away from them for the rest of their lives if they can help it and only observe them from a safe distance.
It is currently heavily debated if the Etragents can die from old age. Most are of the assumption that they are immortal unless killed or perishes in a large catastrophe. The fact that they never appear to stop growing gives strength to this belief: a handful of specimens are as large as tall hills even.
Seeing these beasts of lightning, wood, and stone, it is easy to understand those who believe that the Etragents are primordial in nature that once upon a time in Miand's infancy helped shape its landscapes.
Something of interest is that — like so many other entities native to Zar-Kesheth — Etragents were but mere faded myths prior to the Sorrowing. Only afterward would they emerge from the scorched Embryo Forests. Some say that they were merely in deep slumber and were awoken by the cataclysm. Others say that they were brought back to Miand from the primal lands of the Creators.
They usually do not venture outside Zar-Kesheth, but it happens from time to time. In those instances, a large armed party is often set out to try and kill them and harvest the materials. Sometimes even one accompanied by an Exalted Warden or two.
Jalvenstorms
One of the most destructive anomalies in the region is the so-called Jalvenstorms. Before they arrive, they bring forth chilling cyclones and winds that are so cold they freeze water. After that, the sky turns black and crimson clouds will form, which are irregularly illuminated by blood-red lightning. Then, at last, liquid flames will rain down upon Zar-Kesheth to purify it in fire, leaving only scorched earth in its wake. Nothing except the highest — and largest — Sky Islands are spared.
The smaller ones are not so lucky, particularly those that are swallowed whole by the storm clouds: when the storm seizes or moves on, their surfaces are blackened by the intense heat and covered in thousand tiny ember glowing rocks known as Jalven Stones. Most theorize that the rocks are similar in nature to the Etramin stones left over by the Sky Lightning, but since very few examples are ever found on the ground, not much is known about them.
A child of chaos?
I am fortunate enough to have witnessed this anomaly twice during my many travels to the region, and I have even been able to get a Jalven Stone in my possession. Even after several years, it still contains enough heat to warm me well on this cold winter night.
But enough about them. I feel I need to discuss the blood-red clouds, which may seem terrifying and awe-inspiring from my description. Seeing them in person is something entirely different, that, I can assure you, dear reader.
When gazing upon them from a distance, I was filled with a feeling of dread and despair, and that was before I — and this I swear on my mother's grave — could see the outline of something moving within them, something big and strange. Monstrous.
Apparently, not everyone is able to witness this being of flame and cold, and according to myths and tales, it is a child of Chaos herself — a primordial creator goddess that appears in many pantheons. If that means something, that I am of those chosen few that has managed to see it, I have not yet discovered.
But that is just a simplification of what it might be — because in the cursed land that is Zar-Kesheth it is always chaos and disorder. I fear that by seeing these clouds I have witnessed the universe's humorous attempt at order, beauty, and a display of fragmented reality beyond our conception.
But what horrified me the most, is that I swear it was looking at me.
" What that would be, you ask? ... No, I will not talk about it. That is out of the question. Is that understood?
Embryo Forests
Great trees in the thousands can sprout from the dry, scorched earth and transform parts of Zar-Kesheth into a sprawling, humid forest. Commonly called Embryo Forests, they announce their presence with mild earthquakes and a strong smell of petrichor and rich soil. Sometimes they open up crevices in the earth and these become particularly humid and thick with vegetation, so much so that one can see the water vapor escape from them if the weather is clear enough.
Embryo Phoenixes
One might think that these Embryo Forests would be absent of any lifeforms, but that is incorrect. Seemingly born from the trees themselves, they can very easily be mistaken for leaves covered in orange flames. Not long after the Embryo Forests have appeared, thousands of tiny burning birds lift from the branches and intermingle with each other in a beautiful dance, that is reminiscent of the movements of fish shoals in the seas.
After a few hours, they will return to the formerly naked tree branches, and their burning feathers will take on a blue-purple shade that shines with intense light for a few minutes. The Phoenixes will then turn against the Embryo Forest that gave birth to them, and their flames consume it in seconds. The heat can be felt from miles away and will leave nothing but a huge scorch mark in the form of a huge bird.
History
It was in what was to become Zar-Kesheth where Origin burned Herself into Miand from Alézun'Teran. She ripped through the Fabric of Reality and let Herself be embraced by the effects of the Alteration Field. Weakening Herself as She was split into an infinite number of Alteration Splinters.
Despite that, and despite being affected further by the Miand Edict, Her very presence caused the Fabric of Reality to strain, snap and disintegrate across all of Miand.
As the moments ticked by, the Fabric of Reality of Creastvkr was interwoven with it. Causing elements that are the norm there to be introduced into Miand, such as the Etragents and the Embryo Forests.
After mere seconds after appearing in a golden blaze, Origin becomes sane enough to understand that further measures need to be taken if She wants to keep the Fabric of Reality safe. So she encapsulates herself into a cocoon of Sereoth and enter a deep sleep. Waiting to be discovered by Her brother Guardian.
That which caused a global cataclysm and which caused shockwaves that reverberate through Miand to this day was over and done in a mere few heartbeats. Something that speaks of the raw power of the Daughter.
Israos.
Dawn Fields.
Fields of Chaos.
Daughter's Fields.
Lands of the Primal.
Land of a Thousand Sky Islands.
Land of a Thousand Shadows.
World's End.
The Daughter
Scavenger Gloria.
Full name:
Gloria Au Lenu.
Nickname:
Feather foot.
Title:
Israosian Prospector.
Age:
34 years.
Career Age
18 years.
Weapon(s) of choice
Rapier.
Gloria is one of many Israosian Prospectors that make a living thanks to the anomalies of Zar-Kesheth. She was born into the profession, as her parents and grandparents had been, and prides herself as an experienced Prospector. She mostly works together with others of her profession and do not usually do her work solo, unless it is as a guide.
What if there was a town that was unknowingly built on top of a giant Etragant that was sleeping to conserve energy? A group of adventurers might go on a quest to keep it asleep...
The "City on top of a Etragent" is cool idea! Unfortunately, mere adventurers would not have the capabilities, nor power to put these things to sleep. ^-^
"If you look upon the stars, know that you look upon a light of the past."