Entymology

In western Raleigh, there is a valley that exudes a thick fog.  Throughout the course of history, people have considered that it might have been anything from steam from a multitude of geysers to smoke that flowed from a volcano.

Those that have entered the Valley of Mist have never been able to discover the source of the haze.  Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to have any unpleasant effects on nearby cities, or the temporary inhabitants.  Still, the mist can be a bit unpredictable, and it does happen to shield many of the fauna that considers the valley home.

Geography, Environment and Research

Keeping to its namesake, the valley is entirely filled with mist.  Visibility is severely stunted within the place, but that hasn’t stopped people from visiting.  In fact, Viscosa had at one point employed laborers to quarry stone and iron from parts of the valley.  They abandoned the idea several months in, as workers were constantly caught unaware of animal attacks and worsening weather conditions.

Orcs from Genger-mar are also known to have studied the place for some time.  A multitude of shamans believed that the place was holy ground, and some of their totems can still be found within the darker groves and the recesses of the mountains that surround it.

The Valley of Mists has a self-sustaining ecosystem that the humanoid races can very rarely survive without a tremendous amount of foresight.  Mountain lions prefer the area immensely, thanks to the larger game that believes the mist can protect them throughout the year.

Mythology

While the orcs tend to believe that the valley itself is a holy relic, others have begun to circulate rumors that it actually protects an important artifact.  Rather than the mist being created through a natural occurrence, it has been speculated that some arcane item is producing the tremendous fog.

The people of Viscosa are apt to believe that Victor Raleigh actually sent his men to the valley not to quarry stone, but rather search for whatever might have caused the haze.

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Geography and Environment

South of Fostervilla, a great oasis stretches through the sand.  It is thought to be the widest oasis on Draconis.  The people of the city use it to provide water for drinking and sewage.

It is also a small, self contained ecosystem.  Birds of the desert frequent the area, as well as several different species of rodents and insects.  One of the only known creatures to endure the vile deathwinds outside of Fostervilla, the yulik, also calls the oasis home.

Entymology

Visitors to the oasis have taken to calling it the Deepwater Oasis for centuries.  The sultans of Fostervilla have always deemed it a crime to place a boat within the sacred place, and as such, the depth of the place has never been proven.  Still, various people have attempted to swim to the bottom, and none have found success.

Mythology

The Deepwater Oasis is thought to be a gift from the god Hudorian.  It is said that he took pity on the people of Fostervilla, and blessed them with the reprieve of water and shade.  As such, the citizens built a temple to Hudorian in the sand that faces the oasis.  It stands just outside of the walls of the city, and can be accessed via a subterranean passageway.

It is also thought that the oasis may hold healing properties.  Some even believe that the malignant illness that affronts those affected by the deathwinds could be remedied by the waters of the oasis.

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We return to Dena Helmi after a month to see her newest endeavor, this time with Wispus’ Woods.

In The Bindings of Fate, Christopher and Steel Tip found their way to the mayor of Westwick’s mansion, which was secluded deep in the Spirit Woods.  They managed to break in and steal away one of Wispus’ artifacts, and used it to secure information (and long lasting companionship) from Holklund.

In Dena’s interpretation, we see an almost Alice in Wonderland-esque view of the mansion, which I really dig:

Coming together…

You can see that the place around the mansion looks incredibly lush, especially as the sketch went into its next phase.

A much more whimsical take.

When the piece was finished, you see just how tremendous that tree is in back of the mansion.

The mansion itself looks a little small in comparison, don’t you think?

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Geography and Environment

Between the countries of Raleigh and Blacklehn, there is a long canyon that serves as a pass through the Great Boundary mountains.  It is miles long, and splinters off into myriad other passages, but the central, largest path is called the Sentinel Pass.

Within that path, the ecology of the place is somewhat barren.  There are trees and shrubs here and there, but nothing that could sustain a great deal of life.  The offshoots of the Sentinel Pass lead to more lush offerings.  There have been expeditions into the pass, but because of wars, the exploration has been mostly speculative.  Rumors say that deep within the pass, there is a cordus tree grove.  They haven’t been substantiated thus far, however.

History

Early Encounters

In the earliest days of travel through the Sentinel Pass, explorers sometimes happened upon each other frequently.  Orcs, dwarves, kobolds and humans all vied for control of the resources within the canyon.

At some points, these races skirmished with each other, testing their resolve.  As time went on, more races seemed to crawl from the shadows within the place.  Rockbiters and goblins felt they deserved their own portion of the valuables.

Some say that within the deeper veins of the canyon, battles still rage on.  Most people are too concerned with the main stretch to care, however.  Blacklehn has managed to move into several of the secondary passages, where they employ slave labor to work the mountains.

It is also said that dragons tend to frequent the pass, yet they give very little attention to whoever travels, fights or squabbles below.

Contestation between Raleigh and Blacklehn

Since the fall of Roark in Blacklehn, Galen Fowler’s foothold in the northern country has been impressive.  His taste for expansion has grown ravenous over the years, however, and he began setting his sights on Raleigh.

Sentinel Pass was the primary point of entry into the southern country, but his initial attacks may have proved too aggressive.  The people of Raleigh were able to press the Blacklehnians into the canyon once more, and developed a solid defense against any reinforcements.

The town of Sentinel was built in the south, while Fort Brandish was erected just north of Blacklehn’s entrance.  Since the first battles, Sentinel Pass has been a heavily contested territory, but neither nation has been able to press far enough on either side to make a solid difference.

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Once again, we are back with some lush, beautiful art, this time courtesy of Dena Helmi.  We’re looking, now, at her interpretation of the Valley of Kathka.

In The Bindings of Fate, the protagonist, Kaos, is sent to the Valley of Kathka to investigate the ruins there.  It has long been foretold that a castle once resided in the valley, the last vestige of the goodly races stand against Semia’Laz and his unholy troops during the demon wars.  When he arrived there, it was mostly scattered stones and remnants of a time long past.

Dena did a wonderful job capturing the awe of the place, even when its ancestry seemed diminished.  It still has this almost otherworldly presence.

After a few touch ups following that initial sketch, she really brought the Valley of Kathka to life.

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