Meadow of Sorrow Geographic Location in A Quiet Realm - Prostesa | World Anvil

Meadow of Sorrow

Never forget the past...

Despite its tumultuous history, Ustenstead is surrounded by what could be considered some of the most beautiful lands in Prostesa. Were there any visible sign of hope for the kingdom’s royal family, it would have to be the unspeakable beauty of the surrounding landscape. The Meadow of Sorrow is no different, speckled with wildflowers and harboring a tranquil silence.   This silence, if not the meadow’s name, betrays what is considered one of the worst tragedies in Prostesan history. For all the beauty that the Meadow of Sorrow holds as it attracts tourists and travelers, its mere existence represents the spilled blood of thousands, the tears of the Eastoft family, and the scars Illians bear.  

Home of Healing

The name “Home of Healing” comes from the concept of recovery after a great loss, and that’s because the Titan Siege of 2855 caused nothing but pain to both sides. When Mad May’s Monster was destroyed, both Ustenstead and Illwurn could do nothing but grieve. By technicality, the Meadow of Sorrow is Prostesa’s second-largest graveyard, far off from Morigor's Great Hall of the Dead and far above Glinmire's status as a burial ground for fallen soldiers. Despite the years that have passed, that status has not changed. Perhaps it’s this knowledge that keeps the wildlife and those that have built houses in the meadow so silent.   Those that visit the Meadow of Sorrow are people that have come to grieve and pray for their loved ones. Whether those loved ones are dead, comatose, in great peril, or could be in danger is inconsequential. Morigans have begun to settle here because of the meadow’s origins and their belief that it grants them a stronger connection to gods associated with death or rebirth. Because of this, worshippers of Ayatuu, Goddess of Reincarnation, and Vox, God of Passing, can be seen giving sermons or attending funerals.

History

Show spoiler
In the year 2855, Maybelle Eastoft, through methods unknown, unleashed a monster upon the people of Lithia in an attempt to uproot Illian society. Her plan was born out of greed and hatred of the Leonhardt family. The monster referred to as “Mad May’s Monster” or “God-Devourer,” has a much older name, a name once spoken by Aevinu, the Father, himself: “tarrasque.” It was a creature terrible enough to still the Outer Planes into silence, to cause the gods themselves to shy away from its mere presence, and to send the entirety of Lithia and Northern Vera into a complete disaster. The Titan Siege of 2855 became the Eastoft family’s burden, granting them the title “The Unforgivables.”   When news of the tarrasque reached the rest of Prostesa, Ustenstead began to fear war on all sides. It was only when Ophion Khadebraixen III of Morigor interfered that Ustenstead’s sleepless nights could end. The bodies of the soldiers lost to the Titan Siege of 2855 became one with the meadow’s soil, granting it fertility. As a reminder of Maybelle’s misdeeds, the meadow outside Ustenstead became known as the Meadow of Sorrow.
Alternative Name(s)
The Home of Healing
Type
Meadow
Illwurn
Settlement | Aug 19, 2019
 
Ustenstead
Settlement | Sep 21, 2020


Cover image: Landscape Study by Maddy Salgado

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!
Dec 31, 2020 12:21 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

Definitely sounds like a beautiful place, despite its really sad history. <3

Emy x   Etrea | Vazdimet