Cliffsreach
Cliffsreach
Govt: Republic
Capital: Feramel
Home of the Wildwell Druids
9 cities, 345k pop.
Cliffsreach is what you might call the ideal country in locale, resource access, and protection. They are seated directly between two mountains, have plenty of water running through their country that can be followed to the ocean, as well as rich mines to be sold as export. The druidic people that call this place home are very protective of their little oasis in such a harsh land, and strike down anyone daring to try and enter with illusory spells and barrier magic.
Places of Interest:
Yggdrasil- the massive tree in the middle of Cliffsreach. The druids worship the life tree and keep itas their biggest secret from the rest of the world. Yes they inbibe its sap and yes it gives them a form of clairvoyance.
Feramel (Capital City)
Castle
Walls
Temple
Library (Malkain)
Megule Waterfall
Megule Hot Springs (nearby waterfall)
---------
Cliffsreach is a country of rich culture and even richer plant and animal life. As such, the Wildwell druids of this region have taken it upon themselves to protect it, under the influence of the world tree Yggdrasil—of course, in the middle of the massive Wildwell Valley or Wildwell Forest depending on whom you ask about it. Their culture is fully entwined with the tree and it’s needs and influences on the world. They imbibe its sap and for those privy to this information—it grants them clairvoyancy for a time. This allows them to see the future, for both themselves and others in the world that are of importance and are necessary to keep the flow of fate and all Balance on its path. Yggdrasil is seen as the great decision maker of their world,if the world tree tells you it must be, well, then it must be. They worship it as their ruler and in turn it rewards them with its protection and fruitful land of plenty. Even as far north as Cliffsreach resides, the forest is always balmy and thick with life. All sorts of trees, fruiting and not, live and flourish here as if it were their perfect soil and climate; the same can be said for animals, creatures, spirits and beasts. Any innocent creature can call this place their home, but Yggdrasil employs its own abilities to keep itself safe. To the druids, this is how the circular mountain range they call home came into being, as well as the unnatural fog that covers their home from outsiders. This fog causes most to get lost, falling off the mountain passes, into ravines, or simply turning them right back around to where they came from. If someone should happen to make it through, sometimes the druids shoot them on sight, OR, if the person can be trusted, take them in as one of their own, and turn them into a druid in their own right. Druids are no one species of person, but they are in the vast majority humanoid in likeness, being elves, Ooskara, human or other, though their population does also include a smattering of intelligent creatures and beasts. Anyone who will unquestioningly follow Yggdrasil is considered valuable in their mind. When the druids see one of their own outside of the country in the tree’s visions, that usually means said person is supposed to leave their well protected home and fix a wrong in the world. Sometimes these visions are vague, and sometimes quite clear. If they know or can figure out who is featured in the vision, they will sometimes share it with them, or give them the push they need to go—and if not, they simply pray to the world tree and bask in its knowledge, drinking more of the sap.
What does the sap do to their physical appearance and constitution? The sap is addictive, eventually giving those who use it a purplish tint to their skin and eyes. If they try to stop it, they have serious withdrawal symptoms and some die. Many that start it, do not give it up out of fear alone and are seen as stronger for it. Another reason could be that once you know how much you don’t know that becomes an incentive in itself, you always want to learn more. The World Tree takes only the strongest of character as Seers, and this is why the High Order is so very very small, and well guarded.
Cliffsreach is made up of several ‘cities’, which are densely populated, but are not set up in the same way a human village or town may be. They all have one or members of the High Order, who ‘govern’ the town based on comings and goings of the World Tree.
The rules of Cliffsreach are odd, but to them make sense. Their first rule is that you are not to use fire in the forest, for it is considered the one thing that could kill the entire country in one go. To kill unnecessarily is also seen as evil. Only take what is needed, and care for your own people, your own country, the world Tree and all that rest under its lofty branches. (Because the world Tree has many roots that grow their own trees, the druids believe in the concept that the world tree is omnicient, and touches all beings in the universe, be it by physical tree growth, or through the ground in its roots, or through consumption of its leaves, or through the shade of its many and lofty branches.)
The High Order is an absolute authority, backed by the world tree itself. It talks to Seers through visions and though it occurs a little more rarely, through cryptic telepathy. Once someone has wronged the society, or the World Tree itself, they are put forth to the High Order and Yggdrasil’s judgment. Many times the tree has been betrayed by those it has held most dear, but it still holds the balance of the world before itself, and knows Perune and Ukalie must be equal in all things, and thus it works in ordinance with Ta, and judges those that do harm fairly. Many who have done wrong are banished from the forest forever, or their magic stolen from them, or their memory wiped of ever having known the world tree, and left at the border of Malan or Skeitho for a new life away from all they’ve ever been and known.
Among the people of Cliffsreach, there are unions, of a sort—if a couple wishes to bind their lives together, they simply go before the world tree as their purest selves, ask if they may go forth together as one, and the world tree may bless or deny them. Even if they are denied, many stay together, but somehow their unions seem more fragile, and fail more often.
The country of Cliffsreach is made up of several groupings of people. It’s hard to give their dwellings as a name, because they live naturally, in hollows at the bottoms of Yggdrasil’s long, crossing roots. Cutting down trees is forbidden, and many simply pick a favorite tree, or clearing, and live out their lives there.
Capital: Feramel
Home of the Wildwell Druids
9 cities, 345k pop.
Cliffsreach is what you might call the ideal country in locale, resource access, and protection. They are seated directly between two mountains, have plenty of water running through their country that can be followed to the ocean, as well as rich mines to be sold as export. The druidic people that call this place home are very protective of their little oasis in such a harsh land, and strike down anyone daring to try and enter with illusory spells and barrier magic.
Places of Interest:
Yggdrasil- the massive tree in the middle of Cliffsreach. The druids worship the life tree and keep itas their biggest secret from the rest of the world. Yes they inbibe its sap and yes it gives them a form of clairvoyance.
Feramel (Capital City)
Castle
Walls
Temple
Library (Malkain)
Megule Waterfall
Megule Hot Springs (nearby waterfall)
---------
Cliffsreach is a country of rich culture and even richer plant and animal life. As such, the Wildwell druids of this region have taken it upon themselves to protect it, under the influence of the world tree Yggdrasil—of course, in the middle of the massive Wildwell Valley or Wildwell Forest depending on whom you ask about it. Their culture is fully entwined with the tree and it’s needs and influences on the world. They imbibe its sap and for those privy to this information—it grants them clairvoyancy for a time. This allows them to see the future, for both themselves and others in the world that are of importance and are necessary to keep the flow of fate and all Balance on its path. Yggdrasil is seen as the great decision maker of their world,if the world tree tells you it must be, well, then it must be. They worship it as their ruler and in turn it rewards them with its protection and fruitful land of plenty. Even as far north as Cliffsreach resides, the forest is always balmy and thick with life. All sorts of trees, fruiting and not, live and flourish here as if it were their perfect soil and climate; the same can be said for animals, creatures, spirits and beasts. Any innocent creature can call this place their home, but Yggdrasil employs its own abilities to keep itself safe. To the druids, this is how the circular mountain range they call home came into being, as well as the unnatural fog that covers their home from outsiders. This fog causes most to get lost, falling off the mountain passes, into ravines, or simply turning them right back around to where they came from. If someone should happen to make it through, sometimes the druids shoot them on sight, OR, if the person can be trusted, take them in as one of their own, and turn them into a druid in their own right. Druids are no one species of person, but they are in the vast majority humanoid in likeness, being elves, Ooskara, human or other, though their population does also include a smattering of intelligent creatures and beasts. Anyone who will unquestioningly follow Yggdrasil is considered valuable in their mind. When the druids see one of their own outside of the country in the tree’s visions, that usually means said person is supposed to leave their well protected home and fix a wrong in the world. Sometimes these visions are vague, and sometimes quite clear. If they know or can figure out who is featured in the vision, they will sometimes share it with them, or give them the push they need to go—and if not, they simply pray to the world tree and bask in its knowledge, drinking more of the sap.
What does the sap do to their physical appearance and constitution? The sap is addictive, eventually giving those who use it a purplish tint to their skin and eyes. If they try to stop it, they have serious withdrawal symptoms and some die. Many that start it, do not give it up out of fear alone and are seen as stronger for it. Another reason could be that once you know how much you don’t know that becomes an incentive in itself, you always want to learn more. The World Tree takes only the strongest of character as Seers, and this is why the High Order is so very very small, and well guarded.
Cliffsreach is made up of several ‘cities’, which are densely populated, but are not set up in the same way a human village or town may be. They all have one or members of the High Order, who ‘govern’ the town based on comings and goings of the World Tree.
The rules of Cliffsreach are odd, but to them make sense. Their first rule is that you are not to use fire in the forest, for it is considered the one thing that could kill the entire country in one go. To kill unnecessarily is also seen as evil. Only take what is needed, and care for your own people, your own country, the world Tree and all that rest under its lofty branches. (Because the world Tree has many roots that grow their own trees, the druids believe in the concept that the world tree is omnicient, and touches all beings in the universe, be it by physical tree growth, or through the ground in its roots, or through consumption of its leaves, or through the shade of its many and lofty branches.)
The High Order is an absolute authority, backed by the world tree itself. It talks to Seers through visions and though it occurs a little more rarely, through cryptic telepathy. Once someone has wronged the society, or the World Tree itself, they are put forth to the High Order and Yggdrasil’s judgment. Many times the tree has been betrayed by those it has held most dear, but it still holds the balance of the world before itself, and knows Perune and Ukalie must be equal in all things, and thus it works in ordinance with Ta, and judges those that do harm fairly. Many who have done wrong are banished from the forest forever, or their magic stolen from them, or their memory wiped of ever having known the world tree, and left at the border of Malan or Skeitho for a new life away from all they’ve ever been and known.
Among the people of Cliffsreach, there are unions, of a sort—if a couple wishes to bind their lives together, they simply go before the world tree as their purest selves, ask if they may go forth together as one, and the world tree may bless or deny them. Even if they are denied, many stay together, but somehow their unions seem more fragile, and fail more often.
The country of Cliffsreach is made up of several groupings of people. It’s hard to give their dwellings as a name, because they live naturally, in hollows at the bottoms of Yggdrasil’s long, crossing roots. Cutting down trees is forbidden, and many simply pick a favorite tree, or clearing, and live out their lives there.
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