The Thornmoor

In the north of the Kingdom of Farfadet and bordering with the wonderous forests of Lerian is the Thornmoor, a sad and barren place. It consists of numerous valleys with varying depths and speeds of rivers. Some, like the primaeval Old Valley or the brutal Broken Valley, have lost all of their water, while places like the Little Valley have small streams.  A famed feature of the Thornmoor is the numerous rocky protrusions, often called the thorns of the Thornmoor. The landscape is jagged with sharp spears of stone, vicious and uneven ground and hills so incredibly steep it is a wonder if anyone can pass them. In fact, the only ones who do are merchants unfortunate enough to carry their wares from areas like Ivre in the south all the way to Lerian or Aubin.  As far as the majority is concerned, none live in the Thornmoor. However, nestled deep into the moor, just north of the Great Thorn - the highest peak in the moors - lies the small hamlet known as Epineville. Built around the True Temple of Sheobetre, this devout community have lived in the Thornmoor since the reign of The Heretic King, by whom the temple was built.

History

In ancient times, aeons before the first foundations of Ynyswen were built, the Thornmoor was nothing like it is now. It was beautiful and lush. Flowers and meadows bloomed around the rivers and all across the valleys. It was inhabited by elemental beings that lived in harmony with nature, providing for the animals, allowing crops to grow and providing water for the rivers and streams. All that changed during the War of the Stars and Earth, when the conflict found its way to the Sanctuary Moors, as they were called at that time. What would become the Broken Valley - then the Valley of Daisies - was destroyed was the city of Tharlarast fought the forces of Or'Selle, the Great Consumer, leaving it in the state it is in today. After the War ended, the elementals left. The great water titan that once provided water for the Old River left and moved west, forming the Souvilleaux basin. From this moment forth, very little came to the Thornmoor. When the Elads travelled north to Lerian, they had to move through the Thornmoor, moving with haste through the wasteland, still ruined from the War of ages long gone.