The Rift

The Great Rift (sometimes referred to as the Rift) is an enormous chasm spanning the entire width of the continent of Palmydia, splitting it into an Eastern and Western half. Several miles wide and immeasurably deep, none have ever seen the bottom and lived to tell the tale. The only known crossing through the Rift is Kormyre's Riftgate.

Formation of the Rift

There have been many myths about the formation of the rift, but the most common one stands to be that a great monster known as Uelrog the Ravager sundered the land, separating the eastern coast of Palmydia from the rest of the continent. Villages and towns were razed as the ground split in half, pouring forth with chaotic energies. It is impossible to tell how far down the rift goes, or how many tunnels and caverns were opened up when the ground split open. No bridge could ever be constructed to cross it, as the chasm spans into the horizon. Some have ventured to guess it is several miles wide.

Traversing the Rift

While there are winding, endless tunnels throughout the Rift, there has only been one means to get from one edge to the other along the borders of Kormyre. This was discovered when Jonathan Travance, for whom the barony of Travance was named, uncovered the right pathways to follow and emerged on the other side when he saved the King’s daughter from the Mardux brothers, thus bringing the founding of Travance.
Even to this day, almost every caravan, which still contains at least 5-10 carriages, at least 40 guards, and a slew of new and old adventurers, still find themselves travelling warily. From Rift Spider attacks to Gidru sabotaging at the checkpoints, no caravan is ever without casualties. Moreso, the haunting, gutteral calls from deeper within cause many to fear and sometimes flee the caravans, leading to untimely demises. For every 5 caravans that make it through the rift, 1 is surely lost.

Creatures in the Dark

Many creatures that can normally be found across Arawyn often become lost within the Rifts winding depths. Due to the wild and unpredictable nature of this landscape, these creatures have become horrifically mutated into aberrant and abnormal variations of their former selves.
Rift Spiders These spiders are among the most dangerous monsters in the rift. Most encountered are about the size of a small tavern, but they are known to grow larger. Their webs are considered to be inescapable, the silk as tough as iron. Rift spiders are the leading cause of caravan destruction and the deaths of those within the Rift.
Fire Trolls While trolls are often weak to the effects of a burning torch, these Rift trolls relish in flames. The Rift has changed their physical body to be constantly ignited in flame, no longer susceptible to their commonly known weakness.
Gidrus More commonly referred to as “flying goblins”, these flying fiends are like a parasitic menace that attack in swarms. Unsuspecting caravan drivers are the first to be taken out by them as the drivers are thrown off the cliffs.
Astral Juggernauts These violet, sleek-skinned, gorilla-esque monstrosities exist closer to the bottom of the Rift and rarely ever wander close to the areas commonly traveled. When they do, few have ever been able to walk away from the encounter. Merciless, destructive, and wild, these creatures demolish everything in sight and vanish as quickly as they arrive.