Highglade
Highglade – The Dales of the Highlands
Nestled in the elevated northern reaches, Highglade is a land of rolling highland dales, scattered glades of old-growth trees, and crystal-clear lakes fed by snowmelt from distant peaks. The region is a place of quiet beauty, where the air is crisp, the winds carry the scent of pine and wildflowers, and the land is both untamed and deeply familiar to those who call it home.
Geography & Climate
- The dales of Highglade are broad, sloping valleys cradled between hills and ridges, their grassy pastures ideal for cattle grazing and sheep herding.
- Glades of old trees, some sacred to the local folk, dot the valleys—small pockets of wilderness left untouched for generations.
- The lakes that lie within the dales are cold and pristine, their waters turquoise blue from glacial runoff. Some say they are blessed by old spirits, and a few are rumored to be bottomless.
- Cooler temperatures prevail, with early frosts in autumn and long winters. Snow falls earlier and heavier here than in the lower lands, making warm hearths and strong timbered halls essential for survival.
People & Settlements
- Highgladers are sturdy folk, raised in the quiet vastness of the dales, where hospitality is a sacred duty, and a man's word is his bond.
- Villages are small and self-sufficient, built from stone and timber, their homes clustered near cattle trails, mountain streams, or sheltered glades.
- The Highglade Ranchers run free-range cattle across the dales, their herds marked by unique brands.
- Foresters and hunters live near the deep glades, providing timber, game, and furs, but never cutting the Old Glades, which are believed to be watched by unseen spirits.
- Travelers from the lowlands find the region isolated, and outsiders are often treated with guarded curiosity, though hospitality is always honored.
Legends & Dangers
- The Old Glades are home to ancient trees, their roots twisting deep into the land’s history. Some are said to whisper in the wind, and others are marked with strange runes from an age long past.
- The Hollow Lakes—those lakes with no visible bottom—are feared by locals, as some say things stir beneath the water, waiting for the right moment to surface once more.
- Wolves, bears, and great black stags roam the forest edges, but it is the sight of a pale elk that foretells the coming of a hard winter.
- Ancient cairns and ruined watchtowers dot the higher ridges, remnants of a long-forgotten order of guardians.
Thornbrush & the Manor Lands
- The manor of Thornbrush, seat of the new baron, Marshal Jared Maximus, sits atop a broad ridge, commanding a view of two converging valleys.
- The land around the manor is rugged but fertile, with pasturelands, a small orchard, and a forest glade that has long been kept as a gathering place for the people.
- The folk of Thornbrush Village, though wary of new lords, respect strength and fairness. They expect their baron to stand with them, not above them.
Highglade is a rugged yet beautiful frontier, a land of cold winds, deep glades, and quiet resilience. Those who settle here must be strong of heart, but those who endure find a home like no other—a place where the past lingers in the land, and where every sunrise over the misty dales feels like a story yet to be told.
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