The deep quary seeps through a strange and unnatural stench. One could describe it as the rotting of many corpses and flowers over the shee moments peering into the murky water below. I saw nothing below me but the darkness and fear within myself, something strange and purely evil must grow in those waters.— Ser Varylin Highdoor
The
Rotstone Depths is a strange chasm that formed in the Uvarin Fields during the course of The Shatter. It was carved out during a great battle between
Quindra and
Thoura.
Description
Stretching for several miles, the chasm has an air of fear for creatures who come across it, and a putrid of decaying flesh to match. The stone that surrounds and encases the depths is a pure matte black, with small speckles of color that seem to sparkle in the darkness like the stars of a night sky. These rocks seem to be extremely hardy and yet fragile, crumbling to dust when people have tried to mine them before.
The basin of the depths is filled with a viscous and ink like liquid. When peered upon many have claimed that it looks like the void staring back into their souls. Some phillosophers and religious figures have even claimed that it is a wellspring of pure evil, forming the shadows of many a hero. The depths themselves often seem to be inifinitely deep and yet have been scaled by curious adventurers. Some have claimed that several hundred feet of rope didn't reach the bottom of the chasm, while others were able to reach it with only thirty feet of rope.
History
Formation of the Depths
During the first century of The Shatter, The Elder Mind and The Decaying Claw came to blows over the defense of a small city known as Domvir. This village contained many fervent worshippers of Thoura and arcane knowledge that was unknown even to the
Arvadians who ruled the skies.
Quindra, siding with
The Deceiver Gods, followed the command of
Disaki and attacked this city to incur the wrath and distract Thoura from her research that could save the mortal beings from this conflict. Quindra, more than happy to comply, flew over the city and brought down several meteor storms and blasts of her necrotic breath. Each of these striked caused many to forefit their lives and souls to the power of Quindra.
Not much is known beyond this point other than the city of Domvir was no more, and the Rotstone Depths were carved into the landscape. This has been one of the many mysteries that occured as a result of The Shatter's destruction of much knowledge about the world before. Many modern researchers have predicted that Thoura struck down Quindra, and the Rotstone Depths were carved by the draconic figure in her fall.
Ecploration and Invasion
For several centuries after The Shatter, many did not wish to investigate the central battlegrounds for fear of the wild magic and strange effects that were imposed onto the regions. However, an
Arcanologist by the name of Ulfric Rylance travelled and explored the Rotstone Depths, discovering that many of the slain people from Domvir had in fact been raised as undead creatures, decaying at an accelerated rate when exposed to the sunlight.
Rylance returned with a number of artefacts from Domvir and many were encouraged to also make the journey. However, while many left, most did not return, their lives taken by the festering and growing decay within the chasm and surrounding areas. As a result, much of the initial excitement died with them, leaving many, once again, scared or fearful of the effects within the region.
During 657 AR, a sect of creatures from the chasm were able to expand towards the small village of Wun'dir. The blight and decay following these creatures caused a strange and unique disease to form over the town, corrupting its essence and the land around it. A group of adventurers were able to clear the village of the corruption, but remanants of the disease still find it way around the Sovereignty.
Art Credits
Rostone Depths Main Image created with MidJourney
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