Swordfall Rift
Created as the god Astrid was felled at the end of the last Age, her sword Endweaver plummeting from her grasp and plunging blde-first into the earth, the Swordfall Rift is a massive chasm stretching for miles just on the surface. The extent of its depths are unknown, despite their exploration for years by dedicated groups of adventurers.
The Rift as it as sometimes refered to, is an enigmatic place. It seems to have levels, near boundless areas of wilderness and almost-mortal construction that vary dramatically as one ventures deeper. The theories as to the origins of these constructions and rooms vary; scholars cannot seem to agree. Where they there before the Sundering War, and simply revealed by a well placed rift? Have they somehow spawned from Endweaver, a creation of the Godblade? Or are the constructions a sign from Astrid herself? That she is still here, providing for Mortals? It is all unclear.
Moving between the levels of the Swordfall Rift requires seeking out each ones exit. These may look different depending on the level. Stairs, a rope pulley system, a waterfall into a void. Venturing between the levels is not for the faint of heart - without a Scroll of Returning, it is never a guaruntee that one can come back up.
The Swordfall Rift is home to a multitude of flora and fauna that simply do not exist in the Mortal Realms elsewhere. Entirely new and wild creatures, plants of untold use. This alone is enough to send adventurers delving into its depths seeking to return with fortune. New Medicines, alchemical ingredients, foods, tools. It can all be found in the Rift.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have the choice to avoid the Rift, however.
Some Mortals are born with an insatiable hunger to be as deep into the Rift as possible. Riftborn, they are called, are born with special markings on their face and hands, unknowingly geometric in nature. From the time they are old enough to walk and speak, the Riftborn seek out the Rift. They crave being within its depths, like a pulsating anxiety that never ceases until they fulfill it's insistant request. The call of the void.
The bottom of Swordfall Rift has not been found. Expedition on deeper levels is slowed significantly by danger on all fronts, deaths of qualified adventurers, and the time it takes to return to the bottom after returning to a Waystation or the surface to resupply and rest.
It is said that traveling to the deeper levels begins to change someone. Altering their mind permenantly. Paranoia, auditory hallucinations, disassociation, and mood swings are all common in adventurers that have delved too deep and spent too long. Rest and time away can lessen these symptoms, but never entirely remove them.
Geography
Waterfalls stream over the edge of the Rift and into the darkness, some glimmering off of the surface of Endweaver with a melodic sound. Dense mists shift and roll over the entrance, letting through brief bursts of sunlight. There is an almost constant breeze here, due to the shape of the surrounding landscape.
Climate
The entrance to Swordfall Rift is a primas forest, or a cloud forest. Subtropical and wet most days of the year, with constant rolling banks of fog and mist. Rain is more common than not here. A large amount of moss and creeping vines cover structures and surfaces here, fed by the constant moisture. Foliage here is dense and biodiverse.
Average rainfall stands at 9,000mm/year.
The Mean Temperature stands at 62°F (16.6°C).
Alternative Name(s)
The Rift, Swordfall, The Void
Type
Gorge / Rift
Included Locations
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