The Valley of Crosses
May the person who must travel through this valley be blessed by all deities, for they pass through the world of the dead. They pass through horror and blood, timeless and resolute.
- Arvic, "Familiar King" of Quarak
Purpose / Function
Originally made as a punishment from Kitab upon Quarak, the valley became a reminder of the Third Corrit War, and its real, unavoidable cost. There are only a few places in the entire world that carry the same weight and remembrance. The Valley of Crosses is the largest stretch of uninhabited land in the entirety of the Land Between, with no on wanting to disturb the dead.
Rumors of people falling ill or dead from disturbing the valley are widespread, but carry as much weight as a bedtime story. Still, the area is considered to be cursed by death, it is an area of fear and war incarnate.
History
The Valley of Crosses was created by the armies of Kitab and Quarak during the Third Corrit War. This valley was the place of the first major battle of the war, where the Kitab army seemed as though they would win. The Royal Army of Quarak was all but destroyed, with the king, King Morie, heavily wounded. King Morie and a thousand soldiers were saved by General Qer, and quickly evacuated from the battlefield. The remaining soldiers of the Royal Army were crucified, it did not matter if they were alive or dead, they were crucified. Some 49,000 crosses were erected following that battle. This sparked outrage, and, with Prince Huir's march to the Kitab capital, it sparked retaliation. Countless crucifixions happened during his 3 week campaign, and countless prisoners of war were taken. These prisoners were all delivered to the valley, to join the Royal Army of Quarak.
The valley is largely unused, save for the cruelest of criminals. After the initial 49,000, and subsequent 5,000 crucifixions, only 4 have been crucified. That doesn't change the feeling the valley creates. People claim to hear the din of battle and the screams of the soldiers. The apparent moaning of the crucified army can be heard upon dark nights. Perhaps if the valley's creation wasn't in living memory, it could be ignored, it wouldn't be feared. But, as it is, the valley is considered to be a haunted place, a memory of war and death, a place to be avoided.
Basic Description
The valley is filled with about 54,000 crosses, some in orderly rows, some knocked over, some haphazardly erected and placed. They are all made of the same wood and material, they were hastily created, and are thus not high quality. The true power of the valley comes from the memories it harbors, and its reference to the war that is in living memory.
Founding Date
1912 AC
Alternative Names
Valeta fe Crosi | Valley of the Damned | Eastern Valley of Sorrow | The Valley of Screaming Crosses
Type
Graveyard
Upkeep and Current Use
The valley is largely ignored, but every so often, a team of volunteers will go to the valley and clean it up, fixing broken crosses, removing collapsed skeletons, etc. despite the infrequent cleanings, the valley remains surprisingly clean, and is not overgrown at all. The people tend to avoid the valley, only mourners and people dodging the law tend to enter the valley. The atmosphere is dreadful, an unofficial law of silence has been adopted by the people, when someone is visiting they say nothing. They communicate via sign language or writing. The crown tends to never go in the valley, save for the incredibly rare crucifixion. The valley also intersects a minor road at some points, so there is some traffic there.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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