Other Locations of Interest

Lake Osea

According to legend, this body of water first formed on the spot where Aurelia’s first disciple struck the ground with her spear to create a spring. The miraculous water gave life to what once was barren land. Today, the sprawling city of Altenheim sits at the edge of this lake.
When the goddess Aurelia fell to Earth, most of her body was burned away by her descent. What remained was her head, which fell into Lake Osea. Today, her gigantic stone face rests at the bottom of the sacred Lake, where it can barely be seen through the murky waters.
According to legend, the water of Lake Osea was once capable of healing diseases and injuries, but no one would attempt to consume it now. The Hearthkeepers have declared it holy ground and have forbidden anyone from approaching the lake itself.

Gräffendam

Nestled within a plunging valley sits a vast man-made dam. Spanning the breadth of the valley, Gräffendam exists today as one of the most impressive feats of engineering Etharis has ever seen. The majority of the dam appears to be carved from obsidian-black granite, yet how the dam was initially constructed remains a mystery.
Prior to maintenance undertaken by the current Bürach Empire, it is believed that Gräffendam was built by the Grebenstein dwarves. However, only a select few among the aristocracy know that the dam predates even them.

In addition to the mystery of Gräffendam’s origins, there is the mystery of the water contained in its glacial reservoir. Called Aquanos, the water has a variety of useful properties. In its pure state, it remains at a temperature just above freezing, and can only be heated or frozen using magic. When used in place of other water it also greatly increases the yield of farm crops and the potency of potions. These properties have made the aristocrats and landowners of Gräffendam some of the wealthiest in the Empire. The upper classes take their social status literally, residing on the domed roof of the dam. Called Gildreath, the aristocracy have constructed a perpetual winter wonderland. Gildreath teems with villas and evergreen gardens draped in magical lights. The privileged few who dwell atop Gräffendam spend their lives indulging in excess and frivolity. The same cannot be said for the desperate masses that live at the base of the dam.
The base of Gräffendam is a hive of crime and poverty. When the rumours of plague came, the aristocracy prevented entry to the upper dam by all but the wealthiest. With nowhere else to turn, the growing population of refugees established a vast ghetto of rickety high-rises sloping up the outer wall of the dam. Below these favelas lies the river port of Ünterdam, which has fallen into disrepair since the plague and reduced trade to a near standstill. Due to the limited hours of daylight from the shadow of the dam, the area of Ünterdam and the favela are collectively called “The Shade”.
Shortly after Gräffendam was closed to the public, the upper class struck a deal with the Ebon Syndicate. The Syndicate would get a cut of the shipping revenue and control over The Shade, so long as they prevented intruders breaching the dam walls and quashed civil unrest. With unchecked authority over the base of the dam, the Syndicate are free to conduct whatever business they wish.

Mt. Vengeance

The only active volcano in the Bürach Empire, Mt. Vengeance was thought to have been extinct for centuries before the Gods’ End. The energies caused by the war between the gods seem to have ignited its fires once more.
That said, something else seems to be happening deep in the bowels of the volcano. Powerful magical energies ripple from the crater, and some scholars of magic speculate that this is due to the presence of an imperial artifact.

Since these rumours started, many adventurers have tried to investigate the volcano. The few that returned bore horrific burn wounds and tales of creatures made of flame and shadow. As for the artifact, if it is there, none have seen it yet.

Castle Martorius

Decades after the Gods’ End, an enormous palace of shining, opalescent towers and silken banners appeared atop a mountain overlooking Abendland.
The castle’s owner is the archmage Martorius. He claimed that he had lived on this land before the Bürach Empire even existed, but had spent the intervening years traveling between dimensions in pursuit of his magical research. Now, he assured the Unterfolk, he had no interest but to observe developments in the Empire as they unfold.
Indeed, the archmage’s castle is a wonder to behold. Dignitaries that have visited it report that there is no way to determine its true dimensions, as it expands and adds rooms to itself as necessary. Aerial servants cater to the guests, and a wide variety of illusionary people and animals wander through the halls as if they had a life of their own.
Given Martorius’ stature, the imperial government decided to accommodate him. In return, Martorius offered his counsel and even aided the Hearthkeepers in keeping the peace among the provinces. Yet for all this, no one in the imperial court believes Martorius is truly benevolent. The Hearthkeepers know his servants have been making inquiries throughout the provinces, searching high and low for the emperor’s artifacts.
They have sent spies to infiltrate his palace, but none have returned. What Martorius is really after remains to be seen.