Lyonesse (Lothian) (updated 01/26)

  879 - The Burners (Campaign)    Aket, city of Mercenaries    Ashenrise Mountains    Blackmist Forest    Er'Neharl    Forest of Malbas    Gnar    Gower    Kyrgar, city of the drowning towers    Mor-Alltach    Skaarm    Skrael    The Wolf's Teeth    Torvilis    Wyrmskrol (Wormsprawl) 

Lyonesse is a vast borderlands on the western coast of the Dragon Sea, northeast of Nan-Avathar and southwest of Belerion and Hrivlyggdor. The north reaches of Lyonesse are the ancient battlegrounds of Nan-Avathar and Belerion, and the region has long been famous for its mercenaries. Their basalt-walled cities are built upon Baal ruins and are well-guarded from attack by the things that sometimes wander in from Nan-Avathar and any marauding Kithocs seeking plunder.

Lyonesse encompasses the chain of volcanoes known as the Ashenrise Mountains and the lands immediately on both sides, including most of the Blackmist Forest. While Nan-Avathar nominally controls the southwestern side of the mountains, the lands there are in practice free cities of Lothians more closely tied to Lyonesse than Nan-Avathar. The distinctions blur and change frequently.

Lyonesse has verdant green hills and forests that are rich in wildlife due to the region's mild winters and heavy rainfall. The waters collect in the mighty Afon Lothian (River Lothian) that run from the Wintercrown Mountains through Aket and down into the large port city Kyrgar. Thick layers of ash from the ringing volcanic peaks help to replenish the soil, allowing the tall pines to flourish, and the two deep-water ports of Lyonesse export vast amounts of timber throughout Ambar. In addition, many Kithocs come here to trade, either by land or longship, and bring all manner of exotic northern goods in exchange for southern metalwork. The two major ports, Kyrgar and Wyrmskrol, have thus grown into the trading hub of Hrivlyggdor. Lyonesse is even on stable terms with Nan-Avathar, conducting trade through the westernmost Lyonesse city of Torvilis.

Mountainous rock formations are found throughout the region that consist of tight packs of angular basalt towers. Mostly hexagonal in shape, the staggered columns climb upwards, creating a twisted stair-like formation. The top of the basalt pillars end abruptly in flat plateaus, which allow shaggy beds of grass, moss, and wildflowers to grow. The plateaus are favorite grazing spots of the mountain goats native to the region. Some have also become the sites of towers, castles, and even towns.

People from every nation have wandered into Lyonesse and made it their home, and call themselves Lyonese. However, the indigenous people of the region are the Lothians--a hardy stock of Alorn, Kith, and Avathar descent. Their name derives from the ancient name of this region, Lothian, which is also a distinct language.

879 - The Burners (Campaign) (updated 01/26)

  People and Places    879 fall - Cursed Passage    879 fall - Forge of the Inguildris ...    879 fall - Sacred Fires of Na'Aashok    879 fall - Burning of Gnar Wood    879 fall - Journey over the Fools Pass    879 fall - Burning of Blackmist Loch    879 winter - Burning the Ice Devils    879 winter - Torvilis 

This is a campaign set in Lyonesse starting in the year 879.

Four wanderers in the Lyonesse bound together by their mutually unsatisfactory dealings with the dread necromancer Tov Morden. Their adventures lead them into the Ashenrise Mountains, where ancient secrets are revealed. Along the way they show a proclivity for burning down forests.

Aket, city of Mercenaries (updated 2009/11/28)

Aket is a large, fortified river city near the battlegrounds between Caer Berwyn and Torvilis. This location was favored by Lyonese mercenary bands as a forward staging area long before the city was founded. Aket naturally became the neutral meeting ground for diplomacy between the warring states, and the place to go to hire mercenaries when the talks failed. The city is also the central hub of trade in Lyonesse, both for road-trade between Torvilis and Kyrgar, and trade along the River Langen between Caer Berwyn and Kyrgar. Aket is a busy place.

Ashenrise Mountains (updated 01/26)

  Er'Neharl    Inguildris    Mor'Alltach    Morshea    Na'Aashok 

This long line of basalt volcanoes and the lands to each side form the southern borders of Lyonesse with Nan-Avathar. They are ancient peaks, and all except the mighty Mor'Alltach are extinct volcanoes. The mountains are known to harbor Goblyns and long-forgotten Dragon Shrines such as Na'Aashok and Er'Neharl. The free city of Torvilis holds the northern end of the mountains, and Wyrmskrol holds the southern end.

Blackmist Forest

  Skhelloch Gleven 

The Blackmist is an verdant green forest that forms the borderlands between Lyonesse and Nan-Avathar. The forest is home to numerous Glevens of Lothians.

Er'Neharl

Er'Neharl is a Baal watchtower ruin in the Ashenrise Mountains west of Wyrmsrkol. The tower casts its shadow over the Durandel pass, between the cities of Garlow (northern side) and Morshea (southern side.) Both the tower and the pass are scrupulously avoided by travelers, for Neharl is said to be a dread Wyrm who jealously patrols her domain.

In ancient times Er'Neharl guarded the pass, and Durandel itself was a rich Dwur trade city. All that changed during the Breaking, when the Dragon Neharl was cast down as a Wyrm. Some adventurers seek to slip past Neharl into Durandel and plunder its famed riches, but few return. [ more... ]

Forest of Malbas (updated 2007/07/10)

This dense forest lies on the southern reaches of Lyonesse, up against the Ashenrise mountains and beneath the shadow of the mighty Mor-Alltach. The forest consists of several small woodland communities ruled by a druid named Malbas.

Gnar (updated 2009/11/28)

  Ventifus (High Priest of Pyrose, Gnar ... 

Gnar is a small walled city on the trade road between Wyrmskrol and Torvilis, east of the Ashenrise Mountains. Like many cities in the region, Gnar sits atop a squat rocky plateau and has thick basalt walls to protect the citizens from raiders and the horrors of Nocturne. [ more... ]

Gower

Gower is a hilltown in Lyonesse near Kyrgar. The town is on the road from Torvilis and Skaarm, near the Gnarwood.

Kyrgar, city of the drowning towers (updated 2009/11/28)

Kyrgar is the second largest trade city of Lyonesse, exporting tremendous amounts of timber and grain. The city sits at the mouth of the mighty Afon Lothian (Lothian River) on shore of the Dragon's Maw. Kyrgar is surrounded by grain fields which feed much of Lyonesse and stocks many ships that take port to resupply for treks south into the Dragon Sea or north into Belerion and Hrivlyggdor.

Like many cities in Lyonesse, Kyrgar was built upon ancient Baal ruins and surrounded by fortress walls. However, in this case only half of the ruins were rebuilt--the other half are submerged in the cold waters of the Dragon's Maw. These "drowning towers" draw treasure-hunters from around the north, but the waters repel all but the most determined adventurers.

Mor-Alltach (updated 2007/07/10)

Mor-Alltach is a mighty volcano on the southern spur of the Ashenrise Mountains, and whose plume is visible for many miles around.

In 879 the volcano became invested with the spirit of Asenbel, the fire warlock of the Anbethlin Gleven.

Skaarm (updated 2007/07/10)

The greatest claim to fame of the hilltop city of Skaarm is that it staved off a cadre of undeads from Nan-Avathar until help could arrive from Kyrgar. The proud Skaarmers have maintained a militaristic attitude ever since.

Skrael (updated 2007/07/10)

The smallest and poorest of Lyonesse cities is a frontier town on the northern border of the Endless Forest. Its people bear the closest resemblance to the Kith dwelling in that forest. Most of its buildings are short and made of wood instead of stone or brick common to wealthier cities.

The Wolf's Teeth

The Wolf's Teeth are the remnants of Eldar standing stones across the mouth of the Wolf's Maw, a massive water-filled crater bordering the Dragon Sea. A beautiful bridge of white marble was made by the Eldar long ago to span across the teeth, and it still stands today in perfect condition. When the Wolf's Jaws empties at low tide, water rushes through the teeth, creating an unearthly howling sound.

Torvilis (updated 01/26)

Torvilis is a large northern city on the remote northern border of Nan-Avathar and Lyonesse. Since ancient times Torvilis has been a powerful mountain stronghold of Lothian mercenaries, where armies bought to wage war for control of the Ashenrise Mountains and the surrounding lands. Torvilis is near the massive Blackmist Forest, and consumes a large amount of woodland each year to fuel the city's many smithies.

Torvilis is generally considered part of Lyonesse because it is a free Lothian city. However, the city has extremely close ties to Nan-Avathar and is in precarious situation politically, so in practice Torvilis stands nearly alone.

The city is on one of the major passes across the Ashenrise Mountains, but the mountains are low in this region and there are many nearby passes. To the north is the Nan-Avathar fortress of Nechushtah, the staging point for Avathar campaigns into the northern realms: Belerion and Hrivlyggdor. There are at least a dozen passes to the south along the Ashenrise Mountain [ more... ]

Wyrmskrol (Wormsprawl) (updated 2009/09/13)

Wyrmskrol is the largest city of the north and the hub of all trade in the northlands, making it the sister-city of Aquila in the south. This free city was founded by a mercenary company fighting out of the war-torn region of Lyonesse, and its people remain fiercely independent and adventurous to this day. For different reasons, Wyrmskrol and Aquila are also co-claimants to the title "City of Thieves". [ more... ]