Boreal Traversals

The northern reaches of Eldawn are broadly, from east to west, composed of the Thosaven Highlands, the Silaren Plains and the Vedathen Forest. While some of the regions here are technically more west than north of Mirrorsea, I felt they should be grouped together, since this northwest region is largely populated by the same group of people, the Filial.

North Eldawn

Thosaven Highlands : Time Immemorial

A wide, barren and empty expanse under the open sky, Thosaven remains unpopulated as it has not been found particularly useful. However, while its surface geography is uninteresting, Thosaven covers a labyrinthine network of caves, where underground rivers flow. Their source is the north of Coralsea, from the caves in the cliffs, the water trickles into streams that journey under the Dälamond Mountains and back to the great subterranean reserve below Mirrorsea. The water is then drawn back up by the roots of the water-giver trees to flow from Mivaris once more. The caverns remain unexplored. The Shining Wings have dismissed the openings in the cliffs on the northern front of Coralsea as mere curiousities, shunning the skyless darkness within.

Dälamond Mountains : Time Immemorial

A range of mountains stretching from Mirrorsea to the southwest of the Thosaven highlands. It used to be part of a larger mountain range, united with the Gavomond Mountains to the southwest. However, after Elerise, the central section was removed and the ranges adopted their distinct locations and names. The mountains in the Dälamond range are the largest and highest in the region, the greatest, Calnarost, is about 2.84 km above sea level at its peak. The mountains provide a constant northern backdrop. Without a cap of snow, they keep a guarded silver grey watch on the lands on both sides of the range. Selvaris Settlement sits at the southwest end of the range, and mines for the illemyst crystals under the mountain are based there.

Selvaris Settlement : Established 29 AE

Founded under Ällora's guidance, Elenians ventured north of Elenis to the Dälamond Mountains to secure a source of illemyst crystals. The crystals are a possibly a probably a sort of corundum with a high percentage composition of metal. Fibres of gold and copper spin an inorganic web through the alumina. They make the crystals surprisingly easy to use with the magic of the Shining Wings. The settlement has been highly productive and a lev-tram link was established in 423AE, to improve efficiency and reduce transport costs to Elenis. Selvaris is surrounded by steep mountainside to the north, east and south, but the view to the west opens up over the lowlands of Vedathen Forest. The crystal mines extend far into the mountainside, but are not yet near the waterways below the mountains.

Selvaron Link : Established 423 AE

To improve the accessibility of Selvaris, a large scale lev-tram was pioneered with the Selvaron Link. The first of the links between the cities of the Shining Wings, it would be improved and refined repeatedly over the following centuries. To avoid disturbing the flow of the sacred Mirrorsea water to appease Mivaris Monastery, the track was built above the water, supported by elegant pillars. Calvaron Link would later be modeled after Selvaron Link.

Silaren Plains : Time Immemorial

A dry and still region in the lowlands, the ground on the steppes is hard and sandy. Wind occasionally carries moist air out of the Vedathen, but this typically dissipates into the arid breeze of the region. The absence of weather prevents most life from establishing a foothold. However, experiments by the Guardians, a subgroup of the Filial suggests that the soil's nutrient content is in fact quite rich; plant life grows healthily in it if water is adequate.

Vedathen Forest : Time Immemorial

A vast tropical forest, the Vedathen covers the lowlands to the northwest of Mirrorsea. The vegetation grows thickest around the rivers and lakes that form from the water that flows out of Mirrorsea by the Parives. Elsewhere, watergiver trees tended by the Guardians supplies the surrounding wildlife with the precious liquid. Vedathen Pass cuts through the Gavomond Mountains to the northwest edge of Mirrorsea, providing relatively easy access from the highlands to the northwestern lowlands. Vedathen is home to the Guardians and the Repentants, and they dwell primarily in Yevanis, as well as in numerous minor settlements in the nearby regions. The Genecsis research outpost is also situated in the forest, near the foot of the Gavomond cliffs.

Yevanis City : Established 8 AE

The great City of Trees founded by the Filial. The site was initially a dry region, away from the rivers and lakes that spawned from the Parives in the forest. The Guardians first coaxed the soil to life and planted Aqualith, which would eventually grow to be the second largest watergiver tree after Miralith in Mivaris. With expert bioengineering, Yevanis became a living organic city. Structures were worked into intricate floral designs made of the branches and vines of the obedient trees. Tasks that would have been assigned to magical crystal constructs by the Shining Wings were given to organisms instead; lighting, heating, documentation and agriculture for example. Most inhabitants lived among the trees, only travelling to the ground, groves and glades for a change of scenery or for important ceremonies. A vast conservatorium of plants and animals dwelt in company with human presence, collectively interdependent.

Ganvaris Settlement : Established 2004 AE

As demand for illemyst continued to grow in Elenis and Alanis, Selvaris was unable to provide an adequate supply. The Gavomond Mountains, outside usual Shining Wings territory, represented a second exploitable source. Negotiations were conducted with the Guardians to secure a site in Vedathen in order to set up an operations base to mine Gavomond illemyst. Ganvaris was established on the condition that a twelfth of the crystals be given to the Guardians as payment.

Genecsis Outpost : Established 1960 AE

Founded by Deväl shortly after his induction into Repentant society. Fascinated with the bioengineering marvels of the Guardians in Yevanis, Deväl leads a splinter group, the Genecsists, to found a research facility. Hence, Genecsis was established to catalogue and document the wonders of bioengineering. Ownership of Genecsis is eventually seized by Warrel, who begins to experiment with much more dangerous alterations and augmentations. This happens after Deväl declares a pacifist stance on the conflict between the Shining Wings and the Filial. In its final years, Genecsis was the source of many monstrosities; half-humans, large reptilian beasts and toxin laden plants.

Marinsea : Time Immemorial

A quiet, open sea northwest of Vedathen Forest. The nutrient rich waters flowing into it from the rivers of Vedathen enable plankton, algae and kelp to grow in large quantities. The depth of the water drops quickly away from the coast, so the phytoplankton serve as the dominant producers there. Nonetheless, the microorganisms support a community of fishes, birds and small sharks. The species are, for the most part, distinct from cousin species in Coralsea and Deepsea. There is no evidence to show that water from Marinsea returns to the Mirrosea aquifer.

A final location overview post on the central Mirrorsea, and then I'll move on to describe how all this links in to the mythology earlier.