Island Locations

Mon Arant: The Sacred Mountain of Aranthaes On the edge of the Aranthaes Cauldron rises Mon Arant, a sacred mountain and wonder of the world. Upon its slopes and terraces sprawls the great city of Aranthaes, a place of untold wealth and spiritual power. Three mighty walls divide the mountain into distinct terraced realms – the cramped Wynds below, the bustling mercantile city at mid-level, and the radiant High Aranthaes above, crowned by the golden spires of the great High Temple dedicated to Lady Bune. Mon Arant is both mountain,

Aranthaes Cauldron: The Holy Sea Few sights in all the world compare to the vast wonder of the Aranthaes Cauldron. Encircled by sheer cliffs and mountainous ridges, the Cauldron is a colossal circular sea-filled crater that dominates Great Aranthaes. On it’s southeastern edge rises Mon Arant, the sacred mountain upon whose slopes and summit stand the great tiered city of Aranthaes, High Temple and the Great Temple of the Mother. Together, Cauldron and Mountain are considered one of the wonders of creation – a place of holy awe, where faith

The Geldfrey Mountains The Geldfray Mountains dominate the north-eastern corner of Aranthaes, their jagged peaks crowned in snow throughout the year despite the island’s otherwise warm climate. Sheer cliffs plunge into the sea along the eastern coast, while to the north the quaint fishing village of Rochpont clings precariously to their stone flanks. To the south, the fertile Geldcrass Plains spread beneath their shadow, watered by streams born of the eternal snows. Setting & First Impressions Seen from afar, the Geldfrays are an awe-inspiring wall of jagged stone, their peaks

The Geldcrass Plains The Geldcrass Plains stretch wide and fertile across the island’s northeast, hemmed in by the Geldfray Mountains to the east, Geldcrass Ridge to the west, and the holy town of Bim and the city of Geldcrass to the south. To the north, the land opens onto the sea at Fairpont, where the great Fairwater River splits the port town in two before spilling into the bay. The plains are among the island’s richest farmlands, famed for their abundance and relative safety.   Setting & First Impressions Travelers

The Lantear Plains The Lantear Plains form one of the island’s richest agricultural valleys, a broad alluvial basin that stretches from the Aranthaes Highway in the south to the coast at Sandmar in the north. Crossed by the winding Sandmar River, the plains are a patchwork of golden wheat fields, vegetable farms, and fertile marshes that feed the hungry markets of the island. As one of the key Aranthaen foodbaskets, the Lantear Plains provide much of the grain and produce that sustains the great city of Aranthaes itself.   Setting

Dragon’s Ridge: The Spine of the East The Dragon’s Ridge is a long, jagged line of dark granite peaks that march down the eastern coast of Aranthaes Island, separating the fertile Geldcrass Plains from the endless sea. Lower than the main Black Mountains, the Ridge is no less dramatic – its cliffs plunge sheer into the waves, and in sunlight its stone glimmers gold, streaked with veins of mica and pyrite that catch the light like molten scales. Sailors claim the Ridge is the petrified body of a dragon, slain

The Black Mountains: The Dragon’s Teeth The Black Mountains dominate the southeastern quarter of Aranthaes Island, a jagged expanse of dark granite peaks and barren ridges. Their inhospitable slopes form a barrier between the fertile Geldcrass Plains to the north and the great ports of New Haven and Geldpont to the south. Few dare venture far beyond the passes, for the mountains are treacherous, storm-wracked, and steeped in myth.   Setting & First Impressions The Black Mountains rise like a wall of obsidian against the horizon, their slopes fractured into

Geldsan Pass: Valley of Rain The Geldsan Pass cuts through the Black Mountains between the shallow port of Geldsan and the bustling inland city of Geldcrass. Higher and bleaker than the formidable Draktun Pass, it is a valley where the sky itself seems perpetually torn open. While the island basks in sun, the pass lies drowned beneath near-constant rain, its jagged peaks snagging every passing cloud. Strangely, though water cascades down its cliffs, no river runs at its floor – a mystery that has unnerved locals for centuries.   Setting

Draktun Pass: The Shadowed Crossing The Draktun Pass is the only land route between Draktun and Lantear, threading its way through the harsh southern ridges. Treacherous in both terrain and temperament, this narrow mountain road is notorious for rockfalls, ambushes, and stretches of woodland so thick they swallow the sun. Travelers who brave the pass speak of a crossing where daylight fades too soon, and danger lingers at every turn.   Setting & First Impressions The pass begins gently enough near Draktun, winding through steep-sided valleys dotted with cypress and

The Derkwuds: Forest of Eternal Mist The Derkwuds are a permanently mist-wreathed forest filling the valley between the Draktun Pass and the Aranthaes Fields. The trees grow so densely that whole tracts are impassable, and locals avoid the margins; many who venture inward never return. At the forest’s lightless heart yawns the Derkwuds Tear – a long, narrow chasm brimming with black water said to be bottomless. Scattered through the reachable groves stand jet-black, glass-smooth structures from prehistory, purpose unknown and unnerving to the touch.   Setting & First Impressions

Bim: Birthplace of Holy Mother Bim is a lowland crossroads at the lip of the Geldcrass Plains, where the island’s main east-west highway splits and runs north to the port of Fairpont and onwards to Rochpont. Once a quiet market town servicing the local farms, it is now a renowned place of pilgrimage – the birthplace of the current Holy Mother – and a natural waystation on the main trading route to and from Aranthaes.   Setting & First Impressions Approaching from the east, the highway crests a green rise

Frey: In the Shadow of Mother’s Egg Frey is a modest but vital town on the Aranthaes Highway, lying between the great merchant centers of Geldcrass and Lantear – and at the crossroads leading south to the port of Geldsan, through the treacherous and rocky Geldsan Pass. Though small, Frey’s fertile lands and its commanding position at this busy crossroads make it a place of both risk and reward.   Setting & First Impressions Frey spreads across flat, fertile ground at the southern edge of the Lantear Plains. Its fields

Alehos: A Place for Preparation and Recovery Alehos is a small but strategic town on the Aranthaes Highway, set between Frey and Lantear at the southern edge of the Lantear Plains. Though modest in size, its importance lies in its road leading south to the Draktun Pass, and onwards to the infamous port of Draktun. Travelers know Alehos as a place to prepare for security, to hide illicit goods, and a point of gathering before the road diverges into more dangerous country.   Setting & First Impressions Alehos crowns a

Lantear: Tollgate on the Tear The island’s second great crossroads, Lantear commands the western approach to Aranthaes – a place where all roads merge. Set at the eastern end of Aranthaes Tear, a long narrow lake of jet-black water, Lantear is Geldcrass’ hard-edged rival: a place of commerce first, courtesies second, where deals are struck on the road to the capital and tolls can bite hard on a ledger’s line.   Setting & First Impressions Lantear climbs a ridge running north south above the Tear, part of a long mountain

Oatcrass: The Way of the Oaty Pie Oatcrass is a small farming town set between Cove and Bersh, forming the central link of the circular route known locally as the “Oaty Pie” due to it’s shape being similar to that of a regional delicacy. Surrounded by golden fields and bright sunflowers, Oatcrass is known for its warm hospitality, fertile soil, and its role as the gathering point for the farming and fishing communities of the north shore.   Setting & First Impressions Oatcrass nestles in a shallow valley at the

Bersh: Fields of Plenty Bersh is a quiet farming town set among the rolling wheat and pasturelands north of Lantear. Known for its fertile soil and broad, open fields, it provides much of the grain, cattle, and dairy that feed Aranthaes, Lantear and the smaller communities along the Oaty Pie route. Bersh is a place of seasonal rhythms, where the land’s bounty dictates the pace of life.   Setting & First Impressions The town sits atop a low hill, its stone houses and church spire visible for miles across the

Geldpont: Gateway of the Bay Geldpont is the oldest and most storied deep-water harbor on Great Aranthaes. Rising from the rocky shores of Geldpont Bay, the town has grown from a humble fishing village into one of the principal maritime portals of the island, welcoming ships from across the world. It is here that countless pilgrims first set foot on Aranthaes, beginning their long journey toward Bim and the holy city itself. Proud and venerable, Geldpont never lets its younger rival New Haven forget that the bay bears its name.

New Haven: Port of Second Chances New Haven is the younger rival to Geldpont, a deep-water harbor built at the mouth of the Black River after it splits into two channels before meeting Geldpont Bay. Ambitious and cosmopolitan, it has grown rapidly into a hub of trade, benefiting from a shorter land route to Geldcrass and the Aranthaes Highway. Though Geldpont sneers at its youth, New Haven embraces its reputation as the “place of second chances,” a town where fortune can be remade.   Setting & First Impressions New Haven

Geldsan: Sentinel of the Pass At the southern end of the narrow, treacherous Geldsan Pass lies Geldsan – a compact, stone-built harbor town clinging to its shallow bay. Though its waters can barely welcome medium craft, the townsfolk have extended a stubby peninsula of warehouses and docks into the sea, transforming their inlet into a vital lifeline for smaller trade caravans and coastal traders alike.   Setting & First Impressions The pass curves into a cramped, rocky valley where Geldsan’s terracotta roofs and stacked stone houses huddle close. The artificial

Draktun: Harbor of The Reds Unique among Aranthaes’ towns, Draktun stands apart in both governance and reputation. Over fifty years ago, its townspeople voted for independence after years of feeling ignored by the city of Aranthaes, particularly over lack of maintenance of the treacherous Draktun Pass – the only road in and out of the town. Left without protection or patronage, Draktun quickly fell under the control of the Red Cloaks, who now rule as council, guard, and tax-collectors. What began as coercion has now softened into a strong identity