Avellyn River Valley - Detailed

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This page summarizes the various features of the Avellyn River Valley. Note that the lists shown here are not exhaustive; only the largest or most notable settlements, ruins, etc. are covered.

Geography

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The mountains, plains, woodlands, and waterways of the Avellyn River Valley are described below.

Avellyn Plains
The Plains are green and fairly fertile grasslands on the western edge of the valley. They are dotted with numerous farms which provide much of the food for the cities and towns in the area. The Plains are fairly safe, though Malcythians will occasionally come around the mountains and launch raids into the region.

Avellyn River
Namesake of the valley, the Avellyn River is a wide, deep waterway that originates in the Dragonstongue Mountains and flows to the Cyrenic Ocean. It is navigable to Irongate and beyond and sees heavy traffic. River piracy is not uncommon, so guard work for merchant boats is almost always available.

Barrow Heath
The Barrow Heath is a barren plain in the east of the valley. Its name comes from the numerous cairns found scattered across it. The heath was the burial place of primitive tribes that inhabited the area early in the Second Age. Most people avoid the heath, believing it to be cursed or at least home to the restless dead.

Black River
The Black River originates in the northern Orcfangs and flows to the Skesgart Sea. Bones and corpses litter the bottom of the river; they are mostly the remains of sacrifices disposed of by the dark priests of Azakhar.

Blood River
The Blood River empties Spring Lake into the Skesgart Sea. It gained its name after a great battle of the Thaumaturgical Wars, when the river was so choked with the dead and dying that more blood than water flowed through it for three full days.

Cairnvale
Cairnvale is a forest on the eastern fringe of the valley. It is monster-infested and very dangerous. Creatures from this wood often make their way into the abandoned towers of the Avellyn Wall to the west.

Copperwood
Copperwood is located in the southeast of the river valley. The mountains around this forest were once heavily mined for their copper, hence the name. Today, little copper remains and the old mines are infested with all manner of unwholesome creatures.

Cragwood
Cragwood is a large forest on the eastern end of the Orcfangs. Numerous chasms and ravines hidden by the thick vegetation make it quite dangerous.

Crimson River
The Crimson River is a tributary of the Avellyn River.

Dragonstongue Mountains
This is an ancient mountain range which forms the southern boundary of the Avellyn River Valley. More information may be found here.

Forsaken Plains
Most of the area between the Orcfangs and the Skesgart Sea is a barren and windswept wasteland known as the Forsaken Plains. The few settlements here cling to the coast, the Black River, or the handful of hilly regions that offer shelter and some amount of arable soil. Giant stone idols of Azakhar dot the Plains - the destinations of those undergoing trials to advance in the priesthood of the dark god.

Garan River
The Garan River starts in the eastern Orcfangs and empties into Spring Lake.

Grey River
The Grey River flows from the eastern Orcfangs, through Thornwood, and eventually empties into the Skesgart Sea not far from Gharakaag.

Grimweald
This wilderland is found in the northwest Orcfangs. Despite its name, there is nothing of particular note about the place other than the typical dangers of an untamed woodland.

Morra River
The Morra River flows north from the Orcfangs to the sea. It feeds a marshy area where it exits the highlands.

Myridian Fens
The Myridian Fens are a large area of swampland found to the northeast of the Avellyn River Valley. They cut a marshy swath through the Thornwood forest, extending almost to Gharakaag. Hags, black dragons, and other monstrous creatures inhabit this fetid wetland, and war bands from Gharakaag are wont to prove their mettle by hunting such creatures.

Nyrsin River
The Nyrsin is a tributary of the Avellyn River, originating deep in the Dragonstongue Mountains and feeding into the Avellyn. In the mountains, the Nyrsin is at the bottom of a treacherous gorge that it has carved out over the ages.

Orcfang Mountains
A rugged mountain range which forms the northern border of the Avellyn River Valley. More information may be found here.

Pale Forest
The Pale Forest is a large woodland west of Ilmara. Undead roam throughout the forest, and it is rumored that a cabal of necromancers and a portal to the Shadowfell can be found deep in the center of the wood.

Rhellyn River
The Rhellyn is a tributary of the Avellyn River which originates in the Orcfangs. Northcrest uses it to ship ore and grain destined for the markets of York and Ilmara.

Sanguine Forest
This large forest is found directly east of Malcythia. The Malcythians consider it sacred to Azakhar and will occasionally bind sacrifices to trees within the wood, leaving the victims as offerings to the creatures that dwell within. It is also used as a form of penance for those bloodknights who transgress against the religion. Priests who have sinned against the church are sent into the Sanguine naked and unarmed to bring back a leaf from a blood root tree. Those rare few who return are considered forgiven by the dark god and return to their previous service. Those who do not are judged to have been lacking and are not to be mourned.

Scar River
The Scar River is a tributary of the Grey River.

Sildur River
The Sildur River is a tributary of the Avellyn River; its source is in the Dragonstongue Mountains. The town of Coreth lies at the junction of the Sildur and the Avellyn.

Silvenoak Forest
The Silvenoak is the largest woodland in the region. It is a mixture of hardwood and softwood trees and home to numerous villages, ruins, and monster lairs. Travel through the forest along the rivers and roads is dangerous outside of a well-armed group, but even bands of hardened mercenaries avoid venturing into the deep woods of the Silvenoak.

Spring Lake
Spring Lake is a freshwater lake found to the northeast of the Avellyn River Valley, on the southern edge of Thornwood. It is the habitat of the springlake eel, which is considered a delicacy in the larger cities of Karnathas.

Thornwood
A large, monster-infested forest found to the northeast of the river valley. More information may be found here.

Trollmire
This large swamp is fed by the Sildur River. As the name suggests, it is home to numerous trolls. Coreth spends a fair amount of its resources keeping the inhabitants of Trollmire at bay.

Venhorg Swamp
The Venhorg Swamp is found in the western Avellyn River Valley, between the village of Carrickham and the town of York. Given its noxious swamp gases and abnormally large insects, travelers between the two settlements give the Venhorg a wide berth.

Whiterock River
The Whiterock is a tributary of the Avellyn River. It starts in the Dragonstongue Mountains and is navigable up to the village of Stonehaven. The river marks part of the eastern boundary of the Avellyn Plains.

Points of Interest

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Various points of interest are described below. Unlike settlements, these are generally places where visitors are not welcome. They tend to be more dangerous than most settlements as well.

Aranmor
Aranmor is a ruined city from the Second Age. It was originally an independent city that was annexed by the Kingdom of Avellyn. It was razed by the red dragon Dalthoragham who lairs in the ruins to this day.

Blackridge Hold
This fortress is found on the southern side of the Dragonstongue Mountains. It was built by Cyrus Skullsmiter - a mercenary who was exiled from Essengard for being too bloodthirsty. Cyrus has gathered a number of like-minded mercenaries at Blackridge and offers his services in western Karnathas. He supplements payment from employers with gems and metals mined in the Dragonstongue by his many slaves.

Caelamhir
Caelamhir is a wizard's tower found in a valley in the eastern Orcfangs. It is occupied by a lich named Vasilaros.

Carsus
Carsus is a ruined town west of Ilmara. It was destroyed in 1099 by a cabal of necromancers and their Undead army. The necromancers struck from their hidden lair in the Pale Forest to the north and overran the town. Ilmaran forces marched on Carsus and were able to drive back the Undead, but by then the inhabitants that hadn't escaped were either dead in the streets or dead and among the ranks of their killers. The necromancers themselves escaped and are believed to still be in the Pale Forest.

Dargrad
Dargrad is a ruined town northeast of Malcythia. It had been an independent settlement until Malcythia demanded their fealty. Dargrad refused, and in return the Malcythians attacked the town, enslaving a portion of the population and massacring the rest. The bodies of the slain still lie in the ruined streets or hang from towers and rooftops.

Darkspire
Darkspire is a huge cavern complex carved from the inside of a mountain on the north side of the Dragonstongue Mountains. It was home to a enclave of wizards during the days of the Marasinian Empire, but was abandoned by most of them during the Thaumaturgical Wars. Today it is occupied by a variety of monsters, with a large section of the complex belonging to the Nalgrim.

Helgard Keep
Helgard Keep was once the home of a Marasinian demonologist named Kalestas. Kalestas disappeared early during the Third Age and his stronghold lay empty for centuries. It was re-occupied by a small cabal of wizards who delved into Kalestas' journals and opened up a portal to the Abyss. A force of Marasinian war wizards had to travel to Helgard Keep to contain the damage. Today, no one claims the keep though it is occupied by humanoid tribes more often than not. It is said that the Drakari have worked their way into Helgard from the Underworld and are planning on using it as a staging area for an invasion of the valley.

Inverbrook
Inverbrook is a ruined city dating from the Second Age. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Avellyn.

King's Way
The King's Way is an ancient road that goes from Ilmara to Irongate. More information may be found here.

Lor Elesna
Lor Elesna is a ruined Sylvari city found to the north of Woodcross Inn. More information may be found here.

Maldwyn's Tower
This tower is found a short distance north of the King's Way. It is home to the wizard Maldwyn, a reclusive mage supposedly of great power. He does not welcome casual visitors, but he will entertain those who are looking to buy powerful magic items from him or sell the same to him. Maldwyn also seeks adventurers to accomplish tasks that he is too busy to do himself. It is rumored that his tower contains portals to the Elemental Chaos and the Astral Sea.

Nightstone
This secluded stronghold was once used by an enclave of Marasinian wizards to conduct secret experiments and craft powerful magic weapons. The vaults beneath Nightstone are said to contain one of their "apocalypse weapons" (and possibly more than one). The fortress is currently occupied by an order of rangers who work to keep the Malcythians from finding the weapon, while they search for it themselves to either destroy it or move it to a more secure location.

Temple of Adalus
Clerics of Adalus established a temple to their dark god in the western Myridian Fens ages ago. It was one of the largest temples to the god of "malevolent passions". Legend says that the temple contains a permanent teleportation circle which evil priests of Savia use to quickly cross vast distances.

Thorgrimm's Crossing
Thorgrimm's Crossing is a large, stone bridge that spans the gorge created by the Nyrsin River. Built by dwarves ages ago, it is the only convenient way to reach Kharazgar by land. A garrison from the Runir city guards the Crossing.

Settlements

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The settlements of the Avellyn River Valley are summarized below. As mentioned above, this list is not exhaustive - there are other, smaller or less notable keeps and villages in the valley that are not listed. For the meaning of the terms used underneath each name, refer to the Economics page.

Aldenshire
Frontier Village
Population: 630
Ruler: Lord Graham Hallard (half-elf)
Aldenshire is an idyllic village located in a fertile valley in the southern Orcfangs. The woods and fields of the valley regularly provide the village with a surplus of grain and other goods which they ship south to Coreth. Aldenshire has the highest proportion of Sylvari of any human settlement in the Avellyn River Valley.

Barrendale
Standard Town
Population: 4,480
Ruler: Baroness Elsa Zadora
Barrendale is a town found to the north of Malcythia. It is a property of that city-state, though it has been granted a great deal of autonomy. The town is ruled by the beautiful Elsa Zadora, who is rumored by many to be a vampire and a worshiper of Mallora. The Covenant quietly tolerates this as Barrendale supplies most of Malcythia's food and many other resources. Baroness Zadora is well aware of this fact and takes full advantage of it.

Blackarch Keep
Stronghold
Population: 85
Ruler: Sir Vardis Pike
Blackarch Keep is built on a large, arch-shaped formation of dark rock in a hilly spur of the Orcfangs - hence the name. The lord of the stronghold, Vardis Pike, was installed by the Baroness of Coreth to provide protection on the road between the city and Aldenshire. However, Pike (who is rumored to have links to the Guild) has ambitions of his own that aren't necessarily in line with those of Coreth.

Carrickham
Standard Town
Population: 3,500
Ruler: Baron Carsten Ressler
Carrickham is a modest town, but it enjoys a modest amount of prosperity. The farmers of the Avellyn Plains bring their grain to Carrickham for shipping south to York, while boats and caravans with ore from Stonehaven will stop here on their way to York. Baron Ressler's men regularly patrol the road to York to help guard against threats from the Venhorg Swamp.

Carnelian Order
Stronghold
Population: 70
Ruler: Sir Lukas Saxgeld
This stronghold was once a castle of the Avellyn Wall. It has been claimed by the Carnelian Order, a knightly organization dedicated to the god Azakhar.

Coreth
Standard Town
Population: 7,820
Ruler: Baroness Elmira Blackriver
Click here for description

Dunholm
Frontier Village
Population: 280
Ruler: Elder Donal
Dunholm is a small village established in and around an abandoned castle on the southern shore of Spring Lake. The villagers are a rough lot, grizzled woodsmen and hardened ex-mercenaries who have chosen to live outside the restrictions of larger cities but recognizing the value in shared security. Elder Donal is less a ruler and more an adviser or spokesman for Dunholm. The village isn't closed to outsiders, but one must gain the respect of the inhabitants to be truly welcome.

Highwood
Standard Village
Population: 540
Ruler: Highwood Village Council
Important NPCs: Kegan (head of Village Council), Alvis (tavernkeep, councilman), Fergus (smith, councilman), Jarrith (wheelwright, councilman)
Businesses of Note: The Enchanted Lantern (inn), the Serpent and the Lion (tavern)
Highwood is a village in the center of the Silvenoak Forest. It enjoys a fair amount of prosperity given its location along the King's Way and the Avellyn River.

Until 1104, Highwood was ruled by Sir Evan Cantery, a black-hearted knight allied with House Malor. In a confrontation with a group associated House Argentus (including Biren Oathbattler, Qualic, Shashank Venora Argentus, and Terius), he was slain. Shashank replaced his authority with a council of the village's leaders.

Ilmara
Trade City
Population: 27,000
Ruler: Prince Darius Balthasard
Click here for description

Irongate
Standard Town
Population: 4,300
Ruler: Lord Garrick Taelin
Click here for description

Kharazgar
Standard City
Population: 11,000
Ruler: Beric Hammerfist (Runir)
Click here for description

Malcythia
Standard City
Population: 18,000
Ruler: Covenant of Blood and Iron
Click here for description

Northcrest
Frontier Town
Population: 1,040
Ruler: Lord Zachris Herrod
Northcrest is a town nestled in a small valley in the southern Orcfangs. It is primarily a mining town, though there are a substantial number of farms in the valley as well.

Port Ardant
Frontier Village
Population: 350
Ruler: Viledard Skullsplitter
Port Ardant was a prosperous port town that was laid waste during the Thaumaturgical Wars. Since then it has become home to various humanoid tribes and groups of bandits. Currently, about a third of the town is occupied by a handful of factions, but it is dominated by a group of brigands known as the Black Talons. The Talons' leader, Viledard Skullsplitter, is the de facto ruler of the town and does maintain a semblance of order. His ultimate goal is to carve a bandit kingdom out of the area north of the Orcfangs.

Stonehaven
Frontier Village
Population: 900
Ruler: Dwalar Ironbeard
The mountains to the north of Stonehaven are home to numerous mines, and their yield makes its way to the village before being shipped to the larger towns and cities to the south. Stonehaven is a fortified village with half of its structures under the Orcfang foothills (the result of converting an exhausted mine into living and storage space). Attacks by marauding bands of humanoids and other monsters are a daily threat, but the village's fortifications help to mitigate the danger.

Winterhaven
Trade Village
Population: 977
Ruler: Lord Ernest Padraig
Winterhaven is a small agricultural village in the central Silvenoak Forest. It is a stopover for caravans traveling on the King's Way.

Woodcross Inn
Standard Village
Population: 36
Ruler: Orren Goldwarden (half-elf)
The Woodcross Inn is a large fortified inn (though the amount of goods that pass through the place make it the economic equivalent of a Standard Village). It is located in the thick of the Silvenoak Forest at the junction of the Nyrsin and Avellyn rivers, a place where the dangers of the forest make the establishment of a larger settlement too costly. It is a good stopover point for travelers and caravans, however, which allows the inn to thrive. A few businesses have been established at the Inn, and well-paid mercenaries help to protect the place.

York
Trade Town
Population: 8,500
Ruler: Lord Mayor Garrott Crockard
York is an Ilmaran town but it is semi-autonomous and generally left to its own devices. It is a nexus for ore and grain shipped south from Carrickham and Stonehaven as well as for trade from the south and east.

Travel Times

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As a convenience the table below is provided, showing the approximate travel time between various settlements in the Avellyn River Valley when traveled by foot, horse, wagon, boat, or air. Note that these distances (other than boat or air) assume travel on the King's Way or other roads; cross-country travel will take considerably longer and is more dangerous.

d = days, h = hours

Settlements	Foot1	Horse2	Wagon	Boat3	Air4
Blackarch Keep - Aldenshire	1.5 d	1 d	2 d	n/a	6 h
Carrickham - Stonehaven	1.5 d	1 d	1.5 d	2.5 d / 1.5 d	5 h
Coreth - Blackarch Keep	2.5 d	1.5 d	3 d	n/a	1 d
Coreth - Irongate	5 d	3 d	6 d	n/a	1.5 d
Highwood - Inverbrook	2 d	1 d	2 d	n/a	7 h
Highwood - Winterhaven	7 h	4 h	8 h	n/a	3 h
Ilmara - Carsus	2.5 d	1.5 d	3 d	5 d / 5 d	8 h
Ilmara - Thorgrimm's Crossing	3 d	1.5 d	3.5 d	n/a	1 d
Ilmara - York	2 d	1 d	2 d	3.5 d / 2 d	7 h
Thorgrimm's Crossing - Kharazgar	2 d	1 d	2.5 d	n/a	7 h
Winterhaven - Coreth	2 d	1 d	2 d	n/a	7 h
Winterhaven - Northcrest	1.5 d	1 d	2 d	3.5 d / 2 d	6 h
Woodcross Inn - Highwood	2 d	1 d	2.5 d	4 d / 2.5 d	7 h
York - Carrickham	1.5 d	1 d	2 d	5 d / 3 d	6 h
York - Woodcross Inn	2.5 d	1.5 d	3 d	5 d / 3 d	9 h

1: Assumes typical human Speed 6
2: Assumes a riding horse with Speed 10
3: The first number is from the first settlement to the second; the second number is the reverse trip.
4: Assumes direct route - "as the crow flies" - by creature with Overland Flight 15.