As the river flows south and out of the grasslands it passes into its final leg before meeting the ocean. A lifeline for the red-rocked tablelands of the Uplift, its final moments are no less impactful than its origin—it carves a path of cerulean abundance across what would otherwise be a lifeless expanse, and its presence gives rise to a varied and plentiful ecosystem both in and around its waters.
For many ages the people of the Uplift were few and scattered: wanderers all. Permanent habituation was a struggle, and sources of food were often on the move according to the pattern of the seasons. It was the discovery of stone-shaping that permitted them to take up residence within the tall spires at the heart of the region, and over the last century they have put down roots: establishing trade networks with the wider world, and serving as a refuge for those heading to or returning from the sea.
High columns and arches have been hollowed out within the tall pillars of rock, wide slits evenly spaced among their height to capture and spread cooling winds to those that inhabit them. Structures have been erected between each spire, and paved roads interconnect each.
Locales and Travel in the Uplift
- The Heir of Dawn — A freestanding spire whose pinnacle is vaguely shaped like a person gesturing toward the horizon. In The Telling, the Heir was the first to see the sun to shine its face upon the Uplift, and so the Deluge carved their likeness out of stone so that there might always be a witness to its rising. (2 watches)
- Serpent Lake — The main trunk of the river deposits into this large lake at the foot of the ascent to the southernmost cliffs. The cooling easterly wind passing over the face of the water keeps Terassir livable, and generates the mist that hangs about the spires at dusk and dawn. (1 watch)
- A strange instrument played by the winds sits in an old ruin east of the city. (2 watches)
- The heart tree is an anchor between our world and the Wood. Technically, all the foliage of the spires is an extension of it—where the true heart lies is a secret held close by the few who commune with it. Said to have been planted as a marker of peace after a great conflict Long Ago.
- The Western Coast — The river out of Terassir runs to the lake, and a thin channel runs from there to deposit into the small bay nestled in the curve of the coastline. From here, ships traveling the perimeter of the continent and those arriving from other lands come and go. (1 watch)
- Stone Palm: As summer turns to fall the fires will abate, and a long season of rain will begin. (6 watches)
- Armil, the fungiform city.: The iron markets have closed for another cycle—now is the time of tending and growth. (9 watches)
- Ashveldt: While our world continues in its wide transit ‘round the sun, the lava fields of the southwest edge stir, sending forth fonts of burning red ire across that flat expanse. (9 watches)
- Across the sea: The equatorial continents, the archipelago, and beyond.
Flora and Fauna
- The Nenuphar: In spots where the river is slow enough for their propagation, these large lilies will anchor themselves in place, their fine and tangled roots extending deep into the dark water beneath them. Beautiful, but the bane of river ships.
- Cacti — Water is scarce off the riverway. There, cacti hold dominion.
- Moondrops cluster in tightly packed nodes under the shade of mesas and outcrops. Their sharp, fan-like leaves unfurl at night and reveal a dimly glowing flower. Edible, medicinal.
- Wandering Cacti span vast stretches of the tablelands. When they reach maturity they detach from their the rest of their kin and roll down and away to the lowlands below, wandering aimlessly and sometimes congregating in shallow valleys. Practical, hazardous
- Arborescents grow tall and many-armed, like trees. Despite their sharp spines they serve as a source of food, water, and shelter many different types of creature in the dry wastes. Edible, hazardous
- Butcherbirds — Carnivorous birds, known to impale their prey upon sticks and the spiny extrusions of local cacti.
- Wild Horses — They keep close to the rivers, for there is little food for them anywhere else. But sometimes on clear nights one might find ten or twelve of them cantering together on a red stage of stone under blue moonlight.
- Painted Dogs — Round-eared canines that migrate according to seasonal patterns and the movements of their favored prey: the crag deer.
- Crag Deer — Adapted for foraging within the bounds of the cloudy spires that surround the riverway. When standing still, they are hard to differentiate from red stone and vegetation.
- Polecats — A beloved creature to the people of the city, enemy to rodents and insects. Often kept as pets.
Folklore
- There have been many reported sightings of Dark Watchers—tall, featureless silhouettes wearing wide-brimmed hats, or carrying staves, observing from some faraway vantage. When approached they meld into the shadows and disappear from sight. Could possibly be explained by symptoms of exhaustion or dehydration.
- A great olm is purported to live within the depths of Serpent Lake, somewhere in the network of caves that stretch down and away to the Roots below. If such a thing does still exist, it is immeasurably old.
Institutions of Terassir
- The Library of Dusk, named so for the famous caravansary started by Dusk Road Caravans—their emblem a lone black wagon on a field of plum and gold. Over the last decade they have made for themselves a permanent home amongst the spires, and assembled such properties and works that they might open a bastion of knowledge and learning on the far end of the continent—a sort of mirror to our Academy of Starfall to the northeast.
- Crafters, menders, and experts of all sorts make use of the rare reagents that can be foraged from the drylands and the neighboring sea.
- Where the river network ends, the Oceanway begins. Captains assemble crews from locals, other sailors returning from recent journeys, and just about anyone else with skill to make it on the sea.
Spirefolk
- You already know that Crow is going to be here. Star, too.
- Lusine, the witchwarden (1/3/7): A witch inducted into the rites of the fieldwardens is a rare thing, but Lusine’s natural penchant for demonology and familiarity with their lands made her a sure fit. Her wings bear her from spire to spire and across the tablelands—a vast steading with many travelers requires one with the unique vantage of the airborne.
- The glazier Bauble (3/3/5): They work on the south end of the city: a small workshop at the base of a spire, and behind it a quarter-acre tract of land dotted with pit kilns, often burning.
- Ring-Maker Erasmus (2/3/5): High up in an isolate spire is a little workshop inhabited by the old jeweler. They work with metal rarely and stone often and—through a carving technique passed down by the old masters—is able to imbue his work with certain minor charms and enchantments.
- Sonja (1/3/3): Once a sailor on the open sea, Sonja has been one of the mainstays of the river networks for the last 15 years. Her vessel the Argosy is a collection of trinkets, odds, and baubles from the world over.
- Bolivar of Ersillia (2/2/1): A young storyteller and singer from the archipelago. He has come here to Sahfri in search of a new and useful story to bring home. He can often be found by the riverside, playing his kithara and speaking with those on the main decks of ships as they come down the river.
- Captain Aqua (1/3/2) and Vicky (2/2/10🐎): A captain of the open sea, and one of the few operating an Icecracker vessel: those rare ships that brave the glacial north to trade with Starfall Academy. It is a lucrative and dangerous profession.
- Flax, and The Arm Brothers: These three showed up one day with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a pile of spellbooks. Over the following months they have found places for themselves in the city.
- Flax (1/1/10~🐁): A 3 foot tall woman. She is also a mouse—tawny brown fur and dark, focused eyes. She is the apparent leader of the trio, though her connection to the brothers seems circumstantial at best. Can often be found at the Library of Dusk, haggling over the price of books.
- Sable (3/3/1): A hunter and tracker of the less reputable sort. They can always sniff something out for the right price.
- Ron (2/2/1): A barber-surgeon with a penchant for making artificial limbs and mobility aids. He has set up a small clinic and has quickly ingratiated himself to the community.
- The Library Staff
The three founders of the library are all siblings, and all inheritors to the legacy of the Dusk Road Caravan, having been given the responsibility of its management some twenty or so years past.
- Koark (2/2/6), a Teller: The eldest sibling. A member of the Order of Tales, he catalogues things rarely written down: oral histories, folk tales, and songs. Many years ago he left the desert to travel the continent and gather new stories,
- Cinna (3/3/6), the Curator: The youngest sibling. A former attendant of Starfall Academy, Cinna left before the end of their first year and returned home, claiming that the cold weather was not conducive to their learning. They have largely given up practicing the art of magic, but still has a knack for identifying and containing spellbooks.
- Marlo (2/3/6), the Librarian: If any one of the siblings could be said to have masterminded the idea of forming a library in the desert, it would be Marlo. It has he who always sought out books from other caravans, and who made contact with other such institutions on other continents. It is a passion for them, and they know the name of each book sitting upon the shelves.
Character Key
Pronoun 1
- She
- He
- They
- It
- Xe
- Other
Pronoun 2
- Her
- Him
- Them
- Its
- Xem
- Other
Type
- Human
- Anuran (Amphibious peoples)
- Gnoll
- Goblin
- Kobold
- Orc
- Ecdys (Insectoids)
- Harp
- Construct or elemental (magical, or otherwise)
- Other