Ahzrakan
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The Gated Road

The road between Toprakkis and Majya goes directly through the ancient Elven conclave of Azhrakan and its bastion of Nilm Sadun, a heavily forested mountain corridor guarded by Thanari Alfar, the descendants of Gorn. They are known as allies of the First Heroes who swore to entomb a dangerous but important artifact that can neither be tamed or destroyed, the Heart of Creation. The resulting structure, the Cenotaph, is hidden somewhere deep in Nilm Sadun. The Thanari Nilm are sworn to hold the land against foreign influence or invasion, and have done so since the 19th Cycle.

The Dead Don't Dream

Unfortunately, many of the Alfar that live within Azhrakan have the Dream Sickness, a powerful curse that causes them to slowly become insane as they age. Only a few seem to be naturally immune, but some have found a way to cheat the sickess: Undeath. The ruling elders of Azhrakan are almost all Liches or Undead of various kinds, tethered to the concerns of the mortal world through arcane rituals and ancient rite, and through their families who enter into dark pacts to extend their lives.

The Secret Stories

Those who reside here are secretive master of nature, preferring to live in the decaying ruins of the old Kazmora, tending to their ailing corporeal ancestors. Due to these social concerns, citizens of this land are xenophobic and tightly wound around ancient tradition. They write down little, keeping lore through rich oral histories. One of the most important traditions to the residents of Azhrakan is that of the hunt, traditionally done at high tide when the Dream Sickness is at its least powerful. Even though the Cenotaph dampens the Heart of Creation's influence, the immediate area around it is still rife with interplanar magic. Strange things are constantly passing into this world, contained both by the natural terrain and the quick work of the Thanari Alfar.

Caught between West and East

As Majya grows into the first true empire of modern age, the Thanari Alfar have been pressured to allow limited travel through the unforgiving terrain of their kingdom. Despite that, travel through the area is very dangerous. The hunters of the region have allowed certain superpredators to carve out ecological niches around the Cenotaph in order to better control unexpected incursions, something which is difficult for outsiders to understand.

The Cenotaphic Miasma

Ahzrakan's great Eastern and Western gates are designed to hold in the Miasma, a strange atmospheric phenomenon associated with the Heart of Creation. Once relatively rare, it is now The Miasma can be found all throughout the valley, giving everything a light green tinge that is clearly visible when looking up towards the sky. Somewhere between air and water in terms of thickness, the Miasma is tolerable to the denizens of Geron but a bit uncomfortable to breath and move through. It supports the physiology of many of the strange creatures that lurk within the forests, most of which die quickly once exposed to normal air.

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