the spine

She remembered something from long ago, from when she was only a child. Teachings in the Temple of her once great people. She couldn't remember the teaching exactly, but she remembered the idea of it. That taking someone's life for pleasure or personal gain, not only ended one person's life, but...

Northwest of the Spine Entering the Fringelands "Highlands" by Alexander Pohl Fleet paws clipped across mossy terrain, a drifting shadow among a landscape of green beneath an overcast sky. The winds had picked up over the course of the day, bringing the promising smell of rain with them as...

The quicksilver moonlight casted against the low-laying marsh, reflecting off of it’s pale blue-green body of still water. Lily pads and lake weed dotted along the edge as insectual organisms perched amongst the lush vegetation. Dragonflies with dew dotted wings envied the fireflies that...

A summons finds you, handed off by a squire, or left in a place all would know you frequent. A call for aid from the East. Lord Brimheart of Grenquarry, has unearthed some foul strangeness in the depths of his mines, an entire mining party has been lost. Risk level, high. Report to the Chamber...

CATACOMBS OF STAGKEEP, THE SPINE ONE WEEK AGO... The thieves were not from the Spine, far less from anywhere remote of Stagkeep. Stagkeep, of course being one of the smaller, but still bountiful holds in the Spine. Named for it's numerous game population, Stagkeep also had a violent and sad...

Open tomes with twigs pointing out paragraphs within. Scrolls unrolled to reveal specific sections. Parchment with words and numbers scribbled all over them. These items littered the desk of a visibly annoyed human in fine clothes. Fresh wrinkles growing older as he frowned. Salt and pepper hair...

In The Spine - A Ways South of The Eldyr Tree. (Crescent Moon) It had been many a year since He went on any sort of expedition. The Ixchel Wilds had always given him comfort and a place where the animals knew him, and so they had several sleepovers and hunts for food together. But that nice...

The journey from the Astenvale Monastery to the Spine, the land of his forebears and the place he had once called home, was an arduous one. The woods at the base of his rugged homelands were full of Orchish tribes, and only few of these were welcoming to a Goliath such as he. Taking care of the...

Alliria. A thriving city, built upon the greed of many, where wealth is power. This was the same city Dauner had established the Reaper's Den in. With the initial framework for his plans in place, all he needed to do was sit back and wait. Once he'd amassed a suitable army, he would find, or...

The Spine It had been some weeks since Valdr had settled in his temporary quarters of Route. Months since he and his betrothed had toured his Homeland. The truth of it, was that he found much more peace out east. Less confined. There were more kingdoms, more warbands, more variables and far...

How long had it been? How long had Kaelan been wasting away here since the Mountainbreaker's fall? The elf had lost all track of time since then. Now there was only the static. The Draw. The voices of his friends had almost wholly left him. No more did he dream of far away places, grandiose and...

Three Years Ago It had been several days since they had left the safety of the Monastery and traveled north and east toward the Spine. Their packs had been well supplied, and hunting and foraging kept them in good stock. The dry goods, the jerky and flat breads, fruit leather and roasted nuts...

[art cred] Early morning in the foothills of the spine, snow still coating the forest floor despite winter having come to an end. It had been a hard winter for the inhabitants that lived in the spine, game had been scarce and the freezing cold had reach new heights. Everyone was looking forward...

[art cred] The song of birds could be heard before the sun had even began to rise. Despite the early spring chill, small woodland creatures that resided in the winter-like depths of The Spine were out and about, already working on foraging for the day. White colored pine martens were dashing...

[art cred] Cais Vihara | often known as the water temple | located southwest of the spine, at the base of the dark forest that surrounds the Eldyr Tree. Cais Vihara is a temple designated to offer tribute to the old Gods of the Vale and repent for the transgressions of man. The monks here know...

Somewhere off the shore of the Crobhear Lake. Harrovian Manor. Kieran had done some pretty terrible things in his life. Buying and marring the beautiful human, Brie (new surname Harrovian), was probably up towards the top of the list. Was he ashamed? No. Regretful? Hell no. Entertained...

Some Five Years Ago... Tall and with a straight back, Helena reminded herself. One hand on the scabbard, with eyes upon the horizon. She remembered Master Hiling's advice, and while the Dawn's Master of Life was a half-dwarf who stood some four feet and a half, Helena could never deny how...

Rootgrot Burrow, beneath the Astenvale Monastery. Thick tendrils of root and branch coiled upwards in an organic and intricate weave, forming ceiling, walls, and support columns all in one go. The further one got towards the outer edge of the Burrow, the more open and forest-y things felt...

It had been a day since they had left behind their horses - the terrain too treacherous to risk their mounts- two days since they had left the safety and comforts of the monastery, and the climb up the rocky and barren trail was harsh, though Helena did not seem at all harried by it. Born upon...

Coyote breathes in deeply, appreciating the scent of the mountain air, and the tiny little wildflowers wafting up to him as Yorel steps over them. This was the farthest North he'd been, and likely the highest up the Spine he's been as well, given the look of the landscape, and the way the few...