Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #197

Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #197 

July 16th, 2023 

• Number: 197 

• Name: Sequential Dive on a Site of Interest: West Rift Ventures of Carasta Part 1: Another Crack in the World 

• Location:  Center of the Narrows between the Sleeping Woods and the Furnace 

• Population (approx.): None so far 

• Brief: The machines of the underearth (whether elemental, wurm or dragon) are causing the northen land of Norgorfel to move slowly west and the southern land of Sudeben to move east. This causes the Narrows to slowly stretch and widen over time, eons ago creating Engruch the land between the two continents. The movement creates rifts and valleys stretching south to north. Depths vary but it is rumored that some of these crevices may be bottomless (reaching the realms of the Underdark, demons, dragons and other Fell dangers). Inland explorers beware! 

• Earthquakes usually herald the appearance of a new tear in the surface of Aenwyld. A strong tremblor opened a crevasse west of the Furnace. Outriders of the Miners or Travellers Guilds rush to explore the sites, usually searching for minerals and gems, but this time something unique was discovered. The first scout to arrive saw remains of structures jutting out of the walls of the opening twenty to fifty feet below the surface. News reached Carasta and interested Guilds immediately huddled resulting in the Mercenaries, Miners and Travellers Guilds forming a concern, “West Rift Ventures,” (WRV) to explore and, if there was potential, exploit the site. The formation of a registered concern allows the group to claim the land of the site to use as they see fit, without interference of other Guilds or competing concerns, as protected by the rules and charters of the Guild Collegium. 

• Geography: The newly formed (and discovered) rift is about 30 miles west of the northern end of the Furnace (#23) and about 50 miles southeast of the Sleeping Woods (#62). The scout’s report measures the rift at currently about 20 miles wide, running roughly east to a touch south of west. The width at its widest is currently 150 yards but sections of both sides are reportedly unstable and might collapse into the unmeasured depths at any moment. The Traveller’s Guild scouts and builders are blazing a trail from Woodland Path (#98) west of south toward the approximated north end of the new rift. 

• Next Article: West Rift Ventures Part 2: Base Camp