Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #303

Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #303 

October 31st, 2023 

• Number: 303 

• Name: Deep Dive on a Site of Interest:  The Gateway Complex – Part 2 

• Location: Western Gold Mountains northwest of the City-State of Carasta 

• Population (approx.): 83 (The Gatehouse) 

• Brief: The written records and oral histories of the first Kin of the region, mostly Elves and other Faeries, tell of strange happenings about the base of Nuan Malie. Bursts of multi-colored lights during the day or night, accompanied by almost musical tones and notes. Strange creatures subsequently wandering the woods or found dead on the slopes. As the Arcane Guild extended its reach across Aenwyld, scholars and bards heard the tales and sent explorers to investigate. The great crevasse on the flank of Nuan Malie was discovered but not of note until the lights and sounds within announced the arrival of an extra-planar horror. It took time and resources, but eventually magicians tracked down the thing and defeated it. The Guild built the Complex and handled future transits through the Gateway. It was but a few years ago, as events began to suggest one of the ancient great powers greedily eyed Aenwyld for their own, that a single unique traveler, more akin to the First Ones and the Gods than the mortal Kin, made a spectacular but peaceful arrival in the chamber. The angelic creature says she is here but to help but some are not so sure. 

• Iysel (appears to be in her 20s but her true age is unknown) a female Deva, is a planeswalker. She is a Movanic Deva (an angelic extraplanar humanoid) and has white skin and silver eyes. Her wings are glorious, with white and gold tipped feathers. Iysel's hair is silver and worn pageboy style. She wears a one-piece dress in silver or gold with ties for the shoulders so they can get around her wings. Iysel carries a large magical mace with a golden handle. She wears it strapped to her back in a special harness that she had made. 

• Iysel's geas is to wander the planes and look for people that need help. She happened upon the Gateway and decided that it would make a good base of operations. Most people who work and live around the Gateway know of Iysel and trust her to do what's right. Iysel goes to the Gateway first when something is wrong, or someone arrives. 

• Iysel lives in a lovely house near the Gateway and rarely spends much time there. She is very active and has made friends with most people in the area. Her best friend is Lea Whitward, 26, female Human. The two of them love to have afternoon tea together. Iysel also loves to fly and practices diving and swooping the skies in the afternoon. 

• Geography: The gateway (location 1 see below) hangs in the middle of a roughly spherical cavern about 60 feet in diameter. The first magicians on site raised the ground under the rift to form a platform providing a soft landing instead of a 30-foot fall to the stone below. The western edge of the chamber is open originally with a short walk to the outside world which has since been blocked by the buildings of the Gateway Complex. Several other tunnels exit the chamber to other cave complexes, a mix of natural and Kin-made.