The World of Aurelith and The Forsworn Wilds

Aurelith

Aurelith, meaning “golden stone," has a wealth of gold, jewels, and other useful materials beneath and around it, yes, but it is also a beacon in the darkness that is The Forsworn Wilds.

No one remembers how the city came to be. Many speculate that the first inhabitants of the area were too busy trying to survive to keep a written history, while some, especially amongst the Zerethil Archive, believe early settlers probably weren’t forward-thinking enough to understand the importance of properly documenting Aurelith’s history.

Aurelith is ruled by an absolute monarchy, where King Valamir Droskan holds unquestioned authority. There is no council or parliament to balance his power. Decisions are made solely by the king, enforced by his inner circle, and funded by oppressive taxes on the common folk. The queen and heir serve symbolic roles, but the king’s iron grip means loyalty is enforced through fear, bribes, and ruthless displays of power. The divide between the noble elite and the lower classes is stark: lavish estates of marble and gold rise above festering slums, while the wealthy dine in excess and the poor scrape for crumbs.

The city is surrounded on 3 sides by a 50 foot wall to the north, east, and south sides, while to the west the city opens to the sea. The wall keeps the city safe from threats in The Wilds, or so the king would have everyone believe. It's mostly true. Still, some must venture outside the walls for supplies. Injuries, attacks, and accidents are common.

The Forsworn Wilds

Aurelith is mostly surrounded by a sturdy, 50 foot tall wall. Part of the city is exposed to The Maw, the sea that meets Aurelith’s southwestern edge. To the west, Aurelith gently slopes towards the sea by means of a white beach, like the sand is made from bone dust. To the northwest is The Bloodbog, a fetid marsh where stagnant waters are red with rust, rot, and the memory of slaughter. North are The Keening Grasslands; endless winds sweep the plains, their moan like the lament of the restless dead. Northeast lie Wyrmtooth Peaks, a jagged mountain range like the teeth of some slumbering beast, forever crowned in storm. The rest of what is known of The Foresworn Wilds, to the east and south, is choked by Dreadbriar Grove, a tangled forest of thorn and shadow, where the very trees seem to thirst for blood, and should one decide to venture into them, they might not see the sun for days. That is, if they aren’t swallowed up by the barbed vines that seem to form a twisted blanket across the forest floor.

If this description gives the impression that The Forsworn Wilds are a dangerous and inhospitable place, then it is accurate. No one would choose to be born there; calling Aurelith home is not living; it is surviving. While groups will sometimes venture into The Wilds when the need is great enough, solo travellers rarely make it back alive, and anyone who has set off by land or sea to find a new home has never returned.

Biomes of The Forsworn Wilds

The Maw The sea to the southwest.

The Bloodbog The swamplands to the northwest.

The Keening Grasslands Plains to the north.

Wyrmtooth Peaks Snow-covered peaks to the northeast.

Dreadbriar Grove Dense forests to the east and south.