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While the Manifest Ward makes the forest a strange place, the area outside the Ward has its share of unusual locations. The Steam Pit: The earth in this area is split open and great gouts of burning steam erupt from it daily. The moist interior walls of the pit have been tunneled out by the followers of Nessek, who consider the place a holy site and use it as a small temple. Exploration of the lower levels by brave members of the faithful protected by magic has found places where seawater enters at high tide, draining downward into cracks too small for humans to enter but presumably connecting with underground lava tubes. Molten rock in these tubes boils the water and vents it upward as steam. The members of this temple bypass the main channel of the Steam Pit to avoid death by scalding. Lairs of the White Hound: A particularly large white dog is known to live in the northeastern part of the peninsula. Thought to be a servant of Eanius, this hound, Nila, never speaks but acts intelligently. She rescues people from the water, chases predators away from farms and livestock, and hunts animals for families in need. She makes temporary lairs on the coast and the outskirts of the forest and rarely sleeps in the same place twice. She can climb trees as easily as walking and has recovered from seemingly mortal wounds. The Skystones: Legends have it that these three stones fell from the sky over a thousand years ago.
COUNTRIES
Important Sites
Now they are spaced about 500 feet apart in a straight line toward Manifest, each in a small crater. The metallic gold skystones are 5 feet across and have resisted all attempts to move or harm them. Any ghosts within a thousand feet of any of the stones are forced to manifest fully just as if they were within the Manifest Ward. Incorporeal undead cannot approach within this same distance. The churches of Aluvan and Eanius consider the skystones to be religious artifacts, and each church maintains a shrine and residence nearby for a handful of clerics. Argalos, the Great Stone Giant: People walking along the eastern Hikirian coast eventually discover an enormous pair of stone legs and feet protruding from the water. This is the lower half of Argalos, the Great Stone Giant. The rest of the stony body extends underwater, and if he were standing, would be nearly 100 feet tall. Argalos is thought to be a demigod of passion and grandeur who died centuries ago after a failed love affair. He saw his lover sailing east, knew he had lost her, and died on the spot, his body transforming into magical stone and falling partway into the water. While barnacles grow on him and other sea creatures swim around his fallen form, Argalos still has a vestige of magic, and divine spellcasters who sacrifice jewelry in his presence are sometimes rewarded with the recalling of spent spells (as if by a pearl of power of any level). Many cults have tried to awaken Argalos or draw more power from him, but they have failed.
CHAPTER 4:
sionally battle each other for territory but usually leave strangers alone. The three islands off the coast are settled by small fishing villages, which are inhabited by humans, elves, halflings, or lizardfolk. Like much of the mainland coast, they are subject to frequent attacks by scrags and other strange aquatic monsters. The villages consider themselves independent of Manifest or any other country, preferring to govern and protect themselves in a loose alliance that transcends race. Chulla (Small Town, 1,500): This small settlement might not exist if not for its large docks, which accept ships from all over the world, bearing visitors to Manifest and bodies on the Ghostwalk. The town maintains one small warship in the event of an overt attack by Xaphan. The churches of Aluvan and Dracanish maintain temples here to explain to visitors what to expect when they enter the city. Chulla also has some trade with the three nearby islands. Vestarn (Small Town, 1,100): Vestarn is a quiet place with a small but beautiful beach. It exists as a place of recreation for wealthy nobles and ghosts of Manifest, for while it is outside of the Manifest Ward its sights are still pleasant to incorporeal eyes. Vestarn gets little traffic from the Ghostwalk, as the town officials prefer that those ships dock in the Salkirian city of Nonaull or go around the peninsula to Chulla.
SALKIRIA Capital: Donaree Population: 1,219,800; human (92%), halfling (7%). Government: Monarchy Religions: Aluvan, Durann, Soggelos, Wyst Imports: Beef, lumber, marble Exports: Gems, sweets, textiles Alignment: NG, LG, LN, N Once a place of petty nobles, rampant taxation, and religious oppression, Salkiria is now a friendly and welcoming country obsessed with music, food, dance, and artistic swordplay. Because the Ghostwalk passes through the country, Salkiria sees a constant influx of trade and information, making it the most cosmopolitan territory in this part of the world. Because its government is a hereditary monarchy, Salkiria’s fortunes have risen and fallen over time depending upon the actions of its ruling family. Although their lowest point was the rule of King Illustram and his taxation of the dead caravans (which led to the War of Turrin River against Tereppek), the kings and queens of Salkiria have had their share of cruelty, madness, and squabbling. Young king Larrison has encouraged the worship of Durann, a faith espoused by his mother, and worship of the True Guide is likely to bring long-term stability to this country.
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