Starfell Mountains

During the time of the Sylvan Empire, this was a lawless place. The emperor could not be expected to patrol such an inhospitable reach, and so bandits often came down from the high country to prey on travellers on the Mountain Road, then escaped back to their secure domains.

Since the rise of Soros this area is no longer such a haven for bandits. The patrols from Soros are natives to the region, and are as comfortable with pitons or skis as they are on horseback. While it’s safer than it’s ever been, it’s a rugged land so off of the high roads you must be careful. It’s not just bandits. The majesty of these peaks is impressive but various monsters and natural dangers such as cliffs, flash floods, and avalanches are risks. The people who settled this land prefer independence and isolation, and don’t care for strangers who trespass. There are many whose policy is to shoot an arrow and only then ask what your business might be.

In my grandfather’s time, Soros was just a village that served the surrounding quarries. It was their first king’s vision to use those quarries to produce a great city. It has the look of a planned city--the market is just a bit too small, and the plaza just a bit too large. However, do not underestimate its formidable look. Black as the mountains that surround it, the city walls, palace, and mason’s guildhall rise over the Flyssa River like another mountain peak in the range. Barges carrying the rock quarried into workable pieces constantly float downstream to the eager markets in Ixthos and beyond in the Sylva Bay.