Realm of Bal-Kriav

I am no authority on the diverse regions of Bal-Kriav, yet I can convey to you the insights I have gleaned from my journeys across the lands and seas of Midrêth.

We commence our voyage near the flotsam of a distant entropic sea, the Isle of Angvild, home to the inventors of the first dirigibles. Traveling northward from Angvild, we pass the former pirate haven Wynvild, then continue on to encounter the initial Manes Chimney. These bone platforms serve as trade ports with Torvild's lich masters. Departing the macabre rigs, we travel westward to one of the realm's marvels, the Sea Tunnel. Through this otherworldly sea passage, vessels can make a swift journey to the far northwestern shores of the Brucrumus continent.

Westward, along the coasts of the Aerie of Dragons, lies a land dotted with ancient ruins from the Demon Spawn War and the fallen empires of Zeymah'kein and Mir'piamauza. This realm is inhabited by both humanoid dragons and their true-form counterparts, and conceals ancient sites of dragon magic such as Amaglothorn's glacial lair, the Ice Tear.

Sailing south from the Aerie of Dragons across the Sea of Mourning, we reach the dreaded isles of Necrocrypt, the domain of the Black Tide and their undead legions. Further south lie the northern coasts of Karterus, home to the yuan-ti empire of Malshirk'iss and the fiery empire of Goth-Dyvermoir, among others on the surface and below. The most remarkable marvel of this land is Mughakh-Gol, an ancient Primordial wall scattered here and there during the Creation War.

Sailing east across the strait of Salzârrâk, the towering Elephant Backbone seems to pierce the sky. Travelling westward, you enter the verdant Earthen lands of Karnegmoth. In this region, you will encounter landscapes warped by exposure to Chaos, as well as the ruins of one of the greatest empires of the First Epoch, Tinnanguth. This nation employed creatures from Granitoid to carry out their will, ultimately leading to their downfall. The environment of Karnegmoth is too strange for comfortable travel, so we head northeast instead, into Izagunbar. In this coastal region, we can admire the most seaworthy vessels of Bal-Kriav and perhaps share a drink with the Elderaunt, or even test our mettle in their fighting pits. If we prefer to be mere spectators, we can take a seat in the impressive Centrifuge Coliseum.

Departing the city of Orra, we embark on a northern voyage to the island of Ivagor, then chart a northwesterly course across the expansive Pearl Sea. Leaving behind the seemingly endless isles of the Buccaneer Archipelago and their myriad pirate denizens.

A journey northward will again bring you to Brucrumus. Venture too far southeast of Kautha, and you shall enter troubled waters. The source of these storm-tossed seas is a perpetual hurricane known as the Tintibulus Chute. We head to Hells Womb and make a call to the greatest city of the realm, Paradomea City. Despite the ominous name, Hells Womb is one of the more populated and intriguing regions of Brucrumus. This land is governed by a lich syndicate, the Council of Nine, ruling from Paradomea. These are not your typical liches, but rather an immortal cabal seeking wealth over evil deeds. Additionally, there exists a nation of knights with a code of honor, named the Council of Bile. While there are numerous other empires and wonders in this region, my ink supply is limited, and we must press on.

We depart Hells Womb and sail westward. The next region we encounter is the Lands of Purity. Accessing this region by land from Hells Womb proves challenging, as there are only two principal roads: the Sorrow Road and the Gunal. The Lands of Purity are perceived as the last bastion of goodness in an otherwise wicked realm. While there are certainly other virtuous empires and locales, the Lands of Purity boast a longstanding history of law, order, and righteousness. At the heart of this land lies Galathien, the continent's largest inland sea.

We now depart the Lands of Purity and enter the Troll Bogs, a region inhabited by trolls, Viidostor, Graagvrii, yuan-ti, giant lizards and reptiles, and other monstrosities. The difficulty in traversing this area accounts for the poor maps of the region. In the northern portion lies the Bog Sea, home to the floating cities of the Norderns. One of the most formidable empires in the area is the Ningizzida.

We travel northeast from the Troll Bogs to another wild region known as the Northern Hordelands. Within this domain, one encounters the witch-led Theegan hordes. This area contains a number of peculiar locations, including the Primordial Storm, Yagolorn, and Kapha-Lak. Perhaps the most perplexing aspect of this region was the emergence of the gnoll empire Yagamph, which achieved a remarkable degree of civilization for its gnoll inhabitants.

Delving deeper into the realm of empires that defy expectations, we now turn our attention to the mystical land of Grashakh. This region is dominated by the formidable Orchish Empire. The Githirmil, a breed distinct from the typical chaotic orc, have been shaped by generations of education and discipline under the tutelage of an otherworldly ruler, the esteemed Emperor Blac'drugulois. Grashakh, a land of towering mountains, stands in stark contrast to the surrounding regions. During the Horgon Era and into the First Epoch, the once-powerful Titan Empire of Glangveif held sway from the northern reaches of the Giant Steps.

Grashakh is bordered to the east by two regions. The southeastern region is Miradelgûn, home to the Toomrur Hegemony and ancient city-states. A vast expanse of Miradelgûn is covered in the Sands of Hell. Long ago, during the Lith-Crillion Era, the sand giants of this area venerated a race of enigmatic beings that roamed among them. These humanoids are known as the Lith-Crillion. The Pyramids of Power were constructed by the sand giants for the Lith-Crillion. These pyramids are scattered throughout the realm. Although this is tangential, the Helas Vessels are structures that are also dispersed across the realm and equally colossal in scale as the Pyramids of Power.

The other region bordering Grashakh to the east is Miradelgûn. This wild and untamed land is home to few civilizations, with even the elves exhibiting a near-xenophobic disposition. The primary feature of Miradelgûn is a lengthy depression known as Drenvun. The eastern boundary of the region is defined by the expanse of Erethor.

North of Miradelgûn lies the expansive region of Cinazan. Much of this domain is dominated by the formidable Khazarkar Empire. At the heart of this area rests a vast depression known as Izen'nâth. Directly above it towers a colossal earth mote called Gindinâth. In the western portion of Cinazan flows the Core Sea, which was once significantly larger in bygone eras. The devastating Chaos War brought much ruin to this region, warping and permanently tainting the cities captured by the Hordes of Chaos.

Progressing farther west from the Core Sea, we arrive at the Tribe Steppes. This territory serves as the hunting domain for the Jara. At times, these ferocious centaurs, afflicted by a vengeful deity, coalesce into a formidable Jara Horde.

We now journey to the western edge of the Tribe Steppes, into the High Wood Country. This region is home to the elven empires exiled from Turgon. In the northeastern part of High Wood Country lies Timinórë, a locale entombing a scion of Thrym.

South of High Wood Country lies the Clans region, a mountainous domain that hosts the dwarven empires of Phlehorn. As anticipated, the elves of High Wood Country and the dwarves of the Clans maintain a constant state of conflict. The dwarves have connected all the cities of the region through an extensive rail network, known as the Kibar-Kûn. The western border of the Clans is the Nielalroch ocean, where the only seafaring people are the dwarves of Grimmarsveinn. From Klord, we hire a ship and head southeast across Nielalroch to Arcana.

Arcana is a enigmatic island, challenging to access. Frequently cloaked in mist, the waters encircling it harbor fearsome sea serpents. The island boasts the greatest concentration of Lith-Crillion ruins in the realm.

We sail around Arcana and journey to the island of Turgon. This isle once hosted four city-states of elves and rival lizardfolk tribes. Venturing into these lands is akin to plunging into the Abyss itself. They are governed by Demogorgon and his minions, who seek nothing more than to escape Turgon and wreak havoc upon Bal-Kriav. Fortunately for the realm's people, Turgon is encircled by a boundary ward - a magical field that permits primes to enter, but restrains non-primes from departing, at least most of the time.

North of Turgon lies a fiery island, Kolning, and to the north of that are the Maze isles. Traversing this region is inadvisable. While this is a digression, if you enjoy mazes but prefer to avoid aquatic hazards, you may wish to return to Hells Womb, proceed to the Eastern Shar, and then descend to the Apex Maze.

To the west of Maze lies the vast continent of Gorejun. The easternmost territory of Gorejun is the wild region of Vhurghad, inhabited by dinosaurs and other colossal creatures. The smaller denizens of this land serve merely as prey for their formidable counterparts. Another notable region of this continent is Malurn, renowned for its extensive iron deposits, much of which originated from beyond Bal-Kriav, deposited here during the cataclysmic Dûlan-Nûl Firestorm.

We now journey northward from Gorejun into the turbulent seas of Edhelviel and then to Azrinn'nûr. At the heart of these isles lies a whirlpool that serves as the exit from the Sea Tunnel. Continuing southeast of Azrinn'nûr, we reach the coasts of the Great Expanse. This region of Brucrumus lies north of the High Wood Country, a wild and expansive domain with few settlements. During the Second Epoch, a massive gear from one of Mechanus's worlds broke free, drawn through a rift to the world of Bal-Kriav. This colossal clockwork gear is the Gear Monument, resting in the plains of the Great Expanse. This otherworldly machine has sparked the emergence of a growing presence of machines in Helmogorn.

Sailing eastward, we enter the frigid waters of Nautrek. We pass twenty miles north of the Dead God Fountain, any closer and the turbulent currents would make writing impossible. Nautrek is a perilous sea, not due to its denizens, but rather the treacherous icebergs that abound. North of this chilly expanse lies the continent of Elemantum, which comprises three distinct regions. The two lower regions are home to creatures foreign to this realm, having been brought here when two reckless mages created and then imprisoned themselves within thrones. The Pumice Throne resides in the fiery lands of Anubeth, while its counterpart, the Glacial Throne, dwells in the freezing wastes of Igas. The third region of Elemantum is Magrâbik, the domain of the Nithians, a people who revere magic and have wisely erected a boundary ward to shield their lands from the instability of the two neighboring regions.

Phoslomor, cartographer of the Third Epoch - "Survey of Midrêth"