Places of the Rift¶
"When it comes to the Rift, you can't find anything that hasn't already been found." — a Rift saying (S017)
Contested
The placement of the town of Edgemark is an open question: Placement of Edgemark. The Urdhar notes of the Proturan campaign (S045, repeated through S050) put it on the Rock of Urdhar; the gazetteer of south-western Rift places (S066) puts it in Riker's Edge Chain. Both readings are given below.
The Rift is a plane of floating rocks and stale air, each rock tethered to some stretch of the material world and littered with the ruins of the lands it mirrors. This page is the gazetteer of the places on those rocks as Proturas knows them: the folds, the island chains and clusters, the garrison towns, mining hubs and trade stops, and the ruins and rumours between them. What the Rift is, how its gates and jumpstones work, and what it does to those who linger there belong to the Cosmology page; the Rock of Urdhar, the one Rift settlement with enough material to stand alone, has its own page.
Living in the Rift¶
Settlement in the Rift follows its machinery. A Rift rock has ordinary gravity, while the "Rift sea" between rocks has about a fifth of it, so dirigibles that fly between islands cannot cross the islands themselves without help. People who are not Riftborn, demons or Guhvils sicken and starve if they stay too long, and so every lasting town sits inside the radius of a Temporal Stabilizer, within which "normals" can live so long as they spend most of each day inside it. Stabilizers will not work near an active Rift-Gate and dirigibles cannot fly near a stabilizer, so a town's docks and its gate lie a short walk outside its walls, as they do at Urdhar (S045). Settlements are joined by Rift-Gates where these survive, by Jumpstones where they do not, and by the dirigible fleets of the Guhvils, "that would not fly on the material" (S002, S009), and the riftships of Proturas, which sources the hulls from its own shipyards at Brimwall, Torghuk and the Rift town of Proturas (S066).
Proturas holds its Rift territory as a web of garrisons, portal hubs and patrolled trade routes under the Proturan Pact, with the Proturan navy based at Torghuk and the Warlocks of the Blue Flame operating "many sites inside the Rift" of their own (S078). The common belief in Proturas is that "nothing living is able to grow in the rift and most living things there die unless they frequently return to the material plane for sustenance", and that "even the warlocks have been unable to sustain non-demonic life within the rift" (S078); the gazetteer nonetheless records quarries, livestock and ale among the industries of the stabilized towns (S066).
The Rift has been picked over. The saying quoted above carries a double meaning: no new fold can be found from inside the Rift, only from the material plane when a natural fissure opens, and "the rift has been picked clean and thoroughly explored over the past two centuries and most things of value have been spoken for" (S017). The chains below bear this out; several are described simply as "stripped of anything of value long ago" (S066).
Folds¶
The Rift is divided into Folds, each a pocket of Rift-space ringed by the deadly Void and reachable from other folds only through fissures and the most powerful Rift-Gates (S017). The folds that matter to Proturas are these.
The Proturan fold¶
The gazetteer of Rift places speaks simply of "the fold" across which Proturas trades and in which the clusters below are scattered (S066). The Proturan timeline records that a fold whose name it leaves blank "has been established Proturan territory ever since" the Great Guhvil War, when Guhvil attack routes through it were cut and "several permanent outposts" established (S107; the timeline places the war around 670 AL, in the Fifth Age). Whether the two are one fold is not stated.
Gap
No source names the Proturan fold. S107 writes "?? Fold" where the name should go, and S066 never names it at all.
The Illuri Fold¶
The Illuri Fold is a desert of yellow sand under a light that comes from no single source: "the entire fold has a strong ambient light" (S010). It appears to be part of the Astral Ring and contains "some old parts of the Astral Shard of Orandos", including one of the prisons of the fire sovereign Ambusthene, "Sovereign of Searing Refulgence". Its chief site is the Tethers of Ambusthene, an Orandos complex reached through a buried outbuilding at its edge. When the Into the Rift party came there the complex had been overrun by the elemental cultists of the Primal Union of Ter'Gaia, who had raised "a crude shrine from Felsite on top of Ambusthene's prison" and were digging to free her, having pried loose the water focuses of three greater water lords from their adamantine pillars. The fold is otherwise nearly empty: the cult's own intelligence recorded "very little info, limited exploration, but seem to be few inhabitants", with "nearby uninhabited and unremarkable islands" (S010). The Vuuric-Strand Guhvils, tall grey-skinned goblins "known across the rift as mercs, craftsmen", were among the cult's members and officers.
The greenish fold¶
A tower in Etterdun hides a two-way rift-gate to "a DIFFERENT fold", one with a greenish sky, operated by Eksuru's agents (S052). The gate opens into a cave on the edge of a large island; a trail climbs to the top, and several miles across rocky terrain a second gate lies hidden in the ruins of a collapsed stone tower. That second gate is a repaired Lorsythian outpost, and its twin on the material side, also an abandoned Lorsythian outpost with a repaired gate, sits in a kobold-held cave2 in the hills of Etterwood (S052). Lorsythe's wartime use of such outposts is described under History.
Chains and clusters of the south-western span¶
The gazetteer of south-western Rift places (S066) sorts the known rocks into chains (strings of islands) and clusters (groups around a settlement). They are given here in its order, with its size classes.
| Chain or cluster | Settlement | Size | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baegor Chain | Baegor Monastery | monastery | house of the Divine Order of Lorsythe |
| Crixol Chain | none | — | stripped rocks |
| Gorhumal Chain | none | — | stripped rocks |
| Kor'Bazan Cluster | Fort Hemertyll | mid-size town | Dru'Bazan garrison; metal, ale, meat |
| Proturan Cluster | Proturas (Rift town) | small city | trade hub, shipyard, quarries, livestock |
| Riker's Edge Chain | Edgemark (per S066) | small town | Proturan garrison; ruins of north-eastern Astia |
| Romira Cluster | Merriq's Garden | mid-size town | trade hub with the Vale of Merriq; produce |
| Skaelness Chain | none | — | prospectors' rocks; gold, silver, Mithis metals |
| Sunaram Cluster | Ruins of Lyrspire | large town (ruined) | Araxian remnants; prospecting |
| Sunspire Cluster | Sunpeak | mid-size town | Proturan mining hub |
| Torghuk Cluster | Torghuk | mid-size town | Riftborn garrison, navy shipyard |
| Tutull Cluster | Tutull, Mithcrag, Brimwall | large town and two settlements | portal hub, garrison, mines, shipyard |
| Urdhar Cluster | Ruins of Urdhall, Calgrave | large town (ruined), small town | undead ruin; warded rest stop |
| Vegryn's Cluster | Vegryn's Tower | mid-size town | western patrol base; Vegryn's seat |
Baegor Chain¶
"A chain of numerous mid-sized islands", some held by rift-beasts, elementals, demons or spirits, and "considered one of the more dangerous" (S066). Its ruins are mostly from Lorsythe, Dalmar, Droburg and Athagilion. A few islands are inhabited; the notable settlement is Baegor Monastery, a house of the Divine Order of Lorsythe built "during the early development of the Kingdom of Lorsythe". It flourished until Lorsythe's destruction and remains in use, "although its population of monks is much diminished" (S066).
Crixol Chain and Gorhumal Chain¶
Two uninhabited chains of rocks, each "stripped of anything of value long ago" (S066). The outlying rocks of the Crixol Chain lie within reach of Lyrspire (S046).
Kor'Bazan Cluster¶
Home to Fort Hemertyll, a mid-size town and fortress housing a garrison of Dru'Bazan dwarves. It trades metal goods, ale and meat. The gazetteer describes Dru'Bazan in this period as "an independent city-state under the protection of the Proturan Pact" and "a dwarven settlement deep in the underdark below the ancient dwarven halls of Dru'Bazan" (S066).
Proturan Cluster¶
The cluster's settlement shares its name with the city: the Rift town of Proturas is a small city and "trade hub for trade with Proturas from across the fold", with a small shipyard, quarries and livestock (S066).
Riker's Edge Chain¶
"This string of rocks has an unusually high concentration of ruins, mostly from the Northeast Astia region, with its representative Huun, Tsule and Korun architectures." Many are inhabited by rift-beasts, elementals, demons or spirits, and the chain "is considered one of the more dangerous in the south-eastern span" (S066). The gazetteer places here the town of Edgemark, "a small nearly empty town which hosts a small Proturan garrison", whose portals to Per'Nolien "were damaged during the fall of Per'Nolien". The Urdhar notes put Edgemark on the Rock of Urdhar instead; see the Contested note above and the Urdhar page.
Romira Cluster¶
Merriq's Garden is a mid-size town and the trade hub for the Vale of Merriq, a place "located somewhere in far-east" of Terrun, "in a hidden and isolated location... with few threats", most of which come from the Rift itself. The town is run under the authority of the Tlat'Sapa of Merriq and trades fruits, vegetables and grains; the Vale is "an independent city-state under the protection of the Proturan Pact" (S066). Its route west continues to Vegryn's Tower.
Skaelness Chain¶
A mostly uninhabited chain and "a favorite of some prospectors", who have taken gold, silver and some Mithis metals from its rocks. It is "only lightly patrolled to ensure pirates, guhvils and others don't form settlements here" (S066).
Sunaram Cluster¶
Scattered with the ruins of "old north broken sea civilizations such as Alghert, Brusau, Floren, Uthein and Miydol", and worked by prospectors for precious metals, gems and some Mithis metals (S066). Its town is the Ruins of Lyrspire, once "the site of an experiment for a full time settlement of Kalari races in the rift". The experiment "was a qualified success and led to the development of the Terra Runestones", but the city was destroyed in the Second Araxian War together with a Terrun-side outpost in the ruins of Floren, and is "now home to remnants of cut off Araxian forces" (S066). A ship in trouble near Lyrspire has the choice of fleeing to the ruins of Floren or fighting the Araxians (S046).
Gap
The Terra Runestones are named only here. No source says what they are or does.
Sunspire Cluster and Tutull Cluster¶
Two clusters "bathed in an unusual amount of light, making it seem like eternal daylight here". Their islands "seem to be in conjunction with the deep earth and feature some underdark ruins", and both are Proturan mining hubs with large deposits of iron, coal and copper (S066). Sunpeak, in the Sunspire Cluster, is a mid-size town and "central hub for many outlying mining settlements". The Tutull Cluster holds three settlements: Tutull, a large town that is "a central portal hub for the area" with a large Proturan garrison, quarries and livestock; Mithcrag, a small settlement mining Mithril and silver; and Brimwall, "a cliffside community and shipyard". At its height Brimwall was the largest Proturan shipyard, sourcing nearly all its material from the Uthein colony; the colony was destroyed in the Second Araxian War, and Brimwall now builds only civilian vessels from material gathered wherever it can be found (S066).
Torghuk Cluster¶
Torghuk is a mid-size town housing the Riftborn Proturan Garrison, "a shipyard and forward outpost of the Proturan navy" (S066).
Urdhar Cluster¶
The gazetteer's Urdhar Cluster holds two places, neither of them the Rock of Urdhar described in the Proturan campaign notes. The Ruins of Urdhall were a large town, "now in ruins and overrun with ethereal and corporeal undead"; Urdhall "fell during the Varimathian conflict in Monforte". Calgrave is "a small, nearly abandoned town" whose portal to Psarikon was damaged in the fall of Urdhall and has never been repaired. Magical wards keep the undead out, and "with trade through the cluster all but zero, Calgrave is now no more than a rest stop for Proturan patrols" (S066).
Vegryn's Cluster¶
Vegryn's Tower is a mid-size town and the western extension of the Merriq's Garden trade route. It is Proturan territory with a sizeable garrison "responsible for patrolling western regions and ensuring the safety of Merriq's Garden and the trade routes through the area". The tower itself belongs to Vegryn, "one of the three archmages", the Grey Wizard of the Three Archwizards (S078). "It is said he makes a yearly appearance in the town on the local holiday, Founder's Day, but otherwise is very rarely sighted" (S066). The Proturan campaign's party made its way to Vegryn's Tower before sailing on to Urdhar (S048).
Other places¶
Latgrove, Vrock Island and Tower-Isle¶
The second part of the Into the Rift campaign is set around the town of Latgrove, Vrock Island and Tower-Isle (S008). Four vrocks nest at the top of Vrock Island, and a horned demon imprisoned in a gap below guards the way with a blackened staff. The island holds a haunted Kalari Shrine, looted to its outer walls, where shadows, wraiths and spectres re-form unless their remains are destroyed, an inscribed glowing green circle traps a Voideater, and a secret room opens only to light. Within are two tombs: "Here lies Bercius - Disciple of the Earth: Let any who enter pray to receive inspiration from the stalwart lord of the earth and seek redemption for those who have sinned against him," and "Here lies Cadriel - Disciple of Life: Let any who enter pray to receive inspiration from the blessed lady of life and seek protection for the journey ahead." Their spirits guard sceptres that open only after prayers to Khardas and Arya, and a portal beyond the shrine admits only those who carry four runestones of Kalar, Arya, Orandos and Khardas in the right order. A demon cave on the island is held by Korthaxis. Tower-Isle is a Guhvil outpost with a docked dirigible corvette and a lake with a runestone (S008).
Gap
S008 gives no description of Latgrove itself beyond its name, and does not say which fold these islands lie in. A "Temple of the Minotaur God" is registered to this page, but the only mention is a placeholder act heading in a superseded draft (S007); nothing is known of it.
Hal'Abannak¶
The Sancturi campaign's notes record Hal'Abannak as a "Dwarven City on column attach[ed] to the side of a rift" (S192, S193, S201), named alongside Queen Melkorka of the White Towers and Gar'Agor of Dru'Bazan.
Gap
The note breaks off mid-sentence. Whether "a rift" here means the plane or a chasm, and where the city stands, is not said.
The Cerulean Citadel¶
"A secret city of warlocks hidden deep inside the Rift. Rumored to be their true seat of power" (S078). The Warlocks of the Blue Flame rule the Conclave City, the Cleft of Fire and the Lower Reaches in Proturas, but the Citadel is where legend places their heart.
The Hidden Oasis¶
"Rumors persist of a forested place in the rift guarded and kept by the Elves" (S078). The Wood Elves1 of Proturas, and especially the grey-skinned Greywine Elves bred to move easily in the Rift, are the keepers in the rumour. Proturan opinion holds it "far-fetched or likely heavily exaggerated", since nothing living is supposed to grow there.
Monforte, Psarikon and Per'Nolien¶
Three places named only in passing (S066): Monforte, where "the Varimathian conflict" brought down Urdhall; Psarikon, the far end of Calgrave's broken portal; and Per'Nolien, whose fall damaged Edgemark's portals.
Gap
Nothing says whether Monforte, Psarikon and Per'Nolien are Rift rocks or places on Terrun, nor what the Varimathian conflict was.
History¶
Proturas has used the Rift since its earliest years. In the Lorsythian War the city kept a southern trade outpost "nearly 200 miles south of Proturas (which it was using rifts to transport to/from)"; a Lorsythian raid on it began the war, and after Lorsythe cut Proturas off from the northern kingdoms "Proturas turned to other trade partners using rifts" (S107). The Great Guhvil War that followed was fought in part "in the rift along trade routes controlled by Proturas", "led to militarization of the many parts of the rift", and saw "the first Riftborn ... created by Proturan warlocks" (S107). It ended when the Guhvil routes through the Proturan fold were cut.
The Kalari experiment at Lyrspire, the Uthein colony that fed Brimwall's yards, and the Terrun-side outpost in the ruins of Floren were all lost in the Second Araxian War (S066), which the Proturan timeline places in the 720s AL, in the Fifth Age (S107). The fall of Per'Nolien and the fall of Urdhall in the Varimathian conflict broke the portals of Edgemark and Calgrave at dates the sources do not give (S066). About thirty years before the Proturan campaign, the forces of Teneb'Vari destroyed the Wood Elven realm beyond Urdhar's gates and the town of Orchard with it (S045); that story is told on the Urdhar page.
In Play¶
Travellers in the Proturan fold move between stabilized towns by gate, jumpstone or ship and meet Proturan patrols, prospectors, pirates and Guhvil airships between them. The dangerous chains (Baegor, Riker's Edge) are the haunts of rift-beasts, elementals, demons and spirits; the stripped chains (Crixol, Gorhumal, Skaelness) offer little but a place to hide. Cut-off Araxians hold Lyrspire, undead hold Urdhall, and the warlocks keep their own sites off the maps. The Into the Rift campaign crossed Vrock Island and the Illuri Fold; the Proturan campaign sailed from Vegryn's Tower to Urdhar and later used the greenish fold to reach Etterwood.