The Crags of Ashen Ruin

The Crags of Ashen Ruin

Generations ago a terrible magical force ripped through a world of prosperity and law leaving behind a blasted hellscape of little more than black sand and ash. This cataclysm was known as The Great Sundering and from it the Crags of Ashen Ruin emerged. Here is a place of death and decay, but from these ashes springs new life. The blast, while violent, did not eradicate all life and the humans that survived forged pacts with the terrestrial spirits for mutual survival. These humans became known as the Keepers of Spirit, or Keepers for short.

With the help of their spirit allies the Keepers formed bastions of civilization known as Havens, closed biomes where even the imposing red sun shines less harshly. 3 major Havens, each spanning dozens of miles in diameter, exist within the Crags of Ashen Ruin: Amberwood, Greyhill, and the Amaranthine Coast. Each of them has their own unique environment based on the Keepers and spirits that settled there. The land within the Crags of Ashen Ruin, quite literally, lives on in its people.

Sorcery here is a force of great primordial evil. It draws upon the Dark Powers of the world known as Va’al to sow destruction and chaos. Practitioners of the Art, called Shapers, somehow survived the Sundering and continue to plot from atop towers of volcanic glass. Their ultimate goals and societal structure remain a mystery. It is well known to all Keepers that the Shapers are responsible for the current state of the Crags and the terrible creatures that roam the wastelands.

Despite the protests of a dying world the Keepers continue to fight to survive, and even thrive, in these harsh conditions with the help of the spirits. Keepers receive a 5 CP reduction on the first level of Survival and Healing. In addition to granting their wisdom the spirits also confer their strength. As such, Keepers may purchase the second level of the Strong or Tough trait (though not both) for 10 CP. Finally, the greatest warriors among the Keepers have developed a form of combat that utilizes the Monster Axe to fell the cursed beasts that roam the landscape, known as Veiled Executioner.

An Important Note for Players: Characters from the Crags of Ashen Ruin come into play with a spirit “tether” and therefore cannot accept Scionships from other spirits. Players must work with staff when creating a spirit. All spirits should represent a feature of the landscape from the Pre-Sundering Era of the Crags. Upon entry to the Forest, a character’s spirit will become dormant. All other interactions with your spirit are FOIP.