The Crater

**The Crater** is an area in central Caldos of particular interest, as its history has been shrouded in secrecy and deception. The area is currently off limits to all but the Caedes.

## History

In 620 A.E. an object of massive size and brilliant light was seen over Caldos by a number of important citizens as well as commoners. The object, called by some a comet, crashed into the valley then called Baladia. Shepherds who lived in the area attempted to investigate but succumbed quickly to an invisible illness, bringing rise to the idea that the site was cursed. Soon the Caedes themselves investigated, finding that the area was unable to be inhabited by mortal life. The inhabitants of the area were all quarantined in a nearby village, but all died quickly of the invisible disease.

In 618 A.E. the tower previously known as Heleiomaede was converted into a watchtower over the old road into the valley, later it would become known as the Black Tower. From here, a number of knights form the Order of the Black Sword, a group dedicated to protecting and containing the effects of the Crater. Since its inception in 618 A.E. the order has seen great success and has been recognized by the Caedes as the guardians of the valley.

The Order has restricted all passage through the Valley of the Crater unless accompanied by an escort of their knights since 615 A.E. The area has remained unseen and uninhabited since, though occasionally a member of the Caedes will visit and examine the area.

## Topography

The Crater has not been officially described, though defectors of the Order have occasionally spoken out about it through secret publications, diaries, or word of mouth. According to them the Crater is as far across and as deep as a mountain turned upside down, with a great smoldering blue stone in the center, which is cracked and hollow. About the crater, nothing grows but strange blue grass and flowers which the Order keeps at bay by burning large rings about the crater to keep it contained. The stone of the crater is said to be charred and burnt.

While these descriptions are easy to believe, they should be taken with a grain of salt, as the Caedes themselves oft say.

## Controversy

In recent years it has been noted that several lexicons have mentioned the existence of a large hole or canyon in the area, including Idormes Histories, a trusted historic work that has become the basis of many Caldosi historic arguments. For example, on page seventy-five of volume IV, Idormes describes the journey of the Knights Koetica through the Pallidas saying, "Then coming at once, with the Lord Kilos in the front, they made site of that dark canyon that is nestled in between the mountains. So thusly they observed it and pointed and made note of [the] oozing blue stone which sat inside it." If this account is to be believed, it would place the craters existence nearly seven-hundred years from the arrival of the comet.

Other accounts from farmers who lived in the area claim that the crater has always been there and that they simply lived around it, as it emitted a kind of air of unease. The debate over the proper history of the area is largely silenced by the Caedes, who consider it a non-issue.