Paleah

Paleah only borders the continent of Dastow and is otherwise
surrounded only by open ocean and some land to the north. In many aspects, Paleah is quite remote namely because it is so far from many prominent capital cities and is said to not have any ties to any trade routes. Even pirates don’t
seem to sail anywhere near the Paleahian coasts. Bards of Dastow often sing of
the folklore and legend that emanates from Paleah but their credibility is
questionable at best.

The expeditions of magic users, both arcane and divine,
however have reported strange limitations. Upon entry past the border of Dastow
and Paleah, magic users have said they feel a strong barrier and have said
their magical capabilities are reduced to perhaps even a fifth of what they
would normally be able to cast and in certain areas they were completely unable
to cast anything. Even stranger, many have said they have gone and came out
having felt like they had forgotten some magical abilities and spells almost as
if they had been stripped of them. A few unlucky magical apprentices reported permanently
having lost the ability to recognise and even read magic after leaving Paleah.
However, the main reason the expeditions have been limited to Paleah is that
magical items seem to become quickly unenchanted past the border within several
minutes and potions have been said to lose their potency.  Scholars from Cahyrst have said that the air
feels different to anywhere else on Tella’ndor as if it is sapping magic and
capping it, a probable reason for why it is so thick and hard to breathe.  The most promising leads of the origins of the
mysterious barrier came from alchemists. Alchemists found many markings
scattered at random sites produced in blood, especially at scenes of
disappearances. These seemed to resemble some sort of occult hermetic sigils
but weirdly adapted in disturbing manners, clearly long lost to any modern
alchemist. Oracles, shamans and some druids did manage to retain their
abilities but it is still unknown what criteria is required to keep any magical
talents.

Surveyors and prospectors for potential mining and oil operations
found many mines already in place. Some were collapsed, others were completely
empty and others had remnants of inhabitants. Skeletons of semi human creatures
with various deformities were excavated. Two heads, five eye sockets, 4 arms,
wings and shells were just a few found incorporated into skeletons. No ore or
oil reserves were found and their tools couldn’t make much impact on the stone.
Dwarven geologists proclaimed how the stone was pressurised like in gemstones
but had no colour and couldn’t fathom it.

Migrants whom have tried to set up farm were unable. They
have said that anything planted or cut somehow restored. Cut grass quickly
spurted back out of the ground thicker and much greener. Any holes that were
dug for crops filled themselves by the earth shifting over time. Any tree that
was cut was replaced the next day and the cut timber had rotted into dust. Any loose
shelter was often blown during the night. Most farmers gave up, and the others
that had reportedly had success went missing with only their clothes found at
the scene.

Pirates and black-market merchants of Dastow often express
the motto “Trade in bulk and often, anything anywhere and everywhere but never
in Paleah”. Ocean giants and storm giants were seen patrolling coastlines and
smuggling operations sometimes never reached their destinations, supposedly
having fallen prey to the ocean. Few brave captains even dare to take the risk
anymore, unless they are very well paid.

During the minor crusades in 6E0560, originating from
Dastow, those that were sent to Paleah noted abandoned, crumbling churches and
temples in which presumably holy and religious figures had their faces censored
and blacked out. More disturbing sigils were found smothered on the walls,
including anatomical drawings of bizarre creatures . None of these churches had
any graveyards. Deeper geographical expeditions by the crusades found much of
the same thing until the crusades were suddenly cancelled in Paleah the very
next year, leaving a very touchy subject for most clerics of Dastow.

There was a time when clusters of extremely dangerous prisoners
and criminals from South Vinevris were transported towards the border of Paleah
and many were left to fend for themselves. It was said that this punishment was
often worse than death, for the things these hardened lawbreakers saw were not
of natural occurrence. Although the practice is illegal, it is still allegedly occurring
in some rural parts and so many offenders tend to not risk doing anything that
could send them there.

Mercenary companies looking for a rapid influx of coin from
Paleah were disappointed firstly and traumatised soon after by the things they
saw. A large number of the creatures they encountered were giants. Stone
giants, hill giants, cave giants, ash giants, cliff giants, taiga giants were often
seen wandering and seemingly working together. Those were the creatures which
they could name. The others were giantkin in nature but were foreign to them. The
platoons liked to remain and travel through forests and these companies reportedly
mapped out a lot of potentially profitable areas of Paleah and sold them to the
highest bidder. The number of companies that were willing to take these risky
trips decreased over the years. Stories of ambushes and squad wipe-outs
steadily spread. Many gave details of semi-crude yet effective traps that were laid
out at strategic locations and ambushes. Others witnessed beast-men of all
sorts and hybrids. It was clear then that Paleah was quite nomadic and tribal
in culture and very territorial. Of the notable companies still actively
searching Paleah includes the Wulflings, the Black Hand Federation, the Burnt
Breath Company and the Band of the Hawk.