Our Valley

Our Valley is the first large island in the 4TheWords World. It is comprised of regions, each with numerous areas, with a distinct climate and set of inhabitants. Dust has taken hold throughout the valley, and the Warrior will find unique beings infected by the dust throughout their travels.

Prior to the conclusion of the Attack On The Castle event, Our Valley was called **Oge-Mai Valley**, after King Mai. Much of the game lore still refers to the Valley by its old name.

## Forest Region

The Forest Region contains two main areas and several expedition areas.

### Luciola Forest

    Luciola Forest, a small forest far east, furthest point from the King’s Castle. Home to the Valley Elders, and to those who migrated here with the elders during the Great Migration. A high density of trees with wide leaves make it a natural sanctuary against the purple dust. Since time began the forest has been a preferred place for the playful Rudakai spirits to appear, no direct cause or pattern for the appearances have been identified. All attempts to communicate with the Kai have failed, all they seem to do is play in and out of existence. Most who live here do so in the trees. The food is not much, but it is good. Pesters keep steeling my quills, its as if they want to keep me from writing. Still no sign of the old man… I still have hope.

*This is the starting area of Our Valley. Some event content is often available here a bit longer after events end.*

### Mama Tree

In the time before the ancients, if that time exists, there is said to have been an ancient powerful spirit who had tired of existence. It decided to rest from the world by taking the form of a giant tree. The tree grew in the corner of a small forest, at the edge of an unknown valley. Lost within the forest, the being was able to rest. After the Great Migration, when the Elders arrived in Luciola Forest they made this tree their new home, hoping that if the time came the ancient being would offer some protection. In an effort to not disturb the ancient spirit, life on Mama Tree was built within or around the tree. Walls, floors and bridges were carefully placed on giant branches. The wooden planks were always tied on, never hammered in. Vine nets with wooden planks floated between large branches connecting them to each other to form giant flat spaces where communal life could take place. Exact weight was placed on a branch until it could no longer comfortably support it, at which point another level was chosen for construction. Entire neighborhoods would have to be relocated when a new branch grew. Once Mama filled up all the space it could offer housing continued to spread out from the base of its roots and into the neighboring trees. Mama Tree was no longer just an ancient being in the form a tree, it was now the entire city, the people and creatures that lived on and around the tree. It was hope united, an idea that if they stayed together they might be able to weather the storm.

*This is the second main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the Luciola Forest main quest line.*

### Elder Library

    Unlocking this expedition area becomes available after completing the Luciola Forest main quest line, from Mama Tree. Here you can find the Hunt for the Ancients quests, and the Hunt Token Store.

### Mama Tree Station

    Unlocking this expedition area becomes available after completing the Luciola Forest main quest line, from Mama Tree. It is based on content from the April 2022 Station Raising Festival.

### Forest Expedition Areas

Unlocking these expedition areas become available after completing the Mama Tree main quest line.
These areas were first visited in April 2019 as part of Camp NaNoWriMo, and reopened in June 2019 when the Forest Lighthouse was completed as part of the Pride Festival. They were refreshed in August 2019 as additional parts of the main storyline, unlocked from quests.

Base CampForward BaseStone CityTall TreesGuardian's Lair
## Desert Region

The Desert Region contains two main areas and several expedition areas, including the Meteoroid Expedition Areas.

### Three Points Crossing

3 Points Crossing grew out of a small desert outpost to become the center of trade and commerce for the entire valley. Before the dust, most areas in the valley were self sustainable, and could find what they needed in the area around them. The dust brought a wave of death and decay, not only for animal life, but plant life as well. Basic products became scarce, fueling a desperate need for trade. The dust made long distance travel extremely dangerous, which made it impossible for this trade center to be anywhere else, but in the middle of the valley. Although 3 Points Crossing only exists because of the dust, it’s still a beacon of hope throughout the valley. It’s two Camels are a guiding light through the long and cold desert nights. A sign that in spite of everything, there is hope, after so much darkness.

*This is the third main area in Our Valley, reached after completing the Mama Tree main quest line.*

### Meteoroid Expedition Areas

Unlocking these expedition areas become available after completing the Three Points Crossing main quest line.
These areas were first visited in November 2019 as part of the NaNo Meteoroid event. We then revisited them in July 2020 as part of the Meteoroid Expedition. They were refreshed in August 2020 as an additional part of the main storyline, unlocked by quests.

Impact CraterSpaceshipMining SiteResearch Lab
### Gansu Watering Hole

Legend says that when the Ancients were creating the Valley there was no desert. It was all a luscious forest that spread from edge to edge. In it, life grew everywhere, and from everywhere, life flocked to the Valley. One day, a neighboring Ancient, jealous with the spring of life that had been born in the Valley, came to destroy it. Ancients that had fallen in love with the the Valley fought to protect it. One of the Valley protectors offered to fight the attacking Ancient, a battle that had only one rule, they had to willfully give up their immortality for the fight. If the Ancient wanted to destroy life in the Valley it would have to put its own life at risk. And it did. The battle was quick, neither used to caring for their safety. In the end, both Ancients were wounded too deeply to survive. Before it could die the attacking Ancient cursed the Valley and broke its dying body into a million pieces, a poison that would kill everything it touched, and eventually create the desert. The protecting Ancient used its last moments to cure a small corner of the desert. In the lifeless desert it created an eternal watering hole, a small gem of hope, that one day life could return to where it once was. This Ancient burial ground is still said to hold the energy and life force of that Ancient. A life force that feeds creatures who roam close to the watering hole, making them larger and more powerful than they normally would be. A life force that gives power to all those who know how to obtain and use it. For those within the Valley, the Gansu Watering Hole will always be a sacred place.

*This is the fourth main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the Three Points Crossing main quest line.*

### Desert Expedition Areas

Unlocking these expedition areas become available after completing the Gansu Watering Hole main quest line.
These areas were first visited in July 2019 as part of the Camp NaNoWriMo Desert Expedition. They were refreshed in August 2019, and added as a permanent expedition, unlocked from quests.

The Dragon Lair used to be called the "Dig Site," but it was updated in January 2023 to include quests and rewards from the 2022 NaNo Dragon Clan Event.

The Shrine of Ages is a special area where you can "travel in time" to experience parts of past events using unique Wardrobe items.

Dragon LairRuinsShrine of Ages
## Water Region

The Water Region contains two main areas and several expedition areas, including the Sky Areas.

### Riza Rivertown

Riza Rivertown is the first of the water tribe towns on the journey north. It is halfway point for those making the long journey from Three Points Crossing toward the Floating City of Balance, or for those coming down from Balance, going toward the desert or forest towns. Whether you arrived by Tambo Caravan or river barge, the journey has been long and a well earned rest is what most travelers passing through are looking for. To serve that need, for physical and spiritual rest, is Luko's - an inn and ale house run by a Sibawense. At Luko's one can buy the famous Dí ale, find a quiet room to rest, and caravan transportation south or river barges going north. It is on the banks of the mighty river, and close to the town of Riza, that one can run into the Raina Tribe. River dwellers, children of the River Goddess, who have lived in these parts for centuries. As everything else in the Valley they have started to become infected by the dust and tensions are running high between the Raina and the water tribes.

*This is the fifth main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the Gansu Watering Hole main quest line.*

### River Diner

     *This is an expedition area in the water region accessed from Riza Rivertown. We first visited it during the River Diner Grand Opening in April 2023. It was incorporated into the valley once the event was over.*

### River Expedition Areas

Unlocking these expedition areas become available after completing the Riza Rivertown main quest line.
The first area was introduced during the site changes in October 2018 known as the Great Migration. Additional areas were introduced as part of the April 2020 River Expedition. They were refreshed in August 2020, and added as parmanent expedition areas.

Raina Surface CampSwamplandsRaina Sacred SiteRebel Raina Hideout
### Floating City of Balance

    *This is the sixth main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the Riza Rivertown main quest line.*

### Underwater Foundations

     *This is an expedition area in the water region accessed after completing the Floating City of Balance main quest line. We first visited it during the River Festival in July 2021. It returned as a permanent area in August 2021.*

### Sky Areas

These areas were first visited in 2020 NaNo Sky Tournament. They were refreshed in December 2021 as expedition areas, unlocked from quests after completing the Floating City of Balance quest line.

Clouds AreaDawn AreaTempest Area
## Dust Region

The Dust Region contains three main areas.

### Dark Forest Outpost

    *This is the seventh main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the Floating City of Balance main quest line.*

### Caretaker's Garden

     Unlocking this expedition area become available after completing the the third main quest in the Dark Forest Outpost. It can also be unlocked from a quest in the Cave. This area was first visited in November 2021 as part of the Camp NaNoWriMo Caretaker's Garden (Event). It was refreshed in March 2021, and added as a permanent expedition.

### Purple Gate

    *This is the eighth main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the Dark Forest Outpost main quest line.*

### Cave

    *This is the ninth main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the Purple Gate main quest line.*

## Light Region

The Light Region contains two main areas.

### City of Light

*This is the tenth main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the Cave main quest line.*

### Dusted Castle

*This is the eleventh (and currently last) main area of Our Valley, reached after completing the City of Light main quest line.*

## Special Areas

Not all areas will be available at all times. Some are only available during events like National Novel Writing Month and Camp NaNoWriMo (April, July, and November), with quests and monsters unique to that area available to fight during the event. These areas are listed here.