Barrholm Isle

### **What is this place like?**

Barrholm is an island of lush forests with renovated castles and strongholds of medieval-style architecture scattered throughout.  Despite their appearance, these structures are equipped with advanced magitech including but not limited to: arcane artillery cannons, energy barrier generators, elevators and communication systems.  Though many of the islands of Veritas featured remnants of ancient technology upon their discovery, the scale of what was found on Barrholm was unprecedented.  Furthermore, what remained was in far better condition allowing those who settled the island to advance the fledgling field of magitech by leaps and bounds.  Even some of the wildlife has “evolved” to be “compatible” in certain ways with magitech equipment (though this was almost certainly not a natural process).  Underneath the surface, there is a complex system of caves that are rich in valuable minerals necessary for the construction of much of Barrholm’s magitech.  Within these underground caves there live societies of Drow and Dueagar who seem to be antagonistic to those dwelling on the surface.  More alarmingly, these cave systems also seem to be crawling with horrific aberrant creatures of unknown origin that are highly aggressive and hostile to all other forms of life.

### **What are the people like?**

The surface people invariably belong to a militant order known as the Barrholm Knights.  They represent an elite arm of the Veritas Prime military, but do enjoy some amount of autonomy.  As with most of Veritas, many of these people are plane-touched, though the Barrholm Knights have been known to accept races of all sorts.

Meanwhile, little is known about the Drow and Dueagar people living within the cave systems under the surface as they seem to attack Barrholm Knights on sight.  The reason for their hostility is not yet known.

### **Any flora and fauna present here?**

The surface flora consists of standard forest fare.  The fauna, however, is anything but standard.  Many of the animals that inhabit the island’s surface have been genetically modified by the Barrholm Knights to have various organic “ports” that many types of magitech can be plugged into.  Perhaps most notable are the large flying squids that inhabit the waters immediately surrounding the island.  These creatures are tame and used as mounts by a specific division of the Barrholm Knights.

No fauna is known to exist in the underground caves apart from the aberrant creatures known colloquially as Void Crawlers.  These creatures are invariably hostile to all other forms of life and have the alarming ability to completely destroy organic matter and even arcane energy itself.  The extermination of these creatures is currently of the highest priority for the Barrholm Knights.

### **Important topological features:**

Various strongholds that serve as military outposts and magitech manufacturing facilities.  Mining facilities have also been established in sections of the underground cave system that have been cleared of threats.

### **Any commonly known rules / customs followed at this locale if there are any.**

Though the Barrholm Knights place value on honour, justice and truth in accordance with the central authority of Veritas Prime, their primary concern is the discovery and advancement of magitech.  They view the natural world as cruel and largely ill-suited to higher life and magitech is thus seen as a positive and uplifting force that will bring salvation to people across Veritas and, eventually, Andora.

### **Areas of note:**

The largest and most significant castle on the island serves as the HQ of the Barrholm Knights: Iron Soul Bastion