Isenvale

Blightwing bringing the Ashplague to Isenvale. Official art by @thatartjack (Jack Kaiser)

### Inhabitants

undead, non-native smugglers and adventurers

## Background

A very small country in the south of the Alton Region. It is sometimes known as the Trinity Country due to being surrounded by 3 much larger countries, Marteralo to the south, Athil to the west and northwest, and Hearthlen to the east. The largest river in Isenvale is the Rukkin River, which cuts through the entire continent. In the southwest of the country there are mining villages, and there is also a fortress to the west on the border between Isenvale and Athal.

The symbol for Isenvale is a castle with a tower in the center that represents Isenvale Castle. Below the castle is a blue half diamond symbolizing Marteralo, to the left is a red half diamond representing Athil, and to the right is a green half diamond representing Hearthlen.

### The Ashplague

Isenvale is under the curse of the Ashplague. When the dracolich Blightwing first flew over the nation, a cursed ash followed in his wake. This ash caused everyone who was born in Isenvale to die and return as an undead servant. People who weren't native to Isenvale were put into a deathlike stasis, and can be revived without any ill effects. The countryside is constantly shrouded in perpetual gloom caused by thick clouds, and a cloying mist creeps along the ground that sometimes growing thick enough that you can only see a few feet through it even at midday.

Though the mist is quite malevolent, the Ashplague seems to have no noticable effects on outsiders other than the few who were initially put into stasis. Lynne has managed to revive many of them. Natives to Isenvale who were out of the country apparently suffer from the curse when they return to its borders.

Lynne has hypothesized that there is a corrupted Bead of Hoketh in each of the countries surrounding Isenvale that allowed the Ashplague to take place. The effects are completely limited to within the borders of Isenvale. At the border of the country, there is a wall of opaque mist. Anyone that passes through this misty wall sees ghostly hands grasping at them and hear a cloyingly seductive voice that hisses "You are oursssss." These effects are harmless, but unnerving, and passing through the wall requires some effort, like it is trying to keep people from leaving Isenvale

There are no native living creatures left in Isenvale. The land is completely silent as everything has been killed or become undead. Plants still grow, but their colors appear muted and faded. Many undead have congregated at specific spots, typically fortifications or larger cities, in response to an unknown call. Some still occupy the countryside, their goals uncertain. The only living people in the country are criminals seeking to avoid prosecution, smugglers, and thieves seeking to loot whatever they can. Some brave merchants still come to Isenvale to trade with these new residents but with greatly inflated prices.

On the far side of the mist, the roads into Isenvale are either abandoned, or guarded by the neighboring countries with toll roads and inspectors looking for contraband or threats. The frequently travelled roads are more secure and the less travelled ones might only have a simple barricade and a posted warning about the undead to anyone travelling into Isenvale.

### Isenvale After the First Bead is Purified

After the first Bead of Hoketh was purified, the mist that shrouded Isenvale dissipated and color returned to the plantlife. Animals still have not returned, the sky is overcast, and the air dead calm. The country still exists in a still state without the sound of wind or animals. When traversing the mists at the border the grasping hands were gone, but the whispering voices still tried to claim them.

## Named Locations

### Arrain

A little hamlet on the Isenvale-Hearthlen border

### Banir's Bend

A large city northwest of Runnel. After the Ashplague it became the main base for a smuggling group called The Grey Shroud. The city's stone wall is encircled with defensive wooden spikes. Within the city, sat atop a hill, is a large mausoleum similar in size to an inn. The Queen of Isenvale was originally from Banir's Bend and was buried in its mausoleum.

### Conni

A village west of the Sister's Bridge, after the Ashplague it became a bandit encampment. The surrounding country is unkempt farmland, and the roads are cobblestone, unlike the dirt tracks around Runnel and Pulmonata.

### Dverg's Landing

A settlement south of Conni. There are rumors that a lot of undead congregate here.

### Emerald Cairn

A town to the west of Banir's Bend. The town has a catacomb, housed inside a domed structure, which is surrounded by a cemetery. Since the Ashplague it has been abandoned.

### Emerald Keep

A fortress on the Isenvale-Athil border, northwest of Emerald Cairn. While it used to have undead living there, it has been cleared out by soldiers from Athil.

### Essan

A large village four to five days journey north of Runnel.

### Gurson Fortress

A fortress on the northeastern road out of Runnel.

### Isenvale Keep

The capital city of Isenvale. The dracolich Blightwing occupies the city and it is now the source of the Ashplague. A swirling whirlpool of black and sickly, olive green fog hangs above the city. Around the city is a 32 mile radius of undead miasma, anyone that goes into it does not move again with some Isenvale inhabitants claiming it rips the soul from your body.

### Kylm

A very small logging village east of Pulmonata, it was well known for beekeeping, candles and mead. It has a temple to Orun, with statues representing Solar and Fluores. Also in the village is a fountain-like structure, but instead of water it has many candles. Since the Ashplague the village has been picked clean by looters. The gravestones outside of the temple also have large holes in front of them.

### Lysasom

A town near the capital with a temple of Hoketh where Lynne was buried.

### Orchard

A small community in the south of the country that is surrounded by its namesake.

### Pulmonata

A town south of Runnel that lies between three trade roads. The sign for the town has an image of a snail, and there is a large bronze snail statue in the centre of the town, both in reference to the fact that the village was well known for using river snails in their cuisine. After the Ashplague the village was thoroughly ransacked and is now being used an outpost by a smuggling group known as The Grey Shroud.

### Runnel

Runnel is a very small settlement on the eastern bank of the Rukkin River. It doesn't have many defences against bandits due to being a more remote part of Isenvale, a little away from the main trade roads. The area directly around Runnel is flat grasslands with the occasional birch tree.

### Sister's Bridge

A bridge across the Rukkin river to the west of Pulmonata, sometimes also called the Twin Sister's Bridge. Once it was a major connection for trade, but now it's a large smuggler's encampment for the Grey Shroud. The stone bridge is massive, able to accommodate three wagons side by side. The bridge is flanked by two large towers, as well as smaller ramshackle wooden buildings.

### Stand Fortress

A fortress on the Isenvale-Marteralo border. Since the Ashplague it has been taken over by Wormtongue, and maggot-birds often congregate there.

### Stonewall Hold

A fortress in the mountains south of Emerald Cairn.