Arak (Domain): Difference between revisions
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Arak was a land in the northeast of the [[Core]] that was formed in 575 BC and ceased to exist in 740 BC. At the time of its creation, northern [[Barovia]] stood on its southern frontier. In 579 BC Darkon formed on its norther frontier. A road ran between them, terminating in the south at the western of the [[Old Svalich Road]] and probably terminating in the north the [[Tempe Road]] just west of [[Tempe Falls]]. By 682 BC, if not earlier, contract with Barovia was lost, for Nova Vaasa formed on its southern frontier. | Arak was a land in the northeast of the [[Core]] that was formed in 575 BC and ceased to exist in 740 BC. At the time of its creation, northern [[Barovia]] stood on its southern frontier. In 579 BC Darkon formed on its norther frontier. A road ran between them, terminating in the south at the western of the [[Old Svalich Road]] and probably terminating in the north the [[Tempe Road]] just west of [[Tempe Falls]]. By 682 BC, if not earlier, contract with Barovia was lost, for Nova Vaasa formed on its southern frontier. In 683 BC, the [[Nightmare Lands] became its eastern border. And finally in 691 BC, Tepest became its western frontier. In geological terms, Arak lay at the heart of the [[Mountains of Misery]]. It northern frontier cut across the northern flank of [[Mount Nirka]], its western frontier cut across the western foothills of the [[Mountains of Misery]], its southern frontier was the southern limit of the [[Forgotten Hills]], and its eastern frontier was the eastern limit of the eastern foothills of the Mountains of Misery. At its centre stood stupendous [[Mount Nyid]], the highest peak in the [[Land of Mists]]. Mount Nyid and its sister Mount Nirka were inactive volcanos that anchored the Mountains of Misery to the southwest and to the northeast respectively. The surface was inhabited by the Arakian and by other humans, mostly emigrated from [[Darkon]]. A road ran from the [[Old Svalich Road]] in eastern [[Barovia]] across Arak and into Darkon. Below the surface dwelt the true rulers of Arak, the Arak. They were [[shadow fey]] who lived in a kingdom of cave and tunnels, hidden from the killing rays of the sun. | ||
Life accross the surface of Arak was eradicated in 588 BC by a sandstorm without precedent that scoured the land clean in an event recorded as the [[Scourge of Arak]]. Dwarves familiar with the region maintain that an entire mountain was carried off and deposited in the newly formed domain of [[Keening]]. The land was left barren and the road ruined. In the decades that followed Arak acquired the blackest of reputations. It is, for example, held universally that anyone who dared spend the night in the land was carried off before dawn, presumablly by the shadow fey. | Life accross the surface of Arak was eradicated in 588 BC by a sandstorm without precedent that scoured the land clean in an event recorded as the [[Scourge of Arak]]. Dwarves familiar with the region maintain that an entire mountain was carried off and deposited in the newly formed domain of [[Keening]]. The land was left barren and the road ruined. In the decades that followed Arak acquired the blackest of reputations. It is, for example, held universally that anyone who dared spend the night in the land was carried off before dawn, presumablly by the shadow fey. | ||
Revision as of 20:23, 16 January 2010
| Arak (Domain) | |
|---|---|
| File:Arak.png | |
| Culture Level | ? |
| Ecology | ? |
| Climate & Terrain | ? |
| Year Formed | 575 |
| Population | ? |
| Races (%) | Shadow Fey, Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes? |
| Languages | ?, Darkonese, ?Tepestani |
| Religions | |
| Government | |
| Ruler(s) | ? |
| Darklord(s) | X |
| Nationality | |
| Analog | |
| Related Categories | |
| Locations in Arak (Domain) | |
| Transportation in Arak (Domain) | |
| Inhabitants of Arak (Domain) | |
| Former Inhabitants of Arak (Domain) | |
| Flora of Arak (Domain) | |
| Fauna of Arak (Domain) | |
| Native Monsters of Arak (Domain) | |
Arak was a land in the northeast of the Core that was formed in 575 BC and ceased to exist in 740 BC. At the time of its creation, northern Barovia stood on its southern frontier. In 579 BC Darkon formed on its norther frontier. A road ran between them, terminating in the south at the western of the Old Svalich Road and probably terminating in the north the Tempe Road just west of Tempe Falls. By 682 BC, if not earlier, contract with Barovia was lost, for Nova Vaasa formed on its southern frontier. In 683 BC, the [[Nightmare Lands] became its eastern border. And finally in 691 BC, Tepest became its western frontier. In geological terms, Arak lay at the heart of the Mountains of Misery. It northern frontier cut across the northern flank of Mount Nirka, its western frontier cut across the western foothills of the Mountains of Misery, its southern frontier was the southern limit of the Forgotten Hills, and its eastern frontier was the eastern limit of the eastern foothills of the Mountains of Misery. At its centre stood stupendous Mount Nyid, the highest peak in the Land of Mists. Mount Nyid and its sister Mount Nirka were inactive volcanos that anchored the Mountains of Misery to the southwest and to the northeast respectively. The surface was inhabited by the Arakian and by other humans, mostly emigrated from Darkon. A road ran from the Old Svalich Road in eastern Barovia across Arak and into Darkon. Below the surface dwelt the true rulers of Arak, the Arak. They were shadow fey who lived in a kingdom of cave and tunnels, hidden from the killing rays of the sun.
Life accross the surface of Arak was eradicated in 588 BC by a sandstorm without precedent that scoured the land clean in an event recorded as the Scourge of Arak. Dwarves familiar with the region maintain that an entire mountain was carried off and deposited in the newly formed domain of Keening. The land was left barren and the road ruined. In the decades that followed Arak acquired the blackest of reputations. It is, for example, held universally that anyone who dared spend the night in the land was carried off before dawn, presumablly by the shadow fey.
In 740 BC the Arak and their kingdom were dragged to the newly opened gash upon the face of the Land of Mists that is the Shadow Rift. Their relocation and the disappearance of the land of Arak as such, permitted the subsumption of the Mountains of Misery and the Forgotten Hills into Darkon, moving the Darkonese frontier south to that of Nova Vaasa.
Afterwards, it became gradually known that those who dared spend the night in what was formerly Arak no longer systematically failed to return. And those who did return had been beset by things other than fey. Fey incursion into surrounding lands from what was formerly Arak naturally ceased, which did Tepest no good at all for the chief fracture leading out of the Shadow Rift proved to be in that land. The reputation of the Mountains of Misery for being fey haunted lessened with the passing of the years. The Forgotten Hills became a hideout for especially intrepid or desperate bandits, arguably making the northern frontier of Nova Vaasa a more dangerous place, especially along the East Timori Road and the Vaughn Dnar River from the Tepestani frontier to the Trished River and even beyond. And Darkon could begin work on the Strigos Road which, when complete, will join the East Timori Road at Liara in Nova Vaasa to the Argentus Road and the Tempe Road just east of Tempe Falls.
Pre-740 (and perhaps post-740):
- desolate and windswept
- scrubs, not trees
- grasses and spike plants
- spiders, giant insects, ettencaps, hell hounds
Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue
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Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp33-34 | |
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Realm of Terror - poster map |
