Recommended Lore
General Overview of the Isle of Ghosts
"Only known through rumour and legend, the Isle of Ghosts is a place for only the lost; an ancient Elder Drake and Windwyrm city is said to lie within thick fog on a hidden island in Lake Zela. Although many have tried to find it over the years, none have been successful… at least, none have succeeded that have returned from their attempt.
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The fog and mist from the lake provides relief from the usual heavy heat of summer, and during both day and night, the Isle can get quite cool - to the point where, in the dark of night, one can sometimes see their breath in the lantern-light.
Numbered Points of Interest
The islands themselves range in size from small spires of rocks to large enough to have a few cliffs and patches of forest on them. Many of them have limestone ‘flowerpot’ rock formations on them, often with the ancient sun-bleached bones of dead windwyrms laid to rest atop them. Some of the skeletons are deformed, with an extra central eyesocket and sometimes more than one pair of wings. Worn paintings and carvings on the rocks from ancient windwyrms can still be seen, of feathered dragons rising from the storms, the sea, and raging flames.
Large boulders, tree trunks seaweed, dead sea creatures, and bits of Elder Drake and windwyrm rubble can be found all along the beach, including shiny bits of jewelry amidst the other, less eye-catching clutter.
The water just beyond the rocks is extremely dark and deep, home to large aquatic animals, fish, and seabirds nesting along caves carved into the stone by the water. There are some old carvings and paintings of sea serpents and rocs in areas less worn away by the waves and mist.
The eastern cliffs are not quite as steep as the western ones, and made of round, gently sloped granite. There are some pockmarked rocks from prehistoric coral reefs along the shore, with fossilized ancient aquatic animals and plants sometimes visible.
The scholar Cloud Barebranch from the Society of History is especially interested in this site, and has warned those in the Eastern Camp to be careful not to make a mess or break anything should they venture inside the halls.
Many of them show signs of having been used as lighthouses, especially those on the northern and eastern sides of the Isle. Inside, if one brings a light with them, marvelous stone sculptures can be seen on the lower floors, and half-rotted tapestries depict scenes involving the most famous of the windwyrm spirits - especially one identified as Fintan, the trickster and keeper of flames.
All of the towers are of an appropriate size to permit even abnormally large windwyrms. The runesmith and Society of History member Misstep has been slowly making her way to each, painting on runes to assist in preserving the sites for future generations.
The Isle of Ghosts
Northern Camp
Most of those sent here are warriors, historians or diplomats, and all are uneasy, for the reputation of the Isle of Ghosts amoung the windwyrms is that it is a horrible, cursed place best left well enough alone.
Soldiers and Hawks make regular patrols of the camp’s perimeter, as well as escorting Baroness Thunder Blackpine and other scholars when they visit some of the Isle’s ruins. They have been told to avoid starting a fight with the Brookian or stormherald militaries for now, and so far have settled for trading insults when they stumble upon each other.
Faces of the Northern Camp
Eastern Camp
There is a group of soldiers from the Brookian army as well as the stormherald Society of War serving as security for the camp, tasked with protecting the scientists and scholars. So far there hasn’t been any serious fighting with the windwyrm soldiers, but both camps are a bit… tense.
Faces of the Eastern Camp
The Elder Drake Castle
There are four guard towers with copper rooftops, with carvings and small artefacts from their former inhabitants, including exceptionally well-preserved weapons and armour, indicating that those employed here were both dragon and human.
In the heart of the castle is a massive circular ballroom, the ceiling marked with runes to create the illusion of a bright blue sky dotted with clouds, slightly more luminous than is natural. The walls are painted with images of Elder Drakes, unicorns (usually fighting or being killed by Elder Drakes), Thunderbirds, phoenixes, Familiars, leviathans and sky-whales, some of which almost appear to move when the light hits them just right. A large circular oculus in the ceiling permits natural sun and moonlight.
The most striking part of the ballroom, is, however, the massive skeletal remains of a long-dead Elder Drake. Some old letters carved into the personal quarters of the guard towers suggest that they were named An, and were a military leader of the Elder Drakes, perhaps during some ancient and forgotten war.
The Deep Fog
The Inner City
This is the inner city, the ancient Duchy of Greygale, built over the ruins of an even older Elder Drake city. This is the home of the Seraphim, the place where they have been sheltering since the first Tempest’s attempt to wipe them out and destroy all records of their existence. The Seraphim number only a few hundred and much of the city is uninhabited and abandoned as a result.
Major locations in the inner city are:
- The Grand Well - a deep, dark stepwell in the centre of the Inner City that was built by the Elder Drake occupants of the city many centuries ago. It is the water source for the entire city and despite its age, the waters deep within are almost crystal-clear.
- Temple of the Three Primordial - a temple to the windwyrm gods where they are worshipped and offerings are left. A massive carving of Maura and her two lovers, Muirchertach and Fintan, guard either side of the entry. In a large, domed room open to the sky at the back of the temple, the ceremonies to birth new Seraphim are conducted.
- Lady Three-Eye’s Hall - a large meeting hall that houses Lady Three-Eyes and the other eldest Seraphim, a place open for both young and old to come and seek their advice. The Seraphim’s records are housed here.
- Inner City Gardens - an old Elder Drake greenhouse, all bronze and glass, remains standing in the inner city and is used by the Seraphim to grow plants for both medicinal and food purposes.
- Graygale Stones - large pillars of stone carved with strange markings, crafted by members of House Greygale. They stand at the edge of the Inner City and upon the taller rooftops, keeping the fog at bay. Within the areas of the Deep Fog outside of this place, you may notice other carved stone pillars, overturned to conceal their true purpose or concealed by plant growth and moss.
- Those with runesmithing knowledge will recognize the stone in the city are carved with repel and steam/fog. Those outside the city are carved with illusion and steam/fog.