Map Description: The Caldera and Its Environs

The Caldera, a plateau basin formed by the crater of a crashed comet, is enclosed by towering cliffs and a shimmering magical barrier known as the Sunveil, a protective field that distorts perception and wards against intrusion. Within, shadowy rainforests, expansive prairie grasslands, and rugged hills are divided up among the neighboring Shy and Kobold domains. Secretive trails, the Shyways on the surface, and the underground Deepways cross the caldera. Volcanic activity is another major feature of the caldera, with tar pits and hot springs emerging from the landscape.

Core Settlements:

Rootshadow:

The largest Middleshy settlement, built within the hollowed roots of an ancient Shadowspine Oak, renowned for the

Concord Pavilion

and winding root-paths.

Mossgrove Dell:

A verdant settlement protected by a grove of trees, with moss fields and the famed

Bowerbird Avenue

-a path lined with bowerbird nests, prized for the treasures and trinkets discarded by the birds once their mating season ends.

Glowmarket:

A settlement that hosts an underground bazaar lit by Mooncap Mushrooms, where Shy gather for commerce and exchange.

Sunshy Camps:

Goldenfalls:

Favored for Sunshy gatherings and rites, the falls turn golden in the light of sunset.

Sunstone Rise:

A Sunshy lookout point on a high rocky ledge that gets lit by the first rays of dawn.

Kobold Domains:

Ember Foothills:

Rocky slopes that mark the borders of the kobold territories, eventually lead up to the rim of the caldera

.

Cradle Caverns:

The sprawling heart of the kobold hive, sheltering clutches of kobold eggs tended by nest mothers

The Shyways:

A complex network of concealed trails—dense hedgerows, hollowed trunks, shallow tunnels.

From

Glowmarket

, the Shyways travel northeast to

Mossgrove Dell

through a forest.

From

Mossgrove Dell

, an eastern route though shallow tunnels leads to

Rootshadow

, forming the Shy's primary artery of trade.

From

Rootshadow

, more routes lead to other Middleshy settlements around the caldera

There are no direct Shyways into Kobold territory; the routes circumvent these regions entirely.

The Deepways – subway tunnel that forms a smoothly curved route around most major Deepshy settlements underground. The main terminus is at the central city of Obsidara.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Natural Landmarks:

The Veilwood:

A mist-shrouded rainforest/jungle spilling in and out and surrounding the edge of the caldera

The Silverthread:

A silvery, quick-flowing river that cuts through the caldera.

Shattered Shardfield:

A deep bowl strewn with remnants of the comet strike which caused the formation of the caldera.

Beyond the Caldera:

The Sunveil:

A mystical barrier encircling the caldera's rim, warding against outsiders and distorting perception from outside.

Snare Traps

set up by humans

along the outermost edge of the Sunveil, almost at the rim of the caldera.

Trappers' Clearing:

A hunting camp beyond the Sunveil where human trappers use as a waystation to and from Greyhold and other settlements.

Scattered small villages built on the plains beyond the caldera, wood and thatch structures.

Greyhold:

The largest human town in the region, a grim bastion where the

Greyhold Compound

, a sprawling complex, holds Shy and Kobold captives and forces them into labor and egg-laying.

Map Description of Greyhold Compound

Greyhold is a sprawling human town with the imposing Greyhold Compound at its heart, surrounded by high wooden fences topped with spiked metal wire. The compound is a hub of industrial activity, with distinct sections for various operations. Cobblestone pathways and wide dirt tracks connect the compound's sectors, flanked by guard posts.

Central Structure:

Overseer's House:

Dominating the center of the compound is the Overseer's House, a three-story timber-and-stone structure.

Western Section:

Brood Barn:

A large, long building with wooden walls and a heavily barred entrance, designed to house kobolds. Inside are hay-lined pens and troughs for food and water fill the space.

Eastern Section:

Shy Workshop:

A squat brick building housing the captive Shy. Within, workspaces are equipped with mechanical parts, tools, and gears for the clockworks the Shy produce.

Underground Tunnels through the Greyhold Compound:

Kobold Tunnel:

The tunnel runs across the compound, connecting the Brood Barn to the Shy Workshop.

Uiska's Offshoot Tunnel:

A smaller tunnel branches from the Kobold Tunnel, dug stealthily by Uiska. It terminates beside the central Overseer's House.

Final Escape Tunnel:

The escape tunnel, hastily dug near the intersection of the Kobold Tunnel and Uiska's offshoot, extends outward to emerge beyond the outer perimeter of the compound into a thicket of tall grass and scattered boulders

Additional Features:

Four guard towers stand at each corner of the compound

Forge and Blacksmith Yard:

Near the workshop, a forge roars day and night, producing tools and maintaining the compound's machines.

Animal Pens:

Near the Brood Barn, large pens hold the humans' riding beasts and service animals.

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