Ebony Veldt¶
The Ebony Veldt is a region in western Drehmal that is home to a large, mostly uninhabited savanna. Its name references the acacia wood found within the region and the area's landscape, some of which is akin to real-life veldts.
Geography¶
The Ebony Veldt stretches from Drehmal's west coast to the Burnt Mountains to the east, separating it from Capital Valley and the Gulf of Drehmal region. The region borders Merijool to the north, Mt. Ebonfire to the northwest, Anyr'Nogur to the southwest, Nimahj Swamp to the south and North Tharxax to the southeast.
The Ebony Veldt consists of a vast expanse of wild grasslands sparsely populated with acacia trees and banyan trees (made from oak and birch wood). The terrain is mostly flat and low-elevation, except for a few bluffs with white and orange, red and orange, or gray stone. The ground is also covered with tall grass and flowers.
Environmental Sub-Regions:
- Marshland on lake with tall grass in center
- Patch of woods with thick (acacia) trees in west
- Green river valley with small, red sandstone rocks in west
- Plateau with partially sandy ground and red and orange stone cliffs in south
The town of Elvett sits in the region's west, on the banks of a river that flows into the western ocean.
History¶
The first inhabitants of the Ebony Veldt were of the Ebohni tribe, who resided in the region in the early Second Avihm. It is unknown how long they existed as a distinct group. The First Tharhan Empire (which may or may not have directly controlled the region) deported their less dangerous criminals to the Ebony Veldt, where they were presumed to die to wild beasts. However, many survived by joining a safe, underground settlement, which slowly accumulated people. This became the city of Caer Adacia. This society was organized under a matrilineal line of rulers, served by a fearsome band of black-clad warriors called the Nightwalkers.
The Casain Empire settled the western Ebony Veldt and founded the town of Elvett. Years later, as they clashed with the Tharhan kingdoms in what became known as the War of Unification, the Nightwalkers of Caer Adacia caught both sides off guard with an all-out attack that defeated Casai and secured all of the Tharhan lands. Caer Adacia thus became the capital of the Second Tharhan Empire.
The region, along with the rest of the empire, was eventually placed under Avsohmic rule, specifically under House Vera, based in Caer Adacia. The Foundry, Avsohm's principal manufacturing site for weaponry and armed vehicles, was built in close proximity to Elvett, which housed many of its workers. When Avsohm crumbled, the Ebony Veldt was included in Maelihs's conquest of the West in the Dune Wars.
Maelihs reigned until the region was taken over by the Insohmic Coalition during the Battle for Drehmal late in Av3. Their capture of Caer Adacia was devastating to Maelihs's forces. At least some of the Ebony Veldt was allotted to the Kingdom of Dusps, and it might have been partitioned with other Insohmic members as well. After the Order of Insohm's collapse, the Insohmic territories in the West erupted into chaos and the region was swiftly reclaimed by Maelihs's empire. Caer Adacia was depopulated, possibly due to mass-killing, fleeing, or deportation. The Ebony Veldt still lies under the grasp of Maelihs in the present day.
Terminus Tower¶
The Ebony Veldt tower.
The Ebony Veldt's Terminus tower is located in the region's central marshland, surrounded by a walled camp of Maelmari soldiers. One building in particular has a tower, the top of which has a bridge leading to a wooden ledge on the Terminus tower, with a ladder leading to a similar but higher ledge more than halfway up the tower.
Coordinates: (X: -2158, Y: 90, Z: 1123)
Points of Interest¶
Caer Adacia¶
Caer Adacia was a city built in a vast underground cavern, centered around a fortress. It was created by exiled criminals from the First Tharhan Empire, and after centuries of secret development, the city would eventually establish and become the capital of the Second Tharhan Empire. It then changed hands between Avsohm, Maelihs, and Insohm, before finally being returned to Maelihs and losing its residents by some means. The empty metropolis can still be found today in the northeast Ebony Veldt via several different entrances, inhabited by Neverdawn.
Coordinates: (X: -1440, Y: 76, Z: 390)
Elvett¶
Elvett is a small town situated across both sides of a river in the region's west, beneath a colossal, ancient Avsohmic bridge that was used for shipment in and out of the Foundry. The town's buildings use a mixture of jungle wood and copper, with older ruins of sandstone surrounding the modern settlement. Elvett was most likely originally founded by Casain colonists, eventually falling under Avsohmic rule and accommodating Foundry workers. Today, there is fierce competition between rival families that control different industries within the town.
Coordinates: (X: -3179, Y: 68, Z: 1286)
The Foundry¶
The Foundry was an underground Avsohmic facility/factory in the region's southwest that was used to mass-produce weapons and vehicles for the empire's military. An entrance door can be opened by flipping three override switches scattered around the surrounding area. Deeper inside, a mob-fighting arena that was used for testing weapons and potions can be found, and players can take on this challenge. Spanning across the adjacent valley is a large, stone bridge in a partially ruined state, which once provided passage to and from the facility. Clearing the Foundry arena grants access to one of Drehmal's mythical weapons.
Coordinates: (X: -3276, Y: 157, Z: 1500)
Maehrn'Vhos¶
Maehrn'Vhos, dubbed the "Great Wall of the West", is a towering, ornately carved stone wall, situated on the border between southwestern Merijool and the Ebony Veldt. A road runs through a gap in its center. It was originally built by the Second Tharhan Empire to ensure safety from the Casain Empire and West Merijool to the north. Today, the wall is used as a Mihkmari checkpoint.
Coordinates: (X: -2171, Y: 63, Z: -161)
Mihkmari Camp¶
A small camp of Mihkmari is found in acacia wood treehouses in the eastern Veldt, at the southern end of the bridge. This includes a Grafted Mihkmari, guarding the Lomach's Warplate artifact.
Coordinates: (X: -1191, Y: 70, Z: 803)