The Haunted grey
Dolver
A dark and haunted province still scarred by the devastation of the Dolcurse and the reign of the lich Rash'Gilthune. Ruled by the Duke its people live under the constant shadow of death, necromancy, and strict social order. The Witch Hunters relentlessly hunt “dark mages” who practice spells they deem unholy and the cursed undead to prevent another catastrophe.
Battlemaps set in this location
Roranvale
Roranvale was built as a reaction to the oppression of the Witchhunters, a group whose fanatical crusade against "dark magic" has terrorized the lands around Naenia for decades. This city of alchemists, scientists, and medical experts was founded with a mission: to study, understand, and prevent the dangers of undeath and disease through reason and experimentation, rather than fear and destruction.
The Witchhunters of Naenia aim to eradicate all magic tied to the plague that devastated Dolver 70 years ago. Their definition of "dark magic," however, is so broad and nebulous that it encompasses nearly anything they don't understand. Instead of carefully investigating the roots of necromancy or undeath, the Witchhunters resort to blind destruction, burning anything that might be tangentially related to the plague—often at great cost to innocent lives.
In defiance of this destructive crusade, Roranvale emerged as a sanctuary for those shunned by the Witchhunters. Its alchemists are empowered to study the undead, seeking not only ways to purify them but even methods to control and harness their power. This openness has made Roranvale a haven for those deemed heretics: necromancers, warlocks, alchemists researching the elusive Talbot Serum, and even the undead themselves. Awakened undead, reborn, hallowed, cindered, vampires, and others have found refuge within its walls.
While Roranvale has earned a reputation as a shadowy city of outcasts and mad scientists, no one can deny the remarkable alchemical advancements made here. Behind its fortified walls , under the tower serum vats that bathe the city in their emerald glow, and away from the Witchhunters' reach, the city thrives as a beacon of progress, pursuing knowledge that others fear to touch.
Cinderegin
Once a lush and expansive farmland, the region now known as Cinderegin was irrevocably scarred during the Dolver Plague. In an act of desperation, fury, and anguish, the land was magically torched, leaving an enduring arcane scar upon the region. The cursed flames never truly extinguished; instead, they continue to smolder and ember eternally, ensuring the land remains uninhabitable by any conventional means.
Now, the region serves as the home of the Cindered—awakened skeletons perpetually engulfed in flames. These beings, cursed to burn forever, have found solace in this desolate landscape. The Cindered fiercely guard the region, opposing any attempts to heal the land. While druids and other magic-wielders have repeatedly sought to lift the curse and restore Cinderegin, the Cindered resist these efforts. To the Cindered, the cursed land serves as a reminder to the living of the cost of their hubris, and they view its preservation as essential to ensuring those lessons are never forgotten. Seventy years later the dead have turned a desolate wasteland into a sanctuary for those who have embraced their cursed existence.
Bondmire
At the heart of the province lies Bondmire, a vast, marshy lake shrouded in mist. This eerie expanse was once home to the enigmatic Plague Doctor Bonder, a figure whose legend lingers like the fog over the water. His humble stilted hut still stands, its weathered timbers defying time and decay.
Over the years, the hut has become a site of pilgrimage for the faithful of the Chapel of Truths. To them, it is an effigy—a testament to Bonder’s life, his belief in a cure, and the truths he sought to uncover amidst the plague when so many others fled. Though few dare to venture this deep into the swamp, those who do speak of an unshakable stillness surrounding the hut, as if the marsh itself waits for its friend to come home.
The Midnight Tower
The WThe northern skyline of Dolver is dominated by its most iconic feature: the Midnight Tower. Looming like a specter of death, its Blackstone bricks rise high into the sky, tapering to a sharp point crowned by a single window that gazes ominously over the countryside. The Midnight Tower is a magical artifact, forged by the hands of an abyssal demonic consort who wielded the stolen power of a dying god.
Within its imposing walls lies a spiral staircase that twists through an infinite collection of books. This extraordinary library is said to contain every word ever penned in the world of Crudilex. The deeper one descends, the darker, older, and more secret the tomes become. But plumbing those depths is not without its dangers. Those who delve too far risk succumbing to the influence of the Void—the whispering abyss at the bottom of all things. There, the god of secrets huddles at the darkest black, ready to exact vengeance on those who dare denudate those sacred mysteries.
Ascending the archive offers a path looking forward leading to newer, more hopeful, and optimistic. However, even the ascent has its own dangers. Should one climb beyond the point of the most recently written book, they will encounter volumes yet to be scribed. To read these unwritten books is to violate Fate—a fundamental truth of existence. Such an act draws the ire of the god of time, who guards the sanctity of what is yet to come.
Talbot Estate
Perched on a shadowed hilltop overlooking the countryside, the Talbot Estate serves as the seat of the one of the three Dukes of Dolver. The Talbots are the wealthiest family in the region, owning over a third of its land. Their legacy is deeply entwined with Dolver’s history, making the Talbots and the province nearly inseparable.
Among their ancestors is the legendary alchemist Nervik Talbot, credited with creating the life-saving Talbot Serum, the cure for the devastating plague that once ravaged the land. This achievement cemented the family’s reputation as saviors and elevated them to a status of unparalleled wealth and influence.
However, the Talbot name is no longer only synonymous with heroism. Today, the family is as infamous for its scandals as it is famous for its legacy. Whispers abound of dark rituals performed within the estate’s
walls, rumors claiming the Talbots summon monsters to barter away their souls in exchange for their immense wealth and political clout.
A particularly persistent legend accuses Nervik Talbot himself of having used forbidden magic to concoct his miraculous cure. This claim remains a focal point of fierce debate, with Roranvale’s alchemists praising his ingenuity while Naenia’s Witchhunters condemn him as a practitioner of dark arts. Despite—or perhaps because of—the mystery and infamy surrounding them, the Talbots remain one of the most influential families in Crudilex, their name etched into Dolver’s history.
Azmik City
Seat of the Azmik University and home to both the wealthy and the downtrodden, Dolver is a tenuous place. The high Gothic spires cast long shadows over the impoverished masses.
The province is still healing from the scars of the plague that all but destroyed it 30 years ago, and the people are quick to remind anyone who asks how far they have come since then. The people of these lands tend to have a darker demeanor, each carrying the weight of the past. No family, noble or common, escaped the tragedy wrought by Rash'Gilthune, the lich. Some say the province still mourns today, which is why so many of its people are clad in black.
Azmik stands as the heart of higher learning in Crudilex, famed for its prestigious university that shares its name. Azmik University produces graduates who hold some of the most
esteemed scholarly positions across the plains, transcending political and cultural boundaries with their expertise.
Earning a degree from Azmik University is a monumental achievement, often demanding a commitment of 10 to 30 years of rigorous study. The university's oldest, long-lived students—enrolled since the institution's founding—have been pursuing knowledge for over two centuries. Their work was interrupted only during a grim 15-year period when a plague of undeath ravaged the land, threatening the very foundation of scholarly pursuit in Crudilex.
Duboi
DuBois, the Crypt City, stands as a sanctuary for vampiric cortèges who have cast aside the mask of humanity to embrace their true nature in the darkness. Named after the legendary vampire queen who once dreamed of such a haven, DuBois is a refuge and a stage for the shadowy dealings of the vampires of Crudilex.
Vampires of all kinds convene without the need for pretense. The aristocratic, high-stationed vampire nobles who normally operate under layers of subtlety and deception rub shoulders with brazen, openly murderous vampires. The dichotomy of vampiric society—those who hide in the shadows and those who revel in blood and violence—allowing for unfiltered interaction. The city serves as a neutral ground for the fuding cortèges and meeting place of dark powers that shape Crudilex from the shadows. Deals are struck, alliances forged, and rivalries inflamed in a place where the undead feel no compulsion to feign restraint.
Hushmill
On the road out of Dolver lies a charming tavern crowned with a whimsical windmill on its roof. Hushmill offers weary travelers a warm and welcoming reprieve from the perilous, muddy, and isolated roads of Dolver. Its inviting atmosphere, crackling hearth, and hearty meals make it a treasured haven for those journeying into the dark lands. With the Crypt City of vampires, DuBois, not far off a safe and comfortable place like Hushmill is worth whatever the innkeep charges for a bed.
However, travelers are quietly advised to tread carefully. If the innkeeper asks, never mention that you’re traveling alone. Stories linger about vagrants and drifters—those who wouldn’t be missed—vanishing without a trace after staying at the Hushmill Inn. Some locals call it a coincidence. Others are not so sure.
Pell
Nestled at the edge of Dolver, deep within the woods, lies the village of Pell. Those brave enough to travel to Pell are told to stay on the path—never venture off and always travel in large groups, armed. The forests surrounding the village are cloaked in dense, unforgiving mists that strangle the light. Terrible, invisible horrors lurk within the fog, striking out at anyone who isn't properly warded with luck charms.
The villagers of Pell refer to the presence of these monsters as a curse. It is said that the horrors came after a young boy vanished into the woods. His father, devastated by grief and madness, spent years scouring the forest for his son. Strangely, the invisible creatures never attacked the man, as though something about his grief kept them at bay. There are those who say that the mists will only lift when the boy’s fate is finally discovered and his father is allowed to find peace. Until then, the village remains haunted by the cursed fog, with its inhabitants trapped by their fear.
Castle Marmond
The WThe gothic Castle Marmond stands proudly at the heart of the Marmond’s Third of Dolver. Renowned for its walled gardens and prized hounds, the Marmond family has long been a fixture in the region’s elite circles. Their seasonal galas, grand hunts, and extravagant social events have served as the backdrop for countless deals and political maneuverings in Crudilex, stretching back long before the plague.
At the head of the dynasty is Duke Belfast Marmond, a shrewd and calculating figure who commands respect. His sons are some of the most eligible bachelors in the world, renowned for their charm, good looks, and social standing. However, it is widely whispered that their father has one ultimate goal for them: marriage by the end of the season. He seeks to secure the future of the Marmond House before his inevitable death.
Recently, however, the family’s reputation has been tarnished by scandal. The youngest son, Dominic, long known as the wild, rebellious black sheep of the family, caused a public uproar at one of the family's grand galas. Before a gathering of noble guests, Dominic publicly accused his father of being pacted to an Infernal— a warlock in service to Sulfrix, the Arch-Devil of the Infernal Legion. The accusation sent shockwaves through both the family and Dolver’s nobility, leaving the family’s reputation hanging precariously in the balance.
Naenia
Naenia is the first elven city established since the fall, a sanctuary for the most desperate and outcast: the Dolcursed, Fallen Elves, lepers, the sick, diseased, and dying. Initially founded on ideals of altruism and compassion, the city promised housing and medical treatment for all in need. These noble intentions drew selfless healers, heroes, and visionaries from all across the world to its cause.
However, the rapid influx of desperate souls soon overwhelmed the city's resources. Naenia became dangerously overpopulated, and the strain on infrastructure and supplies forced its leaders to seek aid from Azmik—a fateful decision that would forever change the face of the city.
The Witchhunters responded to the call, offering the
assistance the city so desperately needed—but at a heavy cost. In exchange, they demanded complete control over Naenia's laws and governance, starting with the absolute prohibition of what they deemed “dark magic.” Under relentless pressure, the city’s leadership reluctantly agreed, their hands tied by sheer necessity.
Overnight, Naenia transformed into a zealous, militaristic state under the Witchhunters’ dominion. What had once been a haven of hope became a place of rigid control and fear, as the Witchhunters enforced their laws ruthlessly. The promise of the city's salvation came at the price of its freedom, leaving Naenia caught between its ideals and the grip of its so-called saviors.
Keep Ironloft
Perched on a hill, Keep Ironloft was once the last bastion of the living during Dolver's infamous 15-year plague of undeath. Today, the fortress stands as the primary military outpost of the country, the spearhead of its defense. Although the Keep is not under the stewardship of any of the three dukes, it is fiercely maintained and operated under the command of General Vinitus, who holds authority over all the forces of Dolver from the keep.
The primary role of the soldiers at Keep Ironloft is to ensure safe passage between the settlements of Dolver. With the countryside teeming with monsters and dangerous threats, these wayfarers serve as guardians, escorting travelers and maintaining order in a land plagued by horror. Their training is rigorous, and their mission unwavering: to defend Dolver’s people from the dangers lurking beyond the walls and to keep the roads safe for all who must travel through the land.
Ratmother Run
Ratmother Run is a treacherous river that flows down from the cursed mountains of the Forsaken Steps. The rapids cut through the grey pine forest, tumbling over steep rocky descents and fierce undertows. Many who find themselves in the woods would rather risk the river's deadly currents than face the peril of the befallen, undead that prowl the area near the steps.
The river is named after the Ratfolk who call the region home. Immune to the Soulrot corruption of the Eden Star and the Forsaken Steps, and completely ignored by the undead, the Ratfolk have built an entire colony in this dangerous place. The natural threats of the river, which would deter most other creatures, mean little to the Ratfolk, who are protected by the very dangers that others seek to avoid.
The Forsaken Steps
The WThe Forsaken Steps are a mountain that defies the laws of the natural order —an imposing, jagged monolith ripped from its rightful place and cast out from purgatory through the dark sacrament of Hierophant Felshire, the once-revered elven king.
Long ago, atop the highest step of the mountain, Felshire consumed the poison of night, ending his mortal life and transforming himself into a lich. His newfound power, vast and terrifying, enabled him to create the Eden Star—a celestial aberration so powerful it threatened to devour the world and plunge it into purgatory. In a desperate and bloody battle, Felshire was defeated and bound, locked in a state of eternal torment, trapped between the realms of life and death.
Even in his eternal binding, the Eden Star remains, undiminished. It hovers forever at the summit of the Forsaken Steps. Now cursed and shrouded in death, the mountain has become known as the Forsaken Steps—a grey lifeless scar from the sacrilege of its former king. The lands surrounding the mountain are forbidden to all. The soulrot of purgatory seeps into the air and soil, corrupting any living being who dares to venture too close.
Serogot
Deep At the bottom of the Forsaken Steps, along the grey shores of the nameless highland lake and beneath the dark parlor of the endless soul-rotting eye of the Eden Star, lies Serogot—a haunted ruin. This crumbling chapel was once dedicated to a long-dead dragon cult, now abandoned and claimed by a skeletal dragon as its tomb. Known as Seregoth the Forlorn, this ancient creature has chosen to remain dead until such a time as it is called upon once more.
Seregoth serves as its mother did in the primal times, following the ancient dragon tradition. But unlike his predecessors, his charge is not tied to the stewardship of an elemental portal or the flow of essence through the world's ley lines. His task is far more sinister: Seregoth is bound by fate to reopen the Eden Star in 10,000 years, guiding the hallowed army of skeletal dead back from the afterlife to scour the world and end the age of the living.
This apocalyptic task is one Seregoth has little to no choice in, and as such, he has resented his destiny for thousands of years. His cult did everything in their power to soothe him, but ultimately, Seregoth chose death over fulfilling his charge. Even in death, he found no peace. The powers of fate dragged his soul back from hell, anchoring it to his bones for eternity.
Felborne Del
Once a proud kingdom at the edge of Dolver, Felborne Del was the origin of the devastating plague that ravaged the land. The city was completely wiped out, down to the last citizen, with not a single survivor escaping the disease. Since then, the city has stood abandoned and deserted for nearly 100 years. Its structures slowly crumble, and its name fades into the annals of forgotten history.
Yet, Felborne Del is unique. It is not entirely devoid of life. One citizen remains—an animated skeleton named Drolo Wik. A bard by trade, Drolo sings songs about his forgotten beloved city, and through his tunes, the spirit of Felborne Del lives on.
Strange tales speak of the city itself, of Felborne Del rising from its ruins, animated as a golem of crumbling ramparts and rotting beams. believed to wander the forgotten roads and long-buried pathways, searching for its last citizen. Only when Drolo Wik and the spirit of the city are reunited will both find peace, and the songs of Felborne Del will be played the last time.
Toten Tree
The Dolver Toten Tree is one of ten or twenty of its kind scattered across the world. These trees serve as sacred sites for the totemic people. While not inherently magical or spiritual, the Toten trees are always the largest trees in an open space, their branches spreading out wide like an umbrella. They become a symbol of passage for various groups and caravans, each marking their journey by decorating the tree with by hanging a colored flag representing their group.
These flags signify the route traveled, and the Toten trees often become prominent landmarks during the world-renowned Fadma race. The Fadma is a massive, worldwide race, with participants from across the land. The Toten trees act as checkpoints on the route, places where racers must stop and camp, or at least pause for a night, as they journey from one end of the world to the other.
CULTURE
Taboos
Suffering a Dolcursed to live:
The Dolcursed carry the curse of Gilthun, and their presence is a blight on Dolver. They bring with them the sunless sky and poisoned earth. If found, they are meant to be turned over to the Witch Hunters immediately, never to be seen again.Speaking out of class:
The strict Colloran hierarchy is adhered to the letter in Dolver. To insult someone of a higher class puts your family name at risk. The Colloran government pays stipends to its nobles, and losing that income can mean losing land, property, and even your freedom.Dress:
For the middle class and above, failing to dress appropriately or maintain a proper appearance is considered taboo. A poor image reflects badly on the entire family, and neglecting that look can alienate you, as others do not wish to be associated with someone of low reputation.Divorce:
A major taboo. If you divorce, you become an outcast, especially as a woman. Many families will disown and never speak to kin who commit this taboo to preserve their status and reputation.Having a bastard or any child out of wedlock.
This is one of the most severe taboos in Dolver. Children born outside of marriage are seen as a stain on the family name. Families may go to great lengths to hide or disown such children to avoid the social and political repercussions, and many are forced into exile to preserve the family’s reputation.
Turmoil
Rash'Ignis Regin of cinders
The Lich Lord of Cinders was born from the goddess of flame when the tiefling Ignus sacrificed his life fighting Gilthun.
His divine duty is to purge the dead of Dolver and rebirth them as cinders—walking, charred corpses that smolder for eternity. His purpose has never ceased. The Witch Hunters of Dolver relentlessly seek him to end the last remnant of undeath in the land. Though his reign does not aim to destroy the living, it is seen as a cruel and haunting reminder of Dolver’s tragic past.
The Witch Hunters
The Witch Hunters are the personal military force that takes orders only from the Duke of Dolver. Their task is to prevent another devastation like the Dolcurse from ever occurring again, primarily by policing and prosecuting necromancers and magic users in general.
The sentence in Dolver for unlicensed magic use is death, and it is carried out by the Witch Hunters.