The Burning Sea.
Rayion
With waters like acid, dissolving any creature who falls in. Noxious gases escaping from natural volcanic pipes spewing superheated gases into the sky, forming acidic clouds that drift menacingly across the region. At the edges of the poisoned waters, blue flames flicker and burn where sulfur and saltiron ignite. Ghostly fires illuminate the rocky outcrops along the bay lending the sea its ominous name: The Burning Sea.
Battlemaps set in this location
Coalfrock Delta
Originally constructed as a temporary outpost by the marauder Coalfrock minotaur tribe, the delta’s environment proved to be an ideal stronghold for their ongoing war against the Maze-hunting minotaurs of the greater culture. With numerous natural defenses along the edge of Rayion and access to a steady trade of fresh water from the well-protected delta, the Coalfrock tribe has risen to prominence as water barons of the southern territories. Though they continue to live in yurts and wagons, their outpost has been fortified so extensively that it now resembles a small city.
Brimloch
Nestled outside the greater capital city of Drearloch, the smaller sister city of Brimloch is the lifeblood of Rayion's economy, sustained by its singular, large freshwater spring. In the poisoned seas of Rayion, freshwater is the most precious and vital resource, relied upon beyond the infrequent rains, costly imports, and dowsing efforts.
The village is built around a magically warded lake, its purity fiercely protected through enchantments and the mastery of filtration magics perfected by its residents. Brimloch is a hub of innovation, with its waterworks and aqueducts transforming the otherwise inhospitable region.
However, a grave threat looms over Brimloch—a monstrous being whose sole purpose seems to be the poisoning of mortals. Its body emanating dense clouds of saltiron smoke, corrupting everything it touches. To protect their invaluable spring, the city has constructed massive, fast-spinning windmills designed to blow like colossal fans, dispersing the yeamord haze and keeping the creature at bay. These windmills stand as Brimloch’s first and most critical line of defense against the endlessly creeping danger.
Saltpool Terraces
The Saltpool Terraces serve as a natural divider between the upper and lower seas of Rayion, shaped by the mineral-rich torrents of the great geyser. Erupting from the upper sea, these torrents flow over the mountainside, depositing there and forming countless pools and rivers.
Locals revere these sacred pools, believing them to house portals—windows into time itself. According to legend, these pools allow you to glimpse their potential futures, offering a vision of how life might unfold based on their choices. This myth has drawn countless seekers, from travelers yearning for clarity to Dowser Wizards eager to uncover their destinies. However, in truth the wizards visit under the guise of further learning while really the pools have become one of the region's most popular retreats, a public secret among the Dowsers.
The Great Geyser Calabash
At the heart of the upper sea of Rayion lies the Great Geyser Calabash, a towering natural marvel and the lifeblood of the region. Periodically, it erupts with scalding water drawn from the boiling depths of the sunless sea below, showering the surrounding landscape in toxic saltiron-infused spray. This rain leaves behind a characteristic rusty yellow residue as the water oxidizes and dries on the infrequent ground and cliffs of Rayion.
The geyser itself is a monumental structure of saltiron, its ribbed and uneven surface growing taller with each eruption. Over the centuries, it has collapsed three times in recorded history, each time reshaping the seas. After each collapse, the waters turned turbulent and hostile, with endless churning, hissing steam rising violently from the depths. These moments of upheaval are etched into the region's history, often heralding periods of unrest.
Today, Calabash stands 300 feet tall and is home to a small, secretive circle of Bentgrass Firbolg druids. Known for their distinctive green, mane-like hair, this particular Florum of Firbolg is unique to Rayion and deeply isolated from the outside world. They view the geyser as sacred and jealously guard it against outsiders. Suspicious and often aggressive, the druids see themselves as protectors of Calabash.
Tidelochs
The thermal terraces scattered throughout Rayion are far more prevalent than they initially seem. In the upper reaches of the region, these terraces form immense thermal pools so vast that their resemblance to smaller formations is easy to overlook. Known as Tidelochs, these expansive bodies of water sit atop the cliffs, defining much of Rayion's unique geography.
Tidelochs are situated high enough that the region's toxic saltiron haze either flows down the cliffs or disperses quickly, making these elevated areas far more hospitable than the lower reaches. Their natural boundaries, formed by the edges of the pools, create convenient divisions between regions and settlements making navigating the area much easier, while its hard to get lost; however there are plenty of other dangers lurking in the poisoned waters of the Tidelochs to be wary of.
Yaemord Haze
The Yaemord Haze is the home of Rayion's single most feared entity, a spectral figure veiled in a cloak of unending poison clouds. Known as “The Woman in the Haze,” this mysterious being has become a warning myth for those living in the region. Her ultimate purpose remains unclear, but one thing is certain: the saltiron haze that engulfs her is lethal to nearly all life. Any water it touches becomes tainted, undrinkable, and as toxic as the poisoned seas that dominate Rayion.
The Woman in the Haze seems to harbor a particular hatred for fresh water—the most precious resource in the land. She targets springs, wells, and any source of untainted water, leaving destruction in her wake. Some believe she is a manifestation of Rayion itself, bent on driving out the small, defiant communities that have carved out an existence in this unforgiving environment.
The Yaemord Haze is a place of dread, avoided by all factions and peoples. The loch terrace it envelops is shrouded in a dense, deadly miasma, and somewhere within that suffocating fog, the Woman watches, waiting.
Bakkuoi
The village of Bakkuoi is home to the thermally resistant Wog, a reclusive race of humanoid frog-like creatures. These beings lead simple, isolated lives, nestled in their own world far from the bustle of larger civilizations. While they are not outright hostile to outsiders, they are deeply wary and unwelcoming. The Bakkuoi Wogs are quick to take offense, and outsiders must tread carefully when interacting with them.
Despite their suspicious nature, the Bakkuoi Wogs possess an extraordinary talent for craftsmanship, particularly in the art of acid-etched marble. Their creations are renowned for their intricate patterns and delicate designs. However, their understanding of the workings of broader societies is limited, often leading to misunderstandings and cultural clashes. The Bakkuoi Wogs value their autonomy above all else and prefer to remain undisturbed in their secluded home.
Aouko, The endless volcano
West of the capital lies Aouko, the Endless Volcano. This circular pit, plunging 100 feet deep, is in a perpetual state of eruption, its molten core constantly surging without pause. The surrounding land is an ever-shifting landscape of hardened magma, perpetually heating and cooling in an unceasing cycle.
Sulfur vents nearby emit streams of gas that ignite into fiery jets, sending pillars of flame skyward while the magma itself glows with a ghostly blue hue. The air is thick with acrid fumes, choking and searing any who venture too close.
Aouko’s surroundings are devoid of life, its toxic environment and unrelenting heat rendering it perhaps the most inhospitable place in all of Crudilex. No plant, creature, or even microorganism can survive in the radius of the Endless Volcano’s heat.
Blacksteam Bay
The waters of the Lower Sea of Rayion are both dangerously hot and fatally poisonous, with extremely high saltiron content that gives the waters vibrant, shifting colorations. As these waters bleed into the natural saltwaters of the Boiling Bay further west, a distinct boundary forms between the two seas. The transition is so clear that the waters never dilute into each other, creating an ever-changing line that marks the separation of the two bordering nations. This striking divide is known as Blacksteam Bay, named after the massive clouds of evaporating water that rise from the sea, forming towering steam stacks that stretch high into the sky.
Blacksteam Bay is patrolled by the Cindered of Abeya and their black ships. This undead navy enforces a strict blockade, preventing the imps and devils from Cinderwall from encroaching upon the greater regions of Rayion. The Cindered's presence ensures that the line between the boiling waters and the Lower Sea remain separate, and no demonic influence is allowed to spill into the more habitable territories of Rayion.
Abeya
Abeya, the lowest region of Rayion, is a realm consumed by sulfuric smoke and saltiron-poisoned waters. It is a place where life as most understand it is impossible, and the home of the Cindered—undead beings whose blackened skeletons are wreathed in smoldering red flames. These eternal fires are said to burn fueled by the Cindered’s souls, which are anchored directly to their charred bones.
The waters of Abeya are boiling, acidic, and utterly inhospitable, while the air is thick with deadly smoke, rendering it intolerant to the living. No sanctuary can be found in this forsaken land; survival requires the aid of powerful and intricate magic. Yet for the Cindered, no place is more fitting. Abeya offers them the perfect arrangement—a land where the searing death that torments the living serve as haven for the dead.
Hapash
Hapash is known as the Hanging City, suspended from the largest cliff face in all the Tidelochs, just above the upper sea. This breathtaking city is made up of huts and bridges constructed entirely from the Hapash Birch, the one of only trees that seems to thrive in the harsh environment of Rayion. The tree's paper-thin bark and vibrant, glowing orange leaves are not only the symbol of the city and integral to its structure.
From the cliff edges, the poisoned waters of the tidelochs flow over cascading waterfalls, passing through the roots of the Hapash Birches and beneath the constructed walkways of the city. The trees' roots affect the water, infusing it with a golden glow that lights up the city below as the streams of glowing water flow between and through the structures of the city. The combination of the glowing orange trees, twilight sky colored waters, and delicate bridges suspended above make the entire city seem like a place floating in a universe of perpetual sunset.
Zelzarro’s Camp
Zelzaro’s Camp is considered the heart of the lands belonging to the Fire Eicio, a culture and population that remains one of the smallest and least developed of all the Eicio due to the rarity of the Igneous Ley Lines. The most notable and dangerous group in this region is a bandit faction that has fallen under the sway of a powerful and malevolent elemental known as Zelzaro. Zelzaro commands the bandits to kidnap pregnant mortals and bring them to the ley lines during the Font, a time when the ley lines pulse with energy. This ritual is intended to create more Fire Eicio, allowing Zelzaro to merge their spirits into itself, strengthening its power and growing its control over the region.
The Zelzaro Camp is a sprawling compound located south of the capital, from which it largely preys on the surrounding areas. The camp is a unique structure, built upon the burning sands of the region. Built from Hapash Birch trees the planks below the walkways faintly glow a yellow-red onto the sand. The inhabitants of the camp live in yurts and geodesic domes made of blown glass, shaped and forged by the burning elemental spirits of the Eicio.