> [!success] Integrated > This lore drop has been processed and integrated into the vault. > See: [[Region - High Salen]] **LOCATION - Gryth - Edaria - High Salen** **HIGH SALEN** High Salen is currently one of the most formidable powers on the world stage, having undergone a radical transformation from the democratic Salen Republic into a rigid, ultra-militaristic theocracy. Over the last two centuries, the nation was subverted from within by the Salenian Church, officially the Church of the Lords of Light. The society is now defined by an inflexible, ritualistic hierarchy that dictates every aspect of life, leaving no room for social mobility or dissent. The geography of High Salen is remarkably diverse, with a southwestern coast warmed by Southern Ocean winds and a colder, snowy north dotted with dragon-ruled mountains chilled by winds from Norn. Historically, the region served as a retreat for Eldari royal forces in ages past; consequently, the nation retains a lingering anti-elven sentiment. However, the Church has largely supplanted this with a broader, more aggressive anti-religious fervour targeting any faith outside their own. Goblins and Orcs are particularly reviled here, viewed as inherent abominations created by dark gods. The Church's theology centres on the Lords of Light, a pantheon of good-aligned deities presided over by Taron, the True God of Order. Within this religious belief, Taron’s victor in the Divine War granted him authority over all other Gods, and creatures on the material plane should try and enact his will as best they can. The other Lords of Light are seeing as his subordinates, whereas Enja is seen as his sister wife, a commonly held belief across Edaria. In the past 30 years, High Salen has formalised its aggression through the Radiant Mandate, a three-part doctrine that governs its interaction with the rest of Gryth: 1. The Eight Blights: The Church has identified eight regions of the world that require their light. While all are marked for eventual conquest or purification, the level of military commitment varies: • Active Crusades: Okrum and the Redlands. Three crusades have already been launched here, successfully weakening these neighbouring nations. • Secondary Focus: Pymandi, The Dark Tribelands, and The Deadmoors. • Emerging Interests: Zadath Vagor, The Remnants of Hatred, and the Bleeding Isles. These areas have only recently begun to feel the reach of the Church’s influence. 2. The Prayer of Heart: This is a literal and metaphorical source of power for the Church’s elite. The prayer is etched directly onto the physical hearts of Clerics and Paladins in a secretive ritual. This magic inscription grants them unique, divinely infused abilities, though the text of the prayer remains a guarded secret known only to the highest echelons of the clergy. 3. The Liturgy of Light: The formal written and spoken holy text of the nation. It serves as the primary tool for High Salen’s emissaries and diplomats. When a representative of the Church speaks, they do so through the Liturgy, ensuring that even their diplomatic efforts are steeped in the rigid dogma of Taron. Together, these three lynchpins form the foundation of High Salen's expansionist foreign policy as they seek to bring the world under the order of Taron. ![[Pasted image 20260222201129.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260222201137.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260222201144.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260222201150.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260222201200.png]] ![[Pasted image 20260222201206.png]] At the apex of the church sits the Almighty Pontifax, Satarr, a mysterious figurehead who rarely appears in public, leaving the true administration of the nation to the Council of Exarchs. These six individuals each represent a specific Lord of Light: • Sir Thomas (Exarch of Taron): A paladin of the Great God of Order and Clarity. While he presents as a kind and caring man, he is secretly a ruthless and merciless strategist who organises clandestine sects to destabilise foreign powers and bring them into Taron’s light. • Felicity Highwell (Exarch of Enja): A cleric/druid of the Mother of Life and Nature. She ensures the natural world is given weight within the Church. She is kind and shrewd, but possesses a cunning and calculated edge when required. • Mistress Eveline Cutoire (Exarch of Jahaara): The Exarch of the Hand of the Pathway, the god of seeing and future sight. As a Drow female, she is a rarity within the Church and is exceptionally gifted in foresight. • Ser Abora Kasoon (Exarch of Justrana): The Exarch of the Goddess of Justice and Holy War. A celestial-human hybrid from the slums of Koro Taro in Q'Shar, he is a mysterious foreigner whose eyes glow orange and whose armour appears to be perpetually on fire. • Highlord Strannis (Exarch of Karacgas): The Exarch of the Arbiter of Divine Space and Final Judgement. He has taken a vow of silence and is distinguished by a white eye with a silver pupil in his forehead, which allows him to read a person’s entire future with a single glance. • Ana (Exarch of the Sisters of Mercy): Representing the goddess collective of healing spirits, she is a beautifully kind woman and the most skilled healer in the world, devoted to gentle care and motherhood. High Salen is home to two of the "Great Wonders of Edaria," landmarks that represent the nation's immense military might and its complex, often contradictory, relationship with ancient knowledge. These wonders are Govaerth, the Last Shadowgate, and The Beacon at Pilgrim’s Rest. Govaerth, the Last Shadowgate, stands as the final active gateway to the Shadowfell in all of Gryth. Historically, these gates were not unique; there was once one situated on every continent, serving as arcane pathways for powerful magic users to traverse the veil between the Material Plane and the Shadowfell. While they were frequently sources of contention, usually falling under the control of ambitious warlock sects and causing localized strife, they were not generally regarded as cataclysmic threats to the world at large. This status quo changed abruptly after Utaz caused The Shattering. The resulting influx of volatile energy caused the Shadowgates to become permanently open, no longer requiring a practitioner to trigger the crossing. This breach allowed a relentless tide of shadow demons, ghosts, vampires, and rogue Shadar Kai warbands to pour into Gryth. In response to this existential threat, the gates were systematically and rapidly destroyed across the globe over the following century. Eventually, only two remained: one in the northern continent of Norn within the ancient land of Tal-Therria, and the other in High Salen. When the last remaining house of the Snow Elves finally faded, the Tal-Therria gate was demolished by sorcerers from Uunshugir, leaving Govaerth as the sole survivor. High Salen, however, chose to keep their gate open as a defiant show of strength and religious zeal. They established Darkwatch, a massive and permanent military encampment, directly around the gate's entrance. To secure the perimeter, they installed over 50 Lancer Towers (formidable turret watchtowers infused with concentrated light magic) to create a ring of protection around the darkness. Rather than merely defending the breach, the Salenian Church uses Govaerth to launch aggressive counter-attacks and full-scale invasions into the Shadowfell itself, seeking to weaken the forces of darkness at their source. Their primary adversaries in this eternal conflict are the Shadar Kai, shadow elves from beyond the veil who have absorbed the very energy of the Shadowfell. Consequently, the Darkwatch Paladins have become a feared elite force across High Salen, notorious for their absolute commitment to brutal and destructive warfare. The Beacon, located at Pilgrim’s Rest, is a mega-library and church situated on a small, isolated island between High Salen and the south-eastern shores of Norn. This monumental structure houses a vast and seemingly unknowable library, containing a peerless collection of manuscripts from every major religion in Gryth, the secret diaries of ancient scholars, and, according to legend, original writings from the gods themselves. The Beacon was commissioned nearly a thousand years ago, during an era when Salen was a significantly more tolerant and peaceful society than the theocracy it is today. In the modern era, the library has become a flashpoint for controversy within the Salenian Church. The more militant members of the clergy advocate for the library to be scoured from the map, denouncing the diverse texts within as dangerous heresy. Conversely, more progressive sects argue that the ancient knowledge preserved there is essential for truly understanding the mechanics of the world. Despite the brewing internal conflict, the island remains a site of profound spiritual significance; Exarchs and clerics from many of the world's major religions continue to make pilgrimages to Pilgrim’s Rest throughout their lives, hoping to uncover truths hidden within its forgotten and sacred texts.