Emberleaf Forest

Beyond the hidden passage in Whitecape, travelers emerge into the sprawling Emberleaf Forest—a temperate, human-populated woodland that serves as a verdant gateway to central Illdoridri. The region is defined by fertile soils, farming hamlets, and the rhythmic rise and fall of waters that feed much of the heartland.

In the center of this zone there is Harbok Forest, a dense sub-forest within Emberleaf, known for tall, amber-canopied trees and broad understory paths used by foresters and farmers.

To the east is Fairbat river... a clear, fast-moving river forming Emberleaf’s eastern boundary. A large bridge leads you into Highsteppe.

The Heart of Rivers (Plateau Lake)

A large alpine plateau in the Stormpeak foothills holds a deep, cold lake revered as the source and regulator of many rivers flowing into central Illdoridri. 

• Seasonal Floods: Monsoon-like rains swell the lake, sending torrents downstream. 
• Dwarven Engineering: To tame the floods, Dwarves constructed a dam—a living-stone buttress with iron spill-gates that modulate outflow across the valley. 
• Impact: Irrigates Emberleaf farms, protects Highsteppe crossings, and stabilizes trade routes.

Glasscrest Castle

A stone-and-iron fortification at the entrance of the Kogur Mountain pass (Emberleaf side). 

• Purpose: Protect Covenant interests—monitor trade caravans, deter raids, and screen travelers emerging from the Kogur routes. 
• Architecture: High curtain walls, glass-inlaid watchtowers (signal beacons), and a riverward bastion facing floodplains. 
• Garrison: Mixed human militia with Dwarven engineers overseeing dam maintenance and bridge integrity.

Glassmere

Glassmere is the beating heart of Emberleaf’s human communities. It sits on raised ground with tiered streets that stay above flood level when the Heart of Rivers plateau lake overflows. The town’s iron-braced bridges and stone culverts were designed with Dwarven engineer input to keep trade moving even in the rainy season.

Key Features Include: 

• Lantern Row: A main thoroughfare lit by glass-covered lanterns during flood season, guiding travel safely to the ferries. 
• Fairbat Ferries: Controlled crossings into Highsteppe, with tolls adjusted based on river height. 
• Grain Exchange: Central market where valley farms trade harvests and resin from Harbok foresters. 
• Wardens’ Hall: River wardens and flood marshals coordinate dam-release notices from the Dwarven spill-gates. 
• Glassmere Green: Communal square for seasonal festivals, including the First Release celebration when the dam begins regulated outflow.