The Ashen Vale

Premise The Severed Marches is a low-magic, grim, grounded dark-fantasy world inspired by Goblin Slayer: Magic is real but uncommon, difficult, dangerous, and often requiring blood, sacrifice or rare reagents. Monsters are biological and magical threats, with brutal ecosystems, nests, raids, and intelligent hunting patterns. Gritty, grounded, realistic combat Magic exists but is limited, taxing, and often feared Adventurers exist, but they are not heroes — they’re workers doing lethal jobs society depends on. Kingdoms constantly fight for survival, territory, and control of resources that keep monsters at bay. Civilization is slowly expanding again after centuries of decline. Technology Level Late-medieval: steel, chainmail, early plate, crossbows, limited alchemy. No gunpowder, no advanced engineering. Magic replaces some lost ancient technologies — but imperfectly, and at a cost. Unique Elements "Bleed Zones" — corrupted regions where magical residue from ancient wars twists the land and spawns monsters. Monster Ecology — monsters don’t appear randomly; they breed, migrate, swarm, and adapt. Faith as Power — prayers and miracles exist, but only if a deity listens… and most don’t anymore.

1️⃣ Kingdom of Thornwall — “The Last Bulwark” Tonality: Militaristic, harsh, under constant siege. Strengths: Elite spear-fighters, monster reconnaissance squads. Weaknesses: Exhausted, famine-struck, almost no magic. Atmosphere: Walls first, people second. Special: Monsters appear here more than anywhere else. Treats adventurers as contractors, not heroes. 2️⃣ Veloria Dominion — “The Gilded Lie” Tonality: Wealthy, decadent, treacherous. Strengths: Silver, trade, secret mages. Weaknesses: Corruption, decadence, elite soldiers who never leave the walls. Atmosphere: Elegant beauty over a rotting foundation. Special: Underground cults worship — or even breed — monsters. 3️⃣ Ebonreach Covenant — “The Veiled Faith” Tonality: Religious, mystical, severe. Strengths: Priests, rituals, protection against supernatural threats. Weaknesses: Fanaticism, internal inquisitions. Atmosphere: Silence, candlelight, a faith that sometimes literally watches back. Special: Priests can use magic, but lose fragments of their soul with every ritual.

1. Humans — “The Enduring Majority” Humans make up most of the population and dominate all three kingdoms, but with regional sub-races shaped by war and scarcity. Sub-races • Thornmen (Thornwall humans) Built like soldiers even when they're farmers; weathered skin, scarred hands. Known for discipline and hardened faith in steel over magic. • Velorian Highborn Pale, elegant, adorned with gold and silk; educated but decadent. Many secretly have diluted magical bloodlines. • Ebonveiled (Ebonreach humans) Ascetic, gaunt, ritual-marked. Their eyes often glow faintly due to repeated exposure to divine rituals. 2. Elves — “The Fading Echoes” Elves are rare and dying out; monster incursions devastated their forests. They are distrusted due to their dwindling numbers and strange magic. Sub-races • Ashen Elves Forest elves turned grey-skinned after centuries of monster attacks and fires. Deadly archers, silent hunters. • Veilborn Elves Mystic elves aligned with Ebonreach. Their souls are partially bound to ritual magic; their lifespan is shortened but their magic is potent. 3. Dwarves — “The Stonebound” Once wealthy miners; now half their mountain halls are monster-infested. Dwarves trade grudgingly with humans and dislike open sky. Sub-races • Ironfist Dwarves Traditional smiths and tunnel fighters. Blunt, stubborn, battle-ready. • Hollow-Dwellers Dwarves who retreated too deep; pale, light-sensitive, use echo-based navigation. Rumored to hear monsters before they appear. 4. Orcs — “The Broken Clans” Orcs are not inherently evil; they are survivors of shattered tribes. Seen as dangerous but also hired as mercenaries. Sub-races • Redfang Marauders Savage frontline warriors from burned wastelands. • Stonehide Orcs Mountain-dwelling, slow but unstoppable; skin thick as bark. 5. Beastkin — “The Wildborn” Humanoid animal-like races. Rare, scattered nomadic hunters. Sub-races • Wolfkin Pack mentality, loyal but fierce. Often scout for Thornwall. • Catkin Stealth specialists; often used in espionage by Veloria. • Ravenkin Mystic, omen-readers. Many join Ebonreach’s rituals. 6. Goblins — “The Plague Race” Not a playable race (unless you want to). They are swarming, disease-carrying, cunning ambushers. Sub-types • Common Goblins – weak but numerous • Hobgoblins – militaristic, organized • Nightcreeps – tunnel goblins with pale skin and large eyes • Devourers – mutated goblins created by cults in Veloria 7. Half-Races (rare, often shunned) • Half-Elves Viewed with suspicion; often wanderers. • Half-Orcs Feared but respected in Thornwall; distrusted in Veloria. • Human–Veilborn Hybrids Very rare; born from ritual magic gone wrong. Often have unnatural eyes or whispers in their mind. Fallen Angels — “The Lost Heavenborn” Legendary • Extinct-but-not-extinct • Bound to all magic 4 Core Traits: Immortal-but-dying: their bodies don’t age, but their souls fracture over centuries. Can wield any form of magic effortlessly — arcane, divine, blood, rune, ritual. Rare, feared, and mythologized; most mortals don’t believe they still exist. Origin: Said to be the first guardians of Erevalon, banished when they refused a divine decree long forgotten. Sub-types (very rare): Shardborne — Souls split into fragments; unstable but powerful mages. Wingless Fallen — Cast out twice; rely on raw energy magic. Eclipsed Seraphs — The oldest; wings blackened like burnt feathers. Relations: Thornwall sees them as weapons. Veloria sees them as assets to exploit. Ebonreach sees them as heresy incarnate. Many Fallen Angels go into hiding, masquerading as humans or elves.

Current Conflicts of Erevalon 1. The Thornwall Collapse Line Type: External threat & attrition war Thornwall’s northern frontier is breaking. Monster tides push harder each season, far beyond historical norms. Patrols go missing; entire villages are abandoned overnight. Rumors spread of a new “Broodmind” alpha-monster coordinating attacks—something that shouldn’t exist. This crisis forces Thornwall to hire adventurers as expendable assets, increasing tension with reckless nobles. 2. Veloria’s Rotting Throne Type: Political intrigue & corruption Veloria’s ruling council is fracturing from within. Merchant houses bribe, poison, sabotage, and blackmail one another. Silver mines are drying, driving economic panic. Underground cults secretly breed monsters to weaponize them against rival houses. Whispers say the High Magister made a pact with something beneath the city—an entity that demands blood and luxury. 3. The Ebonreach Purity Crusade Type: Religious fanaticism & internal collapse The Covenant splits between: Purists who want stricter rituals, harsher judgment, and mass inquisitions. Moderates who warn the rituals are draining too many souls. A secret doctrine claims that their goddess is dying—and every ritual steals a piece of her essence. This theological crisis could erupt into a holy civil war, endangering anyone caught between. 4. The Shadow Migration Type: Environmental + supernatural anomaly Something is driving monsters south across all kingdoms: Forest spirits fall silent. Caverns empty of goblins, only to overflow elsewhere in coordinated swarms. Abandoned farmsteads show signs of organized raiding patterns—not random instinct but strategy. Scholars fear a continent-wide displacement, hinting that something even worse is coming. 5. The Silver Routes War (Silent, Economic Conflict) Type: Trade sabotage & covert agents Veloria and Thornwall are on the brink of real war due to: Ambushed caravans Counterfeit silver flooding markets Assassinations of trade envoys Both kingdoms suspect Ebonreach spies, but evidence points to something stranger: caravans are attacked by humanoid monsters wearing stolen armor and mimicking military tactics. 6. The Broken Pantheon Crisis Type: Magical decay Priests across Erevalon report: Shrinking divine spells Rituals causing uncontrolled visions Temples infested by “soul-leeches” that feast on magic If Ebonreach’s rituals truly “cost souls,” then the entire pantheon may be collapsing—and with it, all divine power. 7. The Adventurer Schism Type: Social conflict & identity crisis Adventurers aren’t seen as heroes anymore. Thornwall sees them as disposable mercenaries Veloria sees them as useful deniable assets Ebonreach sees them as heretical risk factors Adventurer guilds are fracturing into factions—some patriotic, some criminal, some cult-aligned. This makes adventurers both necessary and deeply mistrusted, creating political tension at every job.

MAGIC & RELIGION Magic in Erevalon is rare, feared, costly, and never “free.” Even the strongest spellcasters pay a price—in blood, sanity, or soul. 1. How Magic Works Magic is not an internal talent. Magic is extracted from the world by making contact with one of the Four Veins of Power: The Four Veins of Power Aether — pure arcane force (crystals, ley-lines, storms) Used by: Wizards, scholars, arcane cults Cost: Physical exhaustion, bleeding, migraines, reduced lifespan Umbra — shadow, death, and forbidden knowledge Used by: Warlocks, cultists, monster-worshippers Cost: Corruption, nightmares, horrors hunting your soul Sanctum — faith, light, healing, divine wrath Used by: Priests of the Ebonreach Covenant Cost: Loss of personal soul fragments per miracle Vitae — life force, blood rituals, druidic rites Used by: Shamans, beast-speaking tribes Cost: Sacrificing vitality, aging, permanent scars Magic is powerful but unstable. Casting without preparation can cause: Spell-backfire Physical mutations Soul-burn (permanent loss of morality/empathy) Madness Monster attraction (magic is “loud” to predators) Magic is respected, but also feared—especially in Thornwall where people see magic as a luxury in a world where walls decide life or death. 2. Who Can Use Magic? Common Casters (rare) Acolytes & Priests (Ebonreach Covenant) Arcane Scholars (Veloria) Warlocks & Cultists (Veloria’s undercity) Blood Shamans (wild tribes) Witch-hunters / anti-mages (Thornwall) – they use nullifying runes, not magic Uncommon Casters Monster-Binders — people who attempt to control creatures (most die trying) Extremely Rare Fallen Angels (legendary race) Vein-Touched — mortals born infused with one Vein (usually die or go insane young)

Economy & Trade What currencies, trade routes, and economic systems sustain civilization? Currencies Iron Marks – Everyday currency used by common folk. Cheap, bulky coins. Silver Crowns – Standard trade currency between kingdoms; reliable, universally accepted. Gold Suns – High-value coinage, usually only seen in noble houses, merchant guilds, temples, and black-market vaults. Obsidian Shards (illegal) – Currency of cults and monster-smugglers; rumored to be made from magically corrupted stone. Trade Routes The Thornroad Connects the Kingdom of Thornwall to the eastern realms; heavily guarded because monsters frequently ambush caravans. Velorian Silkway A polished, elegant route running through the Dominion of Veloria. Safe inside the walls—deadly outside. Popular with smugglers and noble caravans. Pilgrim’s Spine A mountainous trade path controlled by the Ebonreach Covenant. Travelers pay a “blessing toll,” which is basically a tithe disguised as protection. Economic Systems Thornwall – War economy. Everything is dedicated to survival: weapons, walls, grain rations. Commoners barter food and basic tools. Veloria – Wealth-based caste system. Trade guilds, banking houses, gemstone merchants. Corruption oils every wheel. Ebonreach – Tithe economy controlled by the priesthood. Offerings buy protection, rituals, or healing. Black Markets Black markets flourish everywhere — but each kingdom has its own flavor: Thornwall: Stolen rations, monster parts, illegal weapons. Veloria: Everything—slaves, forbidden tomes, cursed jewelry, monster eggs. Protected by nobles themselves. Ebonreach: Heretical relics, unblessed magic, outlawed rites. Black market brokers are often safer than nobles but more dangerous than monsters. Wealth Inequality The gap between rich and poor is not subtle — it is violently obvious: A noble in Veloria walks on marble floors while children starve outside their gates. Thornwall’s generals feast while soldiers gnaw on stale bread. Ebonreach’s high clergy wear gold-lined robes while villagers can’t afford a “blessing” to cure a common disease. The rich in Erevalon are abnormally, disgustingly rich — to the point where their estates glow compared to the shacks around them. It is the kind of world where seeing gold is a sign you’re in danger, not wealth.

Law & Society in Erevalon How is justice administered, and how do societies view adventurers? Law & Justice Erevalon is harsh, wounded, and constantly threatened by monsters—so justice is pragmatic, brutal, and highly regional. 1. Thornwall — “The Last Bulwark” Law: Martial law, enforced by veteran captains. Punishments are immediate: execution for monster-collaboration, exile for theft, conscription for minor crimes. Why: There is no time for trials when walls fall every season. 2. Veloria Dominion — “The Gilded Lie” Law: Justice is a commodity: gold buys freedom. Noble courts are slow and theatrical, while street justice is fast and ugly. Clandestine agents of the Silver Spire (secret mages) enforce their own laws in the shadows. Why: Power and wealth matter more than truth. 3. Ebonreach Covenant — “The Veiled Faith” Law: Governed by inquisitors and holy judges. Trials are ritualistic and terrifying. Crimes against faith are punished harder than crimes against people. Why: They believe every sin attracts monsters. Bandits & Local Justice In frontier zones, villages hire mercenaries or rely on adventurers to deal with: Bandit clans Slaver caravans Monster-raiding tribes Rogue cultists If bandits are caught alive (rare), justice is usually: Public execution Forced labor Trial by ordeal (survive a monster in the pit) How Societies View Adventurers Adventurers are necessary—but not trusted. General Attitude Seen as expendable assets, not heroes. Treated like mercenaries, drifters, or opportunists. Many towns only value them because monsters attack constantly. Adventurers carry the stigma of violence, danger, and instability. Thornwall They are weapons, nothing more. Paid in rations and coin. Expected to die. Veloria They are tolerated if they bring trophies or exotic materials, but nobles mock them as “mud-born.” In the slums, they are mythic figures. Ebonreach Viewed with suspicion. Only adventurers blessed by priests are trusted. Others are seen as potential heretics. Guilds & Orders Because kingdoms are unreliable, Adventurer Guilds handle licensing and contracts. Issue ranks Collect bounties Register kills Maintain monster maps Blacklist dangerous or criminal adventurers Every guild board contains: Monster extermination quests Rescue missions Bandit-clearing tasks Cult-hunter contracts Missing caravans “Red notices” for rogue adventurers

Goblins The most widespread plague. Breed fast, mutate often, learn cruelly. Known for ambushes, nest-building in ruins, and raiding caravans. Hated by all races. Feared for a reason. Beastkin Horrors Wolfmen, ratmen, hyena-spawn. Usually small tribes, but when a war-leader rises, villages burn. Ogres & Trolls Strong, dumb, brutal. Ogres raid roads; trolls stalk forests and regenerate unless burned. Major Regional Threats Kingdom of Thornwall — “The Last Bulwark” Swarm Hordes: Goblin war-broods, bug-monsters, and cave beasts. Burrowers: Creatures under the wall foundations. Night Stalkers: Rare but lethal; hunt soldiers during sieges. Veloria Dominion — “The Gilded Lie” Cult-Bred Monsters: Hybrids created by underground cults — stitched flesh, curses, demon ichor. Shade Nobles: Velorian aristocrats who made pacts for beauty and power. Bloodborn Spiders in the marble sewers. Ebonreach Covenant — “The Veiled Faith” Wraithborn created by failed rituals. Blind Seraphs: Fallen holy spirits that hunt heretics at random. Possessed Pilgrims wandering the incense roads. Villains & Factions The Broodmother Network Multiple goblin queens working together, coordinating raids across borders. A horrifying anomaly — goblins are not supposed to be organized. The Velvet Maw A Velorian noble cult creating monsters as “perfect servants.” They sell them secretly as weapons. The Hollow Choir Fanatic Ebonreach priests who lost their souls in rituals. They seek to “empty” others to feel whole again. The Shattered Wing A rogue faction of fallen angels, corrupted by despair. They hunt magic users to harvest power and restore their broken divinity. Ancient Evils (Not myth — real, sealed, dangerous) The Deep King A colossal insectoid intelligence beneath Thornwall. Whispers to all burrowers. Wants the walls to fall. The Painted Serpent A Velorian demon trapped inside a cathedral mural. Escapes through reflections and shadows. The Pale Saint A divine being that Ebonreach wrongfully worships. Feeds on faith, not souls — but leaves worshippers hollow and obedient.