The Eastern Reach

Part of a series about Arginese geography.

• The Iseur Valley
• The Summer Coast
• The Eastern Reach and Fiveways
• The Lowen Valley
• The Northlands
• The Western Reach
• The Interior

The east coast of Arginet between the Heart of Wood and the Lowen is mostly rural. The land rises from the marshes of the meandering River Marle to the hills of the interior, and is a mix of forests and open fields and meadows.

The Eastern Reach is one of the quieter parts of the country, rarely drawing the attention of the Crown and court. For the most part this has not been viewed as a bad thing by the locals - the commoners feel they can get on with making a living in peace, and the local nobles can pursue their intrigues and pastimes more sedately than elsewhere. There is a popular image of the Reach as the sort of place where future heroes grow up, and from which they can set out to find their fortunes.

Traditional animism is strong in the east. The Heart of Wood and Heart of Water both border the Reach, and the Heart of Metal is not much further afield. However, it is probably the slow pace of life that has given the faith such strong roots. Many families both noble and commoner have maintained their own ways of life for centuries, giving offerings to their ancestors and to any elemental spirit that takes an interest. It is common for a particular heirloom to be passed down through generations so the favour of the ancestors will pass with it.

Although all of the three great factions have a presence in the Reach, none of them has yet made a play for dominance, and they must compete with smaller groups including the powerful priestly orders. Relatively few easterners are affiliated with a faction - but this could change in future, as the nobles, Armies, and Reformists all have something to offer to the locals.

Notable features

The parts of the Reach within a few days’ travel of Fiveways are shown on the downtime map. Hanger Ley and Stow Chine are both within this area.

Fiveways

Fiveways is a walled market town and river port, and the largest settlement in the Reach. It is the home of the Temple of the Fivefold Way and the central location of the Breaking Worlds game.

Hanger Ley

The closest town to the Heart of Wood, Hanger Ley is surrounded almost entirely by forest. A small patch has been cleared for farmland but on the whole the spirits of Wood prefer the locals to let things grow naturally. In consequence, the town is a good place to find rare herbs or other unusual products of the forest, and the people have a reputation for being a little more otherworldly than is usual for Arginet.

Stow Chine

Stow Chine is one of the few good harbours on the east coast of Arginet. The town is smaller than Fiveways, but it too lies on the Great East Road and even though it sees few ships these days it remains a lively place. A number of hostels are built there to cater to pilgrims and merchants travelling along the coast.

The Heart of Wood

Much of the southeast of Arginet is covered by forest, and the oldest and most sacred part is the Heart of Wood. Towering trees of unimaginable age and bulk reach toward the sky above an understorey thick with growth and life. Plants and animals found nowhere else thrive here - but those who go foraging without the blessing of the spirits of Wood are seldom seen again.