Maps/Landscape

The story of Elfquest takes place on a world known as Abode, and sometimes as The World of Two Moons. The landscape and cultures are analogous to our own Earth, with the exception that there are two moons instead of our one.

There are five continents on the world of Abode: Iceholt, Sunholt, Junsland, Hearthstone, and Coldhaven. These continents are separated by five bodies of water: Vastdeep Water, Stormsea, Redmist Ocean, Skyglass, and Idyl Water. Iceholt and Sunholt are connected by a large mountain chain known as World’s Spine, bordered on the West by Black Snake’s Bite. Our game takes place at the base of World’s Spine, in the Northeast corner of Sunholt.

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The world of The Windrunners spans the mountain peaks of World’s Spine, the plains of the Grass Sea, the depths of Forevergreen, and the waters of Black Snake’s Bite. Some of our locations are canon; others were created for the purposes of our game. The Aerie, The Tree Village, and The Island are locations planned for future tribes; these are not currently accessible areas.


Stonehold:
The Windrunners' prior home, to the North of Sunspear Canyon. Abandoned ruins.

The original home of the Windrunners, now collapsed and abandoned. Stonehold is located a few days Northeast of Sunspear Canyon, in the colder reaches of World’s Spine.

Stonehold was founded when the original Windrunners traveled South through World’s Spine; they discovered an old abandoned system of troll tunnels and followed them to the remains of a kingdom at the Southern end of the mountains. They stayed there for 800 years before a tremendous earthquake caused the caverns and tunnels to collapse; the Windrunners moved further South to Sunspear Canyon, and Stonehold was abandoned.

The caverns are now used for dry storage of excess resources (grains, hides, weapons, etc.), and operate as a retreat fortress: located deep in the mountains, the hidden caverns provide natural defenses, and an escape route through cleared tunnels under World’s Spine.

The only elves who travel to Stonehold nowadays are Sikeen and Joren; one to locate precious stones and ore for jewelry and weapons, and one to excavate the rubble.

Sunspear Canyon:
The home of the Windrunners, at the base of World’s Spine.

The main home of the tribe. Set deep in a canyon, following a river that runs west to east. The canyon provides both fortification and advanced warning of encroaching danger. There are caves that dot the canyon walls; many more were added by skilled rockshapers as the tribe made their homes from the cliffs themselves.

The Windrunners' home blends into the canyon at first glance; the majority is hidden within the canyon walls for safety from the elements, wild animals, and roaming humans. The openings that are visible are small and narrow, making them easily defensible until they can be closed (either by a shaper or by manual rockslide). The tribe has a water system built into the caves, but also have a bucket and pulley system to supplement their water supply using the river.

There are some wooden and shaped pathways on the canyon walls to allow access.

The Mesa:
The top of the canyon, where the ground is level and smooth. Generally used for scouting and stargazing.

The Canyon Homes:
Rooms and tunnels carved into the sides of the canyon walls, high above the caves, and reachable by rope ladders and walkways.

When the Windrunners began creating their new home in Sunspear Canyon, they used the natural caverns formed by time and the elements. Once the rock-shaper Sikeen was born, the caverns were connected and shaped into a long three-tiered system, with sloping paths connecting three levels of use. The cave system spans a few square miles, allowing the tribe to build without compromising the strength or integrity of the stone. There are several natural caverns that are unexplored and unused, though these are primarily located on the ground level with The Caves (see below).

Level 3:
The upper level has been shaped further back in the canyon, away from the rest of the cave system. There is a water reservoir that has been enlarged slowly over time; rainwater is funneled to it via narrow channels that have been shaped into The Mesa (see above). The reservoir collects in a large pool, allowing access for those with water jugs and buckets.

There is also a large garden that has been created along the canyon wall that borders the river. Several small windows have been shaped along the wall, and a number of openings decorate the ceiling; these allow sunlight to filter into the room throughout the day. Only a limited number of plants can thrive in the canyon environment, though, requiring the tribe to go on the twice-a-turn journeys to River's Hand (see below).

In addition, one section of the canyon wall is open to a small stargazing gallery. The inner walls are covered in relief sculptures of the elves' constellations, all stoneshaped by Sikeen. There is also an ornate stone bench and a waist-high barrier along the edge of the canyon wall.

Level 2:
The central level is the most extensively 'expanded' of the three, and goes back furthest into the rock. Most of the living quarters and communal gathering areas are located here.

Some small gardens are also carefully maintained in this area under the watchful eyes of their proud owners. The most commonly used herbs can be found growing in these gardens, as well as a variety of edibles that are hearty enough to sustain the dry heat of the canyon homes.

At the center of the living quarters is a large round cavern, with a domed ceiling and walls covered in visual records of the tribe's history (see Artist on the List of Tribal Roles). The central hearth/gathering cavern is the common area that links the various levels together and was crafted to have the largest flat space for tribal gatherings. The hearth at the center of the room houses the fire of the original Eternal Flame, and has a complex system of airways above, to both feed oxygen to the flames and draw smoke out of the cavern.

Level 1:
The lower level is primarily used for storage and crafting; among those that have workrooms on this level are the weavers, potters, carpenters, jewelers, etc. Heavier, unmoveable tools are stationed here, with the exception of the brewery, tannery, and the forge.

The Caves:
Natural caverns, close to the river, that include the brewery, tannery, and the forge.

Bathing pools were shaped as well and an underground spring is fed through these reservoirs providing a small measure of vegetation to grow in and around the mesas. There are also wild goat and horse herds that travel through the canyon. From the goats, the village gets meat, wool and on occasion milk for the rare cheeses. The horse herds provide a steady influx of new horses to be tamed and added to the domesticated horse population the elves keep.

Forge/Curing Area:
The forge is kept in a separate cave system from the main one. It has a few connecting caves, all of which are small and rigged to allow for the forge to be "cut off" should it become necessary (forge failure/fire).

The curing vats for the leather workers are kept here as well (BTW: curing leather is disgusting and smelly).

Many narrow airways have been built in to vent smoke and smell away from the canyon in various places. This allows for smoke and smell to dissipate in smaller amounts in less noticeable areas and not be traced back to the canyon.

Lower Levels:
There are "lower" levels to the cave system however they are largely unused. Various reasons include access (not all have easily accessible paths to them), safety, comfort.

The one area that has been made accessible is the soaking lake. This is an area deep inside the caves, accessible by a winding path. It is a large lake kept warm (not hot!) due to its closer proximity to the planet's core and geothermal vents. (Clearly the elves probably don't know all this sciencey stuff). There are other, hotter lakes deeper into the caves but most are not reasonable to use (you'd get dirty all over again climbing back from them).

The Grazing Lands:
The land just outside the canyon walls, where the herds wander and graze. Pens are kept here for the ponies and goats.

The Canyon River:
The river that runs between Sunspear Canyon and River's Hand.

Upriver of the Canyon Homes is the Dock. Used to house the boats, catch fish and go swimming.

Though some prefer to do their own hand milling, a milling wheel was installed at the base of the canyon, turned by water power. This area is also where the freshwater well and the kiln for baking bread is located. Many come to do their chores, enjoy the open air and gossip about the daily happenings of their fellow villagers. This area lays downriver of the Dock, and directly below much of the Canyon Homes.

Downriver of that is the the Practice Yard. It is set up for both ranged and melee weapons. Tunnels leading to it includes one that grants direct access to the Armory, located in Level 1 Storage. There is a small workshop for repairing and storing weapons here, however.

Downriver of the Practice Yard and the Canyon Homes as well is the Jackwolf Cave. The jackwolves consider their territory to start here and extend deeper into the canyon. This is where they go to hunt on their own, without disturbing the elves. While being kept nicely separated from the horse herd.

The Grass Sea:
The land between Sunspear Canyon and River's Hand. Used for scouting, hunting, and travel.

Bi-annually, the Windrunners form a small, efficiently moving caravan; scouts and wolfriders range far to keep eyes out for potential danger while pony warriors pace the body of the caravan as sentries against potential danger. The caravan consists of the carts for the tents and tools needed to plant and harvest the crops, seed and those who do not ride horses. When stopping for rest, they pitch bedouin style tents around a central bonfire.

River’s Hand:
The land where the Windrunners plant and harvest each year. Wet and marshy.

The river delta at the end of the river that cuts through Sunspear Canyon and the Grass Sea. The surrounding land is lush and marshy, covered with a thick canopy of trees. This is the region in which they do the majority of their plant cultivation since the soil is so rich. It is at River's Hand that the plantshapers ply their abilities to encourage quick and bountiful growing seasons and harvests. Fishing, Hunting and salting/preserving of food is done here.

The Unknown:
Beyond the wandering area of the tribe, where humans and other dangers roam the Grass Sea.

The land to the South and East of Sunspear Canyon, largely unexplored by the Windrunners. Natural predators and roaming humans have kept them away from these areas over the turns. Of the few who have traveled that far, Hazaan is the most experienced: his nearly-120 turns breeding the new herd of horses took him far and wide, to the very edges of the Grass Sea. The area beyond is a desert wasteland where few creatures can survive.