Bottom right. By Chris WongA small town on the far east of Isendel, notable only for being the place where Anavyn’dralin and the maybe-not-merry band of fighters settled down and gave rise to the next generation of witches and star-touched.
Blight came to it in Y211, and it was razed and abandoned in Y212.
Season 11 Background
Aelorean’s Crossing and south stretching farm fields pay fealty to the knight Ser Algon Gleine, whose manor house rests in the hills overlooking the town. The family of Gleine is one of six godly knights that serve the Baric, Lord Castor Eeine - granted his lands by the Baroness, Lord Tyr Isendel.
You have seldom if ever met Ser Algon Gleine, but more likely his son, Ser Rory Gleine. You have never met the Baric and certainly never the Baroness herself. The names of knights and noble-born are things that for you seem a world away - you know that in a far land there is a King just as you know that above the clouds perhaps live the Gods in a great hall atop the mountains.
Aelorean’s Crossing is named for the broad stone bridge that crosses the river at the heart of the town. It is not uncommon for travelers and tradesmen to cross there the Ryerling and the Talesfast Inn is well known in the region. You can find here too a competent smithy, stables, provisioner, and a variety of crafts of the smallfolk. It is not uncommon to see a traveling merchant open her cart near the town square at least once or sometimes twice a week.
The town boasts three resident guardsmen Elan, Meren, and Vernon in chain with pikes to make the travelers feel safe, and most able bodied men wait the militia, though they have never been called to duty, save for three summers ago when a boar had been rooting up the crops and someone claimed they saw an irkling.
The town owes much of its wealth to the tin mines in the foot of the mountains at the northern edge of the Gleine land, though it has been known for some time that the mine is turning dry and fewer of the town are called to work with picks each year.
The forest to the East of Aelorean’s Crossing, beyond the farm fields, is called the Fading Wood for there are few maps that attempt to chart even the beginning of its overgrown paths and fewer likely more that are anything close to accurate.
You may have hunted small game at its edge, but never ventured far and certainly never after the sun has set, for there are no children in Aelorean’s Crossing who’ve not heard that creatures live and lurk in that forest, awaiting the far wanderings of children who do not listen to their parents.
You’re too old now to believe such tales as those - you’ve never seen magic, tanglefoots, nor grumlings - but you have heard rumors that there are men run out of work turned to banditry who have made camps deep in that forest and prey on travelers, merchants, and hunters who stray too deep.