Entry 24 - A Quick Survey of Inis Gallia (Part 2)

(Annotated map based on an image provided by Mainframe, developers of Pax Dei)

Journal of Galthir the Cartographer

Entry 24 - A Quick Survey of Inis Gallia (Part 2)

That was surprisingly quick. I don't know if it's because I've become better at judging the best paths to follow, or if the paths I followed are just connected more closely, or even if it was just the mostly peaceful nature of my journey. If it was the last, I'll find out soon, because my journey through the remainder of Inis Gallia's home valleys will have me crossing its wildlands more than once. And considering the first leg is through a shrouded pine forest, I suspect I'll be ... using my caution to the utmost.

To begin my journey, I head east. By the Ardennes Bridge Stone there is an impressive village, or maybe a small town, running along the cobbled road, with an impressive church at the eastern end, and a large stark cathedral at the western end, and a nice tavern located conveniently in between. Once I'm out of Ardennes, my caution levels rise; shrouded pine forests are the haunts of powerful lost souls, and the occasional grey bear. I eventually encounter the Southern Gallian Road. As I continue eastward (and a little north) I come across a large manor, with surrounding pavement. At first, I'm impressed by the fact that a fellow Scion has managed to build something out here in the wildlands. But then I notice that it is inhabited by lost souls. And given the ruins intact nature, probably very powerful ones at that. Hopefully I can bypass them, safely. If not, well, I can run really fast.

I don't have to run, but the ruins aren't a mansion, but some form of a castle? More, there's a crane among the ruins, suggesting the lost souls are rebuilding it. But I don't think they do that. Maybe they claimed it from the Inquisitors after they started rebuilding the castle?

I follow the South Gallian Road east and north. Eventually, it meets another paved road heading north. Looking at the map, this might be the southern end of the Afon Gallia Road. As I continue east, I cross a bridge, and begin heading north. Shortly, I find a singing holy stone, then pass near a workcamp. Normally, I'd mark a workcamp safe, but it is surrounded by inquisitors who have claimed it for their own use. But not the large quarry to the nearby north. Then I cross the Lowest Trecassis Bridge; the path into Nones should be near, according to the map.

Nones' road system confuses me; every time I think I've found the road that leads to the Petra Dei, there's another intersection, with another cobbled road. Normally, I try to name the road that leads past the Petra Dei after the valley, but that's probably impossible here. The Scions of Nones seem to favor solid stone for their building. One even raised his house on four large foundations many meters above the ground. Intriguing. Perhaps he worries about floods? It is next to the river.

Morvan is much more straightforward. I have to backtrack to the south to travel down a track, instead of following the road north, but it is a quick journey between the two stones. Is their closeness why they are styled so similarly? Both are very similar to the Vanes Stone Shrine, though Morvan's is somewhat larger and much more open.

What is it about Nones? I come to the trail that leads into Trecassis, and dismiss it thinking "it leads into the wrong part of Trecassis. So I turned west down the Morvan Pale Track. That does not lead to Trecassis. It leads to Nones. I knew it lead to Nones. What kind of hold does Nones have on my mind? ARGH! Right back to the trail, and down into Trecassis.

I think I like Trecassis. It's very different from Llydaw. Much more lush with forest and grasslands predominating. The Scions here are also much more social that my fellows in Llydaw. There are two villages near the main shrine. The nearest is large enough that it verges on a town. A prosperous one at that. One of the larges inns I've ever seen, with large numbers of private rooms. When I visited the shrine proper, my eyes were caught by a tattered, water-stained, notebook crushed under one of the barrels. It was written by what appears to be a new scion, who didn't survive the flood. It's full of notes about recipes and the God's Storage at the Petra Dei Shrines, and similar issues. But nothing coherent, or all that useful to anyone else. It's a shame, I think Grimyr would have liked her.

Onwards to Langres! Which will take me across the Gloomy River Valley.

Now that I've seen it, "Gloomy" is not the appropriate name for this river or its valley. I thought it would be fog-shrouded. But it's not, I read the Inquisitor's markings incorrectly. It shall instead be the Long River Valley. But I also discovered another cathedral. Given their omnipresence, I suppose the Inquisitors have defiled this one too, but I can hope. Alas, as expected, my hopes are in vain.

Langres is more populous than Trecassis, but like Trecassis, is clustered. Three towns - one on the shores of Lake Langres, one down in Langres Hollow, and one around the Langres Stone.

REFERENCE 20b: Inis Gallia

Holy Stones ==============

Ardennes Stone: The central stone of the Ardennes Home Valley.

Adrennes Bridge Stone (Petra Bont Ardennes): The holy stone by the southern end of the Fifth Ardennes Bridge, at the intersection of the Ardennes Cross, the Ardennes River Loop, and Ardennes South Roads.

Ardennes South Road Stone: A holy stone located along the Ardennes South Road. The stone is silent.

South Gallian Pines Stone: A holy stone located at the intersection of the South Gallian Road and the Ardennes South Road.

South Gallian Evergreens Stone: A holy stone located just north of the Last Gallian Bridge. Comfortingly, it sings.

Nones High Meadow Stone: A holy stone located on the East Nones Road.

Nones Eastern Heights Stone: A holy stone located in the high scrublands at the intersection of the East Nones Road and the Nones Highland Track.

Nones Stone: The home stone of Nones Valley, located in the heights to the east of Nones Marsh.

Morvan Stone: The home stone of Morvan Valley, located west and above Lake Morvan.

Morvan Pale Stone: A holy stone located on the western portion of the Morvan Pale Track.

Trecassis River Stone: A holy stone on the southern side of the Trecassis River, just south of the Lower Trecassis Bridge.

Trecassis Forest Stone: A holy stone on the Trecassis Road.

Trecassis Stone: The home stone of Trecassis Valley, with a similar, though slightly more elevated, form to the Llydaw Shrine.

Long River Overlook Stone: A holy stone located on the Long River Road, west of the Gallian Cathedral.

Lake Langres Stone: A holy stone on the Langres Road by the southwestern end of Lake Langres.

Langres Hollow Stone: A holy stone on a cobbled road branching from Langres Road, north of Lake Langre in the hills.

Langres Stone: The home stone of Langres Valley.

Javerdus Stone: The home stone of the Javerdus Valley, another circular shrine.

Paths ==============

===== Roads

The Ardennes Road: The cobbled road starts at the southern end of the First Ardennes Bridge, meets the Ardennes Cross Road, passes the Ardennes Stone, meets the Ardennes South Road, the ends at the southern end of the Fifth Ardennes Bridge.

The Ardennes South Road: The western end of this cobbled road starts at the intersection of the Ardennes Cross Road and the Ardennes Road, just south of the Fifth Bridge, then heads east into the Southern Highlands.

South Gallian Road: A paved road that turns south at the South Gallian Pines Stone, and heads east.

Afon Gallia Road: A paved road that runs the length of the Afon Gallia along the river's western bank.

Long Gallian Road: A paved road whose southern end is the Last Gallian Bridge.

West Trecassian River Road: A cobbled road that meets the Long Gallian Road just north of the Lowest Trecassian Bridge, leading into Nones.

Nones Road: A cobbled road that meets the West Trecassian River Road by the Lower Nones Bridge. It crosses the Smaller Nones Bridge, then bends north around Lake Nones.

East Nones Road: A cobbled road that meets the Nones Road east of the Smaller Nones Bridge, and passes the Nones Stone.

Nones Highland Track: A track that starts at the Nones Eastern Heights Stone, and leads east into southern Morvan. It ends at the intersection of two cobbled roads. One of those roads is the Morvan Road, heading north.

Morvan Road: A cobbled road that starts in the south at the intersection with the Nones Highland Track, and passes the Morvan Stone.

Trecassis Road: A cobbled road the leads past the Trecassis Stone, on the northern bank of the Trecassis River. Ends at the East Trecassis Forest Road.

East Trecassis Forest Road: A cobbled road that runs north-south in the Trecassian Forest at the eastern end of the Trecassian Road. The northern portion leads into the Long River Valley.

Long River Road: A paved road that runs east-west long the Long River. It crosses (from north to south) at the Long Lake Bridge.

Gallian Cathedral Road: A cobbled road that starts on the Long River Road at the north end of the Long Lake Bridge, and runs briefly east to the Gallian Cathedral.

Langres Road: A cobbled road that curves around Lake Langres, and passes the Langres Stone.

===== Tracks

Morvan Hill Track: A track that leads from the Morvan Back Hill Trail north into the hills, connecting to the Morvan Pale Track.

Morvan Pale Track: A part of the cart track that travels across norhtern Morvan.

Langres Cathedral Track: A track that leads north from the Gallian Cathedral into Langres. Another rare, broken track, as there is a small, short rise in the tack as you enter Langre proper.

===== Trails

Morvan Back Hill Trail: A trail that leads from Morvan Road, just south of the stone, over the hills behind the shrine, to connect to the Morvan Hill Track.

Morvan-Trecassis Trail: The trail that starts at the eastern end of the Morvan Pale Track, and heads north into Trecassis.

===== Bridges

The Fifth Ardennes Bridge: Located at the eastern intersection of the Ardennes Cross Road and the Ardennes River Loop Road.

The Last Gallian Bridge: Located at the northeastern end of the South Gallian Road; the southernmost bridge on the Gallian River.

The Lowest Trecassis Bridge: The bridge at the mouth of the Trecassis River as it flows into the Afon Gallia.

Lower Nones Bridge: The westernmost bridge on the Trecassian River in Nones.

Smaller Nones Bridge: A bridge that crosses the Nones River.

Lower Trecassis River Bridge: The westernmost bridge in Trecassis, crossing the Afon Trecassis proper.

Long Lake Bridge: A bridge that crosses the Long River at it's source, the Long Lake.

Langres Lakebridge: An elevated bridge that crosses over the North Langres Lake. The first elevated bridge I've seen.

Natural Features ==============

==== Biomes

Nones Marsh: The large marsh that covers most of Nones.

==== Water Features

Nones River: A small river that flows into Lake Nones and Nones Marsh.

Lake Nones: Located just south of Nones Marsh, with two outlets into the marsh itself, and one inlet for the Nones River.

Long River: Originally named the Gloomy River due to an error. Renamed.

Long Lake: Originally named the Gloomy Lake due to an error. Renamed.

Lake Langres: Again, technically a pond, as it has no inflows or outflows, but too large to be anything other than a Lake.

North Langres Lake: Another technical pond too large to be called anything other than a Lake.

==== Hills, Mountains, and other Features of Interest