Entry 22 - An Introduction to Inis Gallia

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

Journal of Galthir the Cartographer

Entry 22 - An Introduction to Inis Gallia

I had ventured into Inis Gallia before the Flood. I am interested in seeing how it has changed since. And seeing the sights anew, and recording them down for prosperity. In all truth, I should probable remain in Llydaw, improving my skills and gear, as I am being greatly outclassed by my fellow scions. A large part of that is my independence, but another is my urge to explore, to see what's over the hill. So driven by urges I can't fully explain, I set forth again. Inis Gallia awaits!

Unlike my explorations of Kerys, for Inis Gallia, I'll first perform a quick survey of all the home valleys, visiting all the home stones. That will make later explorations much easier. I'll also try another new format; a combined narrative with a summary at the end. Frankly, I've grown to dread trying to extract the relevant entries from my own entries. I can only feel pity for my future readers who are trying to extract the same. Maybe this will help both of us.

First a quick travel to the Wyvern Gate, and then I can begin my new journey. Just outside of the gate is an Inquisitor outpost. After a great deal of effort, and many return visits to the Gallian Wyvern Stone (contrasted to Kerys' own Wyvern Stone), I am able to acquire one of their maps of Inis Gallis. Now I can do a quick overview of the Province.

The first thing that appears is that the Gallian River (the Afon Gallia) divides the province into three parts - the western group of home valleys, the eastern group, and the Afon Gallia Valley's wildlands in between. No, looking more closely, the home valleys also have three groups. What I thought was a contiguous eastern group is divided as well - a northern part of 2 home valleys, and a southern part of three. Also, unlike Kerys, where almost all the home valleys had a lake and river, here in Inis Gallia, that is much less true - most of the home valleys have no rivers at all. Like Kerys, two of the home valleys have no access to the central wildlands, and one home valley does not border any wildlands at all.

Then also unlike Kerys, the wildlands seem to be arranged in a more connected manner - a long bulging stem running north to south in the center, and a long hook laying east-west with the bend to the southeast and its stem running along the northern border of the province. The Inquisitors have marked one large region in a style I haven't seen before - similar to those corrupted plains, but it also has numerous rings scattered about. Nor do I see any regions marked with those Giant Trees.

REFERENCE 20: Inis Gallia

Regions & Valleys ================

The Western Home Valleys: From north to south, the western valleys are Atigny, Aras, Jura, Vitry, and Ardennes.

Atigny: Bordered by the Wyvern Moors to the north, the Northwestern Gallian Moors to the northwest, Aras to the southwest, Jura to the southeast, and the Afon Headlands to the east. Atigny has neither a lake nor a river.

Aras: Botdered by the Northwestern Gallian Moors to the north, Atigny to the northeast, Jura to the east, Vitry to the south, and the Rim Mountains to the west. One of two isolated home valleys. Aras has neither lakes nor rivers.

Jura: Bordered by Atigny and the Afon Headlands to the north, the Gallian Cleft to the east, the Central River Valley to the southeast, Vitry to the southwest, and Aras to the west. Jura has neither lakes nor rivers.

Vitry: Bordered by Aras and Jura to the north, the Central River Valley to the east, Ardennes to the south, and the Rim Mountains to the west. Vitry has both a lake (Llyn Vitry) and river (Afon Vitry).

Ardennes:Bordered by Vitry to the north, the Central River Valley and the Southern Highlands to the east, and the Rim Mountains to the south and west. Ardennes has no lake, but does have a river (Afon Ardennes).

The Northeastern Home Valleys: Javerdus and Langres, with Javerdus to the north.

Javerdus: Bordered by the Wyvern Evergreens to the north, the Gallian Cursed Rocklands to the north and east, Langres to the south, and the Afon Headlands to the west. Javerdus has no lakes or rivers.

Langres: Bordered by Javerdus to the north, the Great Eastern Pale to the northwest, the Eastern Shrouded Pines to the southwest, and the Gloomy River Valley to the south. Langres has no rivers nor lakes.

The Southeastern Home Valleys: From north to south, and east to west, are Trecassis, Nones, and Morvan.

Trecassis: Bordered on the north by the Gloomy River Valley and the Eastern Shrouded Pines, the Rim Mountains to the east, Morvan to the south, and Nones to the southwest. Trecassis has a lake (Llyn Trecassis), two rivers flowing into the lake (the North and South Wine Rivers), and one outflowing river (Afon Trecassis).

Nones: Bordered by the Central and Gloomy River Valleys to the north, Trecassis to the northeast, Morvan to the east, the Rim Mountains to the south, and the Southern Highlands to the west. Nones is a marshy valley, with a lake, and a large marsh whose northern edge is defined by the Trecassis River.

Morvan: Bordered by Trecassis to the north, the Rim Mountains to the east and south, and Nones to the west. Morvan is one of the isolated valleys, and has no lakes or rivers.

Wildland Regions =========

The Afon Gallia Valley: The valley that splits the home valleys of Inis Gallia in twain. It is comprised of the Afon Headlands and the Gallian Cleft.

The Afon Headlands: The northernmost portion of the Afon Gallia Valley. It contains both the smallish Llyn Gallia, and is the source of the Afon Gallia. Borders Atigny, Jura, and Javerdus.

The Gallian Cleft: Brodering Jura and Langres, the Afon Gallai carves a deep cleft between their respective hills.

The Central River Valley: The large central region of Inis Gallia, with many biomes. The Vitry and Trecassis Rivers flow into the Gallian River here. Marshy with many evergreens.

The Gloomy River Valley: The larger region comprising the Long River Valley and the Eastern Shrouded Pines.

The Long River Valley: The east-west valley bordering Langres and Trecassis. Home to the Gloomy Lake and the Gloomy River. This should be considered a placeholder name, but considering its western border are those shrouded pines, and the eastern edge is shrouded forests, I believe it likely. Update: Based on the actual exploration, this has been renamed. Previously this was the Gloomy River Valley, which now refers to the larger region that includes the Eastern Shrouded Pines as well.

The Eastern Shrouded Pines: The gloomy pine forest east of the Gloomy River Valley, the Great Eastern Pale to the north, and Trecassis to the south. The Eastern Rim Mountains define the eastern border.

The Southern Highlands: Again, a placeholder name, but one strongly suggested by the map.

The Wild Borders: The wild lands that separate the home valleys from the northern and eastern Rim Mountains.

The North Border Moors: A slightly smaller region comprised of the Northwestern Gallian Moors, the Wyvern Moors, the High Gallian Moors, and the Wyvern Evergreens.

The Northwestern Gallian Moors: To the west of the Wyvern Moors, west of Atigny, and north of Aras.

The Wyvern Moors: The stony juniper moors to the north of Atigny, and to the west of the Afon Headland.

The High Gallian Moors: The stone juniper moors north of the Afon Headlands, nestling in a deep mountain valley defined by the Northern Rim Mountains, and the two Merovingian Peaks,

The Wyvern Evergreens: The evergreen forest to the east of the High Gallian Moors and the Gallian Cursed Rocklands.

The Eastern Borderlands: A large subregion of the Wild Borders, comprising the Gallian Cursed Rocklands and the Great Eastern Pale.

The Gallian Cursed Rocklands: The single largest biome in Gallia. The Inquisitor markings are disquieting - with the rings and spots, it looks as if the very land is infected with acne and pox. I'm not looking forward to my explorations there. Luckily, that will come later. The Inquistor's map call these the "cursed rocklands"; the name will do for now.

The Great Eastern Pale: A high crest separating the Gallian Cursed Rocklands and Eastern Shrouded Pines. Bordered by the Eastern Rim Mountains and Langres. Though looking at the map, it might be more accurate to say that a portion intrudes into Langres.

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

Wyvern Stone: The holy stone outside of the Wyvern Gate in the Wyvern Moors north of Atigny.

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

==== Water Features

Gallian River (Afon Gallia): The central river of Gallia, flowing almost directly north to south.

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

Merovingian Peaks: Two large peaks just north of the Afon Headlands.