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Ediling Ravine

Credit: Unknown

At a glance it would be easy to miss. From above, Ediling Ravine appears to be a mere fissure in the earth - but once one is able to find an entrance, its true breadth is revealed. Relentlessly carved from the earth by a narrow, shallow wend of the Pictou River over the course of many years, the feeling it evokes is similar to that of a shaded grove or shadowy garden; foreign, exotic, but relatively non-threatening. The air here is intoxicating, smelling deeply of cold spring water, fermented berries, and rich earth.

During the fall and winter months, the water therein freezes and creates a slink ice rink from one end to the other.

The Highroad

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A curious new installment to the realm of Salsola, the Highroad is a single path that crosses the northern Amherst border and leads directly through to the Marketplace. Heavily patrolled, all passage over the Highroad is scrutinized by soldiers and scouts stationed at the Queensgate Garrison.

The purpose of the Highroad, as separated from other pathways leading deeper into Salsolan territory, is to allow select Outsiders access to the Salsolan Marketplace. An Outsider will only be allowed entry along the Highroad if they are escorted by a trusted Family member, and once their wares have been inspected at the garrison.

There is lingo befitting of usage of the Highroad. For example, should a Salsolan say to the sentries posted at the garrison: "This is our friend, I wish to take them along the Highroad", then the soldiers will know that the Outsider is worthy of the Marketplace. Should a Salsolan say to the sentries: "This is my friend, I wish to take them along the Lowroad", then the soldiers will know that the Outsider is to be robbed and/or accosted the moment they set foot on Salsolan soil.

Grimrun (⤴)

Credit: TheOtherKev

Acting as the heart of the Pauson Breeding Program, and based upon the design of an older building replaced in the process of original construction, this barn is much larger than its older companion. Only equines are housed in Grimrun, and here the authority of the Equinest and their Vaqueros is all but law. These stud-book horses are considerably extremely valuable to the pack, and have more restrictions when it comes to general member use. All horses stabled here are in use (in one way or another) for the breeding program, and, as such, most of the mares are either pregnant or have a foal at foot, and not suitable to ride. Select intact stallions are kept as studs should their bloodlines, physical endowments, and temperaments lead them to be suitable for the task.

Behind dense foliage overgrowth and the thick wooden doors of Grimrun, Salsola is quietly developing its own breed of horse - one of the first of the new age in Nova Scotia since the fall of humankind.

Grotto of Seven Sleepers

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Just south of the foothills of the Halcyon mountain range is a mysterious place known locally as the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers. The entrance to the grotto has been cut over time by continual cascades of water, likely overflow of ice-melt from the rapids following the Great Falls. It is unclear whether the water from the Pictou seeped through the porous mountain stone and created the interior cavern pools, or if the hidden water existed there previously.

The pools run very deep in some places, hinting at an underground river or spring, and very shallow in others. There are seven distinct alcoves in the grotto, which lends it the name for the myth of seven sleepers, who awaken from their watery graves to a world that is unlike the one they once knew. The Grotto has a mystical, transformative ambiance, in part due to the way light enters (especially at sunset, when the sun hits the western mountain side) and reflects throughout the damp crystalline walls. At night the Grotto can be dangerous, although on a full moon the waters seemed to become luminescent in an ethereal way.

Orchard

Credit: Hans

Not all the relics left behind from Those who came Before are carved out of stone, brick or concrete. Some, such as the orchard, indicate that life has never been entirely separate from the wonders of nature.

Just south of the overgrown reach of the Blackwoods lies an acre of fruit trees, predominantly variants of apple. The older trees are planted in even rows, though some younger trees - having grown from saplings fallen at the base of their parents - have begun to distort the tidy pattern. The ground is thick with weeds and rich mulchy leaflitter. When in season, the trees burst with fruit, and the orchard becomes a hive of activity as many Salsolans harvest their bounty for personal use.

There are many uses for the fruit harvested from the orchard - while many may snack on it as-is, it can also be preserved, made into jams, fermented, made into ciders or ales or wines. The opportunities are endless!

Springhill Cemetery

Credit: jwvein

Springhill cemetery is easily explored as it is not a very large or complex locale. Marked by a dilapidated church and a small cluster of long-abandoned and partially destroyed buildings, Springhill offers little in the way of salvageable materials. The outskirts of the forest have ravenously taken over the small church, and the once white-plaster building is now a sad, diluted grey-green, its sides covered with moss, vines and debris.

The most interesting discovery is behind the main chapel - an area littered with smooth square stones and roughly hewn markers. Once a graveyard, a family tomb lays beneath a thick slab of stone set into the hillside. Dark and dank, it smells of ancient times and has obviously been used for shelter by little woodland creatures that call the nearby Blackwoods home.

Credit: Boke9a

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The Greater Pine Barrens

Credit: Holzijue

While a part of the whole eastern forest - known in its entirety as the Pine Barrens - the southern strand, separated from its higher half by the Deception creek, is referred to as the greater Pine Barrens.

The greater Pine Barrens is so named due to being larger in size, and more densely grown, than its northern portion. The conifer and broadleaf forest grows in lush abandon here, flirting with the eastern banks of Lake Ligeia and stretching all the way to the outskirts of Millstone Village. It is a favorite for trappers, who know the popular prey trails like the back of their hands. Hares, birds and other common wildlife can all be found here.

The pine in this forest is occasionally logged for construction, as the trunks grow big, straight, and true.

Isle Haute (⤴)

Credit: Noelsch

A small island, known to Salsolans as Isle Haute, juts bravely into the loch just south of the mainland claim. Visible from the southern shore, it is a stony protrusion that is large enough to hold soil and trees well above the waterline of the loch. Isle Haute features towering bayside bluffs, which offer some protection from the ebbing tide. The mainland coast is slightly more forgiving.

The island is accessible via a dock and chain-pulley boat, which was once operated by the Slave of Salt pre-abolition of the slave rank by Queen Elphaba Revlis in 2018. Isle Haute is off-limits to most Salsolans, presumably due to its nature as a sacred site to the kingdom's Sanctus tier.

Loch Fundy

Credit: evgenuine

Originally a coastal inlet ending in a secluded bay, the cataclysmic events of the Red Star's fall(link) led to a large upheaval of the local terrain, eventually causing a land bridge that severed the loch from the broader ocean beyond. Whilst now enclosed by land, the flora and fauna of the loch remain as oceanic stragglers, and the water itself is diluted and salty.

The water of the loch as seen from Salsola's territory is often grey and choppy, with small waves that lap against a pebbly coastline. Icy cold in winter and pleasantly refreshing in summer, it provides an important natural resource for all local denizens. Those capable of fishing will find plenty of food sources within the loch, which still teems with saltwater fish and crustaceans. More recently, use of primitive boats has enabled exploration of some islands or small rocky outcrops near to the coastline, as well as opening the possibility of easier trade with those who live opposite us across the large body of water.

Marrgerd (⤴)

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Marrgerd is located just two miles north-east of the Ruins. It is the formal name for an area encompassing Salsola's main livestock grazing area and stables. The terrain is large mire fully encompassing over twenty-five hundred acres, comprised largely of open meadowland. In summer, the long field grasses are green and gold - in spring they are dotted with wildflowers. A small pond provides easy water access, left as the remains of a larger glacial kettle.

Most of the barn is constructed within a small stand of pine trees, the center-most of which were felled for building materials. The trees obscure the barn from view to some extent; if someone were not specifically looking for the corral or already aware of its existence, they might easily overlook it. Added shrubbery and vines planted along the barn's sides add to the cover. The barn itself is a weathered and drab gray-green color on the outside, aiding its disguise.

The Peninsulas

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The Peninsulas consist of a shallow cove nestled between two flanking outcrops. The western peninsula is marshy grassland, while the eastern peninsula is rocky and forbidding. The cove provides excellent fishing, though one must beware the tide as they would anywhere else along the southern shoreline. Many consider this one of the most beautiful areas of Salsola, providing as it does a lovely view across the loch to the far coast on clear days.

Due to the shallowness of the cove and its pebbly, rocky base, the water here is startlingly clear. In fine weather it looks like polished glass.

In part due to erosion, this cape is often littered with large stones. During particularly turbulent weather, and especially after winter, rockfalls are common.

Pictou Delta

Credit: JillWellington

The Pictou Delta marks the point at which the Pictou River spills out into the loch. The land here is flat and rolls in toward the river, as much of the earth has eroded due to the force of the flowing water. Much of the foliage here is low, hardy growth, with very few trees or shrubs higher than the waist. The closer one gets to the delta itself, the swampier and more difficult the land is to traverse. However, the soil here is some of the richest and most fertile available anywhere in Salsola's claim.

Though the river empties into the bay with surprising force, the Pictou experiences a tidal bore with each tide change. The incoming high tide is visible, rolling slowly up the Pictou with each incoming high tide. Water nearest to the delta is decidedly brackish during these times, though it again becomes fresh with the tidal outflow.

Southern Shoreline

Credit: anthonytori

There is little need to patrol our southern border, as the Loch Fundy does the job well enough. With many little inlets, coves, and caves to explore, the southern shoreline offers a wealth of exploratory discoveries.

Tending to be rockier and pebbly in nature than the western coast, the water along the southern shoreline is often startlingly clear. It still retains some of the saltiness of its pre-Red Star connection to the ocean. Although in mild weather the water seems perfectly lovely, the southern shoreline can be especially dangerous in a storm, with high tides and waves lashing at the Peninsulas and Isle Haute.

The Stone Altar

Credit: Bru-nO

Along the high bluffs of the western coast, proudly situated on a high plateau overlooking the loch, one can find an odd confirmation of tall stones. Upon inspection it becomes apparent that these were deliberately placed here in ancient times, and many bear signs of crude runic carvings.

Known colloquially as the Stone Ship or the Stone Altar, this site is one of great cultural importance to Salsola. Various religious rituals are performed here, and one can often find piles of ash and charcoal from previous rites in-between the seeking stones. Since the foundation of the Thistle Kingdom, leaders have gathered their people to this location to deliver speeches of great importance.

Western Coast

Credit: Unknown

Salsola's western border is flanked by the grey waters of Loch Fundy. This stretch of coastline comprises of both muddy sand beaches and highlands of craggy cliff. The wind in these higher bluffs can be unbearably fierce, but, on a mild day, the view they offer is well worth the risk. On the first inland stretch, the soil is unsympathetic to plants; few survive save gnarled pines, twisted and turned ugly by their harsh existence. The underbrush is similarly hardy, and the sparse pine forest gradually gives way to the beginnings of marshland to the east.

The most striking feature of this coastal terrain is the large number of erratic stones decorating the territory; it seems this stretch of coast was a particular hotspot for glacial dumping. Numerous round, flat, and misshapen stones—most of them rather large—decorate the western coastline.