Virlych
Virlych is the third region of modern Ustalav, being neither a part of the Soivoda nor the Palatinates. Virlych clings to the south-western edge of Ustalav: it is a desolate, undead-haunted wasteland that is a part of Ustalav in name only.12
Geography
Virlych is situated in the far south-western corner of Ustalav and it borders the Gravelands for much of its western and southern reaches, divided by the Path River. Only in the north-west does Virlych border the orc-infested Hold of Belkzen. To its north lies the relatively peaceful Palatinate of Canterwall, while to its east lies the Soivoda county of Amaans. Geographically, Virlych is dominated by the high peaks of the Hungry Mountains, through which runs the Ghorcha Pass on the region's eastern side.3
The land of Virlych is a blighted one where only twisted, unnatural plants grow amidst desolate lands and it is racked by unexplained and highly unnatural storms.12
History
Ustalav was finally defeated in 3206 AR by the resurrected Tar-Baphon, the Whispering Tyrant. The lands then had to withstand some six centuries of suffering until the victory of the Shining Crusade, in 3827 AR, when the Whispering Tyrant was imprisoned in Gallowspire, where he remains until the present day. Despite its liberation, the six centuries of the Whispering Tyrant's rule had fundamentally corrupted the nation of Ustalav, and no where was this more apparent than in the ancient counties of Virholt and Grodlych which surrounded Gallowspire. Virlych was created out of the rotting remains of these two former counties, which had formed the epicentre of the Whispering Tyrant's burgeoning undead empire.12
Inhabitants
No sane person dwells within Virlych: any inhabitants of the former counties of Virholt and Grodlych who did not die during the Whispering Tyrant's pillaging of the counties fled generations ago. Only predatory monsters and roaming undead call Virlych home. Nevertheless, despite the danger, visitors to Virlych include curious arcanists desperate to scavenge any magical secrets remaining from the Whispering Tyrant's reign, explorers drawn to such fabled locations as Renchurch, Ghasterhall, the Palace of Travesties and the Garden of Lead, and, in the past, patrols in Lastwall who checked the prison of the Whispering Tyrant for centuries before he broke free and destroyed their country.12
The most infamous resident of Virlych, the Whispering Tyrant himself, is no longer present, having freed himself from Gallowspire and destroyed it, leaving behind a blasted, mutated forest known as Gallowgarden, before returning to his old headquarters on the Isle of Terror.1245
Places of interest
References
For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 . “Chapter 2: The Inner Sea” in Campaign Setting, 142–143. Paizo Inc., 2008
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 . “Ustalav” in The Inner Sea World Guide, 193. Paizo Inc., 2011
- ↑ . Carrion Crown Poster Map Folio. Paizo Inc., 2011
- ↑ . “Eye of Dread” in World Guide, 41. Paizo Inc., 2019
- ↑ . “Eye of Dread” in World Guide, 45. Paizo Inc., 2019
