Location

The Shard Wastes

Created by Nikedullet

The Shard Wastes stretch across a desolate expanse of obsidian-black glass dunes that were formed millennia ago during the Sundering, a cataclysmic event that shattered the earth itself into crystalline shards. When wind passes through the terrain, the jagged formations produce an eerie, haunting melody—a phenomenon locals call the "Song of Sorrows," believed to be the lament of those lost during the ancient catastrophe. Scattered throughout the wastes are the skeletal remains of towering structures from a forgotten civilization, their fractured spires piercing the sky like broken teeth of some colossal beast. Beneath the glittering sands lie vast chamber networks and underground vaults, their acoustics so peculiar that sound echoes in unnatural ways, leading travelers to swear they hear whispers and voices of the departed echoing through the darkness. To the south lies the Red Vein Canyons, a dramatic system of deep gorges carved by luminescent rivers that flow with a faint, pulsing glow—as though the very lifeblood of the world courses through these ancient waterways. The crimson light emanating from these rivers creates an otherworldly landscape of towering canyon walls stained in shades of rust and vermillion. Scholars debate whether these glowing rivers are natural phenomena or remnants of magical forces from ages past. Few venture into either region, as both locations are shrouded in mystery and danger, yet adventurers and researchers continue to be drawn to uncover the secrets buried within these haunted lands.