Merijool¶
Merijool (pronounced "merry-yool") is a region in northwestern Drehmal. Its landscape is made up of temperate, autumnal forest with red-colored leaves.
Geography¶
Merijool is located on the north coast of the continent, forming the west shore of the Gulf of Drehmal. The region borders the Gulf of Drehmal region to the southeast, Casai to the west (although the Zephyr Sound occupies a lot of space between the two regions), and Mt. Ebonfire and the Ebony Veldt to the southwest. A horizontal segment of the Burnt Mountains divides the region from more of the Ebony Veldt to the south.
Merijool is split into an east and west half by a wide river flowing into the northern ocean. Despite this, the two sides differ mainly in lore, and the region's overall landscape is mostly uniform. The region is populated with oak and birch woods with bright, red leaves, patches of giant mushrooms, grasslands, lakes, and bluffs with orange cliffs. Standing out in contrast to the usual terrain is the land surrounding the Primal Sapling in the south, which is characterized by red, orange and yellow mountains and a small jungle-like biome.
Environmental Sub-Regions:
- The snow-capped Mt. Mekta in the northeast
- Jungle mountain bowl in the southeast surrounding the Primal Sapling
On the south edge of a lake in southern Merijool (the source of the region's central river) is the town of Okeke.
History¶
Like many other northern regions, Merijool once had a much different environment and climate. It was initially a jungle, similar to Lorahn'Kahl and the Black Jungle. In the early Second Avihm, Merijool was inhabited by many "Merian" tribes. From the very beginning, there has been a cultural distinction and rivalry between the east and west. The Merians came to be predominantly faithful to Loe in the east and Lai in the west. Known examples of eastern Loe-supporters were the Mekta tribe and the people of the town of Kamt. At some point, some of the tribes (most likely those in the east only) were united under a Grand Council based at Arijoor Forks. It is unclear how long this union lasted.
In the Av2 1400s, the Casain Empire launched an attack on western Merijool with the intent of eastward expansion. Although the region's peoples were still disorganized, they were able to band together, and, using arcanism, successfully ward off the invaders. This conflict is known as the Zephyr War. Some time later, the Kingdom of Western Merijool was established, officially unifying the western tribes. Western Merijool would develop a peaceful relationship with the Second Tharhan Empire after it was founded centuries later.
Merijool, along with the majority of the West, was subsumed under the Empire of Avsohm, probably through a series of annexations. Avsohm appears to have had little direct impact on the region. However, the Frostfang Catastrophe that took place at this time (due to the affairs of Avsohm) permanently altered its environment, transforming the climate from tropical to temperate. These drastic and adverse effects posed a major challenge to the region's people, since they had to adapt to a completely new environment and some elements of their old culture were lost.
After the empire's fall, the region was presumably attacked by the forces of Maelihs. However, it is not known if they succeeded in conquering the region for a short period of time. Merijool became a later member of the Insohmic Council, and as such, they participated in the Battle for Drehmal, possibly earning additional territory.
Following the end of the Order and the dawn of the Fourth Avihm, Merijool finally united into a single, secular state: the Republic of Merijool, in Av4 26.
Regional Map¶
Map of Merijool (sold by Adventuring Merchant in Okeke):
Terminus Tower¶
The Merijool tower.
Merijool's Terminus tower is located on a hilltop in the region's center, along the western bank of the central river. Most of it is encased in a wood-and-stone mill-like structure with stairs and ladders leading up its sides to a small platform at the top. The structure is guarded by zombie villagers named "Undead Huntsman".
Coordinates: (X: -1302, Y: 152, Z: -945)
Points of Interest¶
Arijoor Forks¶
Arijoor Forks is a group of solid, grass-topped stone structures in mid-eastern Merijool. It has two separated parts: the western part has structures with many right angles, while the eastern part has mostly circular structures. Arijoor Forks was the meeting place of the Grand Council that governed the people of east Merijool at some point in the Second Avihm.
Coordinates: (X: -860, Y: 85, Z: -1140)
ICS Arbiter¶
The ICS Arbiter is a large airship and the the head of the Insohmic fleet. It once served as a military vessel and its conference room was used by the Insohmic Council. With the Order having mostly fallen apart, the ship now hosts loyalists wishing to continue to carry out Insohm's missions and possibly restore it to its former glory. The ship is currently positioned off the northeastern coast of Merijool.
Coordinates: (X: -478, Y: 102, Z: -1950)
Maehrn'Vhos¶
Maehrn'Vhos, dubbed the "Great Wall of the West", is a towering, ornately carved stone wall, situated on the border between southwestern Merijool and the Ebony Veldt. A road runs through a gap in its center. It was originally built by the Second Tharhan Empire to ensure safety from the Casain Empire and West Merijool to the north. Today, the wall is used as a Mihkmari checkpoint.
Coordinates: (X: -2171, Y: 63, Z: -161)
Okeke¶
Okeke is a small town in southern Merijool that is built across a stream feeding into a lake. Its buildings are contiguous and composed mostly of stone and spruce wood, having flat roofs with parapets, giving a castle-like appearance. The town might be the capital of the Republic of Merijool due to its geographically neutral location.
Coordinates: (X: -1562, Y: 68, Z: -495)
Primal Sapling¶
The Primal Sapling is a colossal, flowering tree in southern Merijool, standing in the Glade of the Giant. Jungle trees grow in the area surrounding it (likely surviving remnants of the ecosystem from before the Frostfang Catastrophe), and this portion of land is encircled by mountains that obscure outside view. A mysterious, stone, pyramidal temple lays underneath the tree's canopy. The Primal Sapling sprouted from the remains of the much greater Primal Tree that existed in the First Avihm until its destruction. The Parenchyma legendary and a Stone of Agony are found here.
Coordinates: (X: -1200, Y: 64, Z: -340)
Ruins of Kamt¶
Kamt was an ancient stone city in northeastern Merijool, built at the eastern base of Mt. Mekta. An ice statue makes it apparent that its residents worshiped Loe. The city now lies in ruins, but is home to the Loe'Othrah artifact and within visibility of the ICS Arbiter.
Coordinates: (X: -640, Y: 99, Z: -1710)
Shrine of Eternal Flame¶
The Shrine of Eternal Flame is a pyramid-shaped stone temple and devotion site to Lai in the region's northwest. Its name comes from the sacred, eternal flame at its center, which once burned perpetually but is no longer lit.
Coordinates: (X: -1430, Y: 77, Z: -1620)