Beacon Brothers’ complete guide to traveling the Red Coast, both along the Crimson Sea and the dark inland. With our premium oil lantern and this guide even you can travel the darkness!
Locations on the Red Coast
Elven Lands
The Crimson Sea is the largest body of water in the known world, located in the eastern part of the Central Cavern. Its red, glowing water provides one of only a few natural sources of light in the world and keeps the darkness away.
Trade along the coast has brought prosperity not seen in ages to the Crimson Elves, who make up the majority of the population, and several large cities have sprung up along the coast.
The coast can be divided into three major regions: Roserock, Ironedge, and Hammerheim. Each possess their own powerful elven trade federations, each disliking the other more than the next. Bloodworth is situated right on the bay dividing Roserock from Ironedge, being both a connection and a point of friction between the two.
Darkblossom Valley
The area directly around Bloodworth has been cleared to create farmlands. Further inland, the shadow-wood forests cover most of the valley and only grows denser further north as the mountains shield the light of the Flame.
A couple of human kingdoms, generally friendly to the elves, can be found in this region.
Shadowfall Mountains
The mountains cast a shadow on northern Darkblossom valley, keeping the darkness dense in the region. Jagged peaks, steep faces, and deep narrow canyons make crossing the mountains a futile task. Shadowfall is but the south-eastern edge of the Trinity Mountains, connecting with Faraheim further north and stretches westward across half the Central Cavern.
Crystal Peaks
The top of this mountain range is made entirely of translucent crystal, seeming to have been thrust out of the ground. It is indeed a sight to behold as the light of the Flame hits the peaks and radiate throughout the crystal, lighting up the entire range. Beyond the peaks are the lands of the Fiends. Gloomfrost being their most southern town, but most of their kin live further northwest, in the foothills of the Trinity Mountains.
Faraheim Highlands
An inhospitable rocky region with few inhabitants. The only kin that thrive in this region are the Rindir Colossi. Far up in the high places ancient ruins litter the landscape. While some claim to have found treasure here, far more who have set out to this region are never to be seen again.
Killhand Lowlands
Far into the darkness, in the bogs and mushroom forests around the lakes, many small human kingdoms have sprung up. As they tend to solve their disputes with violence, we advise travelers caution and to not take sides in their squabbles. The three large lakes are sailed by the human ships, but elves from the coast sometimes also sail upriver to trade with the humans or the Amber Elves.
Silvergrass
A vast grassland that extends to the south. Why there are so few trees in the region is not known, instead tall grass with a metal-like appearance grows for leagues on end. Efforts to turn the fields into farmland has proven futile, as the grass dulls any blade and does not burn. Predatory worm-like creatures lurk in the grass and can jump unsuspecting travelers without warning. Avoid the grasslands if at all possible.
The Burning Fields
The Flame (outside map, far to the west) lights up at the beginning of each flame and burns but for a few moments. The flame is the only light that shines through the darkness, lighting up the landscape for travelers for a brief moment. But in the Burning Fields the flame is so intense that cloth, wood, and plants will ignite. And the light only gets stronger as you travel further west into the Sea of Sand. The Amber Elves come from this region and their caravans often travel far into the Crimson’s lands.
Pillar of Wisdom
One of the mighty columns that holds up the Roof of the World. At its base an enclave of the Valari Elves resides in a high-walled city, closed off to outsiders. But we still recommended a visit to the open district for anyone traveling further west as it’s the last place with a proper bathhouse for many leagues.
There is also a smaller monastery at the very base of the pillar and stairs ascending leagues up the pillar. It’s said it was once a way to the Overworld, but now the stairs end before they reach the top.
The Inner Sea
Protected from the open waters, the Inner Sea is a somewhat calmer region of the Crimson Sea, and can be crossed with medium-sized ships. Ulran, Velran, Efran, and the islands in between make up the heart of elven trade.
Encounters with pirates increase as you sail east; caution is advised.
Sea creatures are hunted in the Inner Sea for their oil seasonally and is a large contributing factor of the wealth of the Crimson federations.
The Aldolian Sea
The islands of Iokkar and Marrowcliff separate the Inner Sea from the Aldolian Sea. The islands and the lands further east towards the Wall of the World are controlled almost entirely by the Lerna Elves, or the so-called “Spinestealers”.
The area is considered highly dangerous for any outsiders. We do not recommend sailing to this part of the sea unless absolutely necessary.
The Crimson Sea
The sea proper is vast, deep, and treacherous. Just accessing it forces a choice between the perilous Stone Gate and the pirate-infested Blood Gate.
Out on the sea, sailors are faced with quickly changing winds, immense waves, and sea creatures said to swallow ships whole.
Only large or colossal ships should brave to sail on the open waters.
Beacon Brothers’ Guide to Inland Travel
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing a Beacon Brothers’ Brilliant Beam Bulb. The most compact and versatile lantern for traveling the darkness, including spark wheel, retractable mirror shroud, and precise drop-tap.
With all our premium lanterns, we include this guide of the basic knowledge any inland traveler should possess. Leaving the ever-present soft glow of the Crimson Sea is, for most first-time travelers, an unsettling experience. Nothing can really prepare one for just how deep and complete the darkness of the inlands is.
Please read the instructions carefully before using the lantern or venturing out into the darkness.
The Beacon Brothers are not to be held responsible for any fire, oil leaks or blindness caused by improper use of the lantern or any dark-madness, bodily maiming, or lost elf or lesser kin while traveling inland. Some map locations may be based purely on hearsay, estimation and legend. Use at your own risk.
The Darkness
The mere absence of light away from the coast is one thing, but the real reason to carry a lantern is the black fog, known as “the darkness”, covering the land. The darkness reacts to light and is repelled by most sources of light to differing degrees. Burning wood, plants, or mushrooms has little effect unless burned in large quantities, oils from certain pressed plants, or rendered animal fats are slightly better and can be used in lanterns (commonly called “grease lamps”). But by far the best is the leviathan oil (henceforth referred to as “oil”) from the great creatures of the sea, the very same oil used as currency in large parts of the known world.
Beacon Brothers’ Brilliant Beam Bulb can push the darkness away several arms on even the smallest flame and up to two dozen arms on a large flame. With the mirror shroud extended, the light is focused in a beam forward, extending its range roughly twofold in a single direction.
Caravans traveling though the darkness usually use a combinations of oil lanterns, to push away the darkness, and grease lamps, for cheaper light. Never mix oil and grease in the same lantern, as the reaction creates a smoking flame and the soot will cover the glass in minutes.
The shifting shapes of the darkness, which have been compared to both the weaves of the sea and clashing armies on the battlefield, can be captivating to look at, but we recommend any traveler to focus their vision on things in the light and not stare off into the darkness. Some have the tendency to get lost in thought, peering into the nothingness for hours.
We also advice you not to spend more than a few minutes in the darkness without a light. Hearing strange sounds and voices and feeling crawling sensations under your skin are common. Those who have been lost in the darkness are often found mad or with presumed self-inflicted wounds, but most are never found at all.
The Lantern
The versatile Brilliant Beam Bulb accommodates the travelers’ every need. Thanks to air recirculation technology the flame burns hotter, increasing the efficiency, especially on a low burn. The mirror shroud can turn the omnidirectional lantern into a narrower, yet stronger, beam. The uniquely designed burner allows for a maximum flame far brighter than any competitor’s lamp of equal size.
Models equipped with the amberbrass flame amplifier further improves the brightness and shine up to half again as bright once the amberbrass coil has heated up. Note: Amberbrass will only shine when burning leviathan oil.
A full tank (a quarter flask or 30 vials) lasts roughly 200, 100, or 10 hours on a low, medium, or full burn respectively.
While grease can also be used as fuel, we do not recommend it for this model, instead buy our grease lamp specialized for the task with a bigger tank, as grease is consumed about ten times faster. Thoroughly clean the lantern before you change between grease and oil.
Burn time*
| Low burn | Medium burn | Full burn** | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 vial oil | 8 hours | 4 hours | 40 minutes |
| full tank oil | 200 hours | 100 hours | 10 hours |
| 1 vial grease | 80 minutes | 40 minutes | 4 minutes |
| full tank grease | 20 hours | 10 hours | 1 hour |
*In the unlikely case a human reads this (and know what a clock is… or can even count, who are we kidding?), all numbers are written in the elven dozenal system using the elven clock.
1 flame = 10 (12) hours, 1 hour = 100(144) minutes, (human numbers in parentheses).
**At full burn, the handle will get hot. An extension chain or staff attachment is recommended.
Best Time of Flame to Darkness Travel
The Flame in the far west is the basis for timekeeping; it lights up for a few minutes signaling the start of each “Flame”. The Flame’s light shines through the darkness and is the best opportunity for a traveler to see further than their lanterns shine.
We therefore recommend travelers wake up before the flame, and if possible, find high ground in order to see the landscape around them and plan their route. The flame also thins out the darkness so lanterns shine further at dawn.
For us on the Red Coast, the Flame is merely a bright light in the distance, though in some places the Flame itself is blocked by mountains and only its reflection on the roof of the world can be seen. But in the Burning Fields and beyond, the Flame is so intense it sets anything and anyone ablaze if left exposed. It is said the Amber Elves leave a pot of water outside when they go to sleep so they have boiling hot tea ready when they wake up.
Though the time of flame hardly matters when in a big city, out in the darkness it is of vital importance. The few minutes that the flame shines is the only opportunity to see the landscape and right after is the best time to set off, as the darkness is thinner then.
A pocket watch (sold separately) might be too expensive for most, so finding a natural rhythm of sleep in at night and waking up in the darkest hour is the custom for most travelers.
The Unclaimed Lands
The elven lands—claimed and worked by a trade federation—cover most of the Red Coast and the many islands in this region of the Inner Sea. The Crimson elves live mostly on the coast where the light from the sea keeps the darkness away. Inland are the unclaimed lands, containing the many human kingdoms that can be found throughout the land. The city of Bloodworth has good relations with the humans to the north, both those living within the elven lands and the independant kingdoms further north in the Shadowfall Mountains. This area is generally considered safe to travel for caravans, but we still do not advise travel alone or in too small groups.
The region to the west, however, past Ropecross, is more dangerous. We advise any caravan traveling that way to have ample protection due to bandits being common. Human towns and cities are generally safer with at least a semblance of law and are often welcoming of elven travelers, with the exception of the southern end of the Three Lakes, as there has been a long land feud between the human kingdoms there and elves of Roserock. It’s advised that you seek the latest news regarding wars and unrest before traveling, as the human kingdoms often settle disputes in outright combat.
Lodging and food can be found at comparatively low prices in the human kingdoms, and some inns along the major ropeways even specialize in catering to elves (quality might vary). A good bathhouse, however, is rare to find and you might have to resort to bathing in rivers while traveling in the Unclaimed Lands. A stop at the bathhouse at Wisdom’s Shadow, where an enclave of the Valari Elves (Serpent Sisters) live, is well worth it for anyone traveling further west.
Many goods can be purchased inland and sold at a profit back at the coast. For example, all plants of the shadow lineage (who feeds on the darkness) grow more readily further away from the light of the Crimson Sea and a significant amount of shadow-grain and shadow-wood is imported from the human kingdoms.
Ropeways
The safest way to travel inland is to follow a ropeway. These thick ropes (sometimes chains) span between towns and cities so travelers won’t be lost in the darkness. There are many more smaller ropeways not depicted on this map, creating paths between communities, farms, forest camps, and other frequently visited places.
Some travelers choose to shackle themselves, their beast of burden, or their wagons to the ropeways to make sure they don’t stray from the path. People living in these regions commonly tie themselves to long strings while working the fields or forests so they always can find their way back—a practice we think more travelers should adopt when they need to leave their caravan.
Walking through the darkness outside the ropeways is not recommended for anyone but the most experienced traveler with accurate maps, a quality compass (sold separately), and preferably in the company of a Serpent Sister. One might think seeing the direction of the Flame’s light at the start of every flame should be enough to keep one’s orientation, but the darkness has a way of turning travelers around making them walk in endless circles. Some travelers even speak of being lost in the darkness then finding themselves in places that should have been impossible to get to without crossing several ropeways or rivers.
