High District

The High District or Archeth Valorn sits on the northeastern edge, pressed against the base of Mount Archia. Before the earthquake which destroyed the city, it was here that one could find the grandest achievements of Valorian architecture—temples, palaces, and government buildings all constructed from marble quarried a thousand miles away. This is where Archeth Valorn’s elite came to worship, govern, and die. When the earthquake hit, this district was one of the hardest hit, and in the centuries to follow more and more of the area is swallowed by rubble.

Few people traverse the High District. Magic is corrupted here and “lingering spells” drift through the streets or pool hidden in pockets waiting to snare passersby. At night, it is worse as the Pressed emerge in great numbers from their hiding places.

Sites of Interest

• Basilica of Saint Mora: Once a mighty temple, the basilica is now split down its center by a massive rockfall that crushed its dome and central nave. The two halves lean away from each other like broken teeth. The eastern wing remains partially intact while the western wing has completely collapsed.
• Gates of Ascension: The formal entrance to the ancient pilgrimage road that winds to the top of the Mount Archia’s summit. The Twin Gods are caught in marble mid-dance above the gate. The Pressed never approach these gates.
• Hanging Palace: What remains of the royal governor’s palace clings to the mountainside at an odd angle, the eastern half hanging above a sheer drop of more than 200 spans.
• Marble Vaults: A sprawling necropolis where Valorian nobles were entombed in marble mausoleums. The avalanche hit here with particular force—entire rows of tombs are crushed flat, while others are half-buried, their bronze doors visible above the rockfall. This is one of the few places in the ruins where the Pressed can be seen, on occasion, during the day.
• Speaker’s Terrace: A massive open-air amphitheater carved into the mountainside where government decrees were proclaimed to assembled crowds. The seating tiers are mostly intact but the stage platform has collapsed into the orchestra pit below.