Edit Valley: Sanctuary Vale

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Introduction:	Sanctuary Vale is a vast highland basin located in central Terasil, spanning approximately 185 miles north to south and 75 miles east to west. Positioned between the circular massif of the Citadel Mountains to the east and the jagged volcanic formations of the Khargaath Range to the west, the vale is among the most geologically and culturally significant regions in the realm. It is the historical and spiritual homeland of the [[Orasians]], containing their largest settlements and ceremonial centers.
Access:	Access to Sanctuary Vale is possible via several guarded overland passes and subterranean routes. * The [[Tarsuun Pass]], near [[Dul-Val]], is the most heavily traveled overland route and serves as a major gateway into the vale from southern Terasil. * The Hollowgate Descent, a branch of the [[Deep Roads]], connects the vale the [[Minthari]] enclaves. * To the northeast, Sanctuary Vale opens into the [[Fractured Wedge]], a geologically unstable highland corridor that lies between the Citadel and Khargaath ranges. Though surface travel through the Wedge is difficult due to fractured terrain and seismic instability, Deep Road arteries run beneath it, connecting the vale to the [[Astralith Range]] and the subterranean territories of the Astralith Minthari. While much travel occurs underground, overland routes remain viable and are used for both trade and ceremonial processions.
Historical Significance:	Sanctuary Vale has played a foundational role in the formation and continuity of Orasian civilization. According to surviving civic records, it was within the protective boundaries of the vale that the first permanent Orasian settlements were established during the [[Era of Isolation]], leading to the eventual construction of [[Kar-Thal]]. The vale’s natural defensibility and internal resources allowed Orasian culture to develop independently, shielded from external disruption during the early phases of Adaris’s elemental realignment. During the [[Great Erosion]], Sanctuary Vale served as a refuge zone, with many communities from surrounding ranges retreating into its interior. This influx reshaped the valley's civic structure and prompted the formalization of roles such as the Stonewardens and Rite-Keepers. Tarsuun Pass, located at the southern edge of the vale, became the primary land corridor into and out of the region. Control of the pass has historically been a measure of Orasian autonomy. Numerous oaths of entry, trade, and protection were sworn here, and during periods of external tension, the pass was ritually sealed with resonance-stone barriers—an act considered legally and spiritually binding. Sanctuary Vale remains the heart of Orasian political and spiritual identity. The governance conducted from Kar-Thal, combined with the ancestral echoes preserved in sites across the vale, continues to reinforce its status as the symbolic center of Terasil’s earth-aligned culture.
Cultural Significance:	Sanctuary Vale is deeply embedded in Orasian spiritual and cultural identity. It is the site of foundational civic rites, ancestral stone-oath ceremonies, and seasonal harmonic gatherings. Each major settlement within the vale contributes to a specific aspect of Orasian life—governance, craftsmanship, observance, or communication. Pilgrimages from across Terasil often culminate here, especially during resonance cycles aligned with subterranean rhythms.
Climate:	Sanctuary Vale has a temperate to sub-alpine climate, heavily influenced by the surrounding mountain ranges. It experiences cool summers and long, mist-laden winters. Precipitation is relatively low but consistent, feeding into a network of subterranean streams that support local agriculture and spiritual practices. The air is mineral-rich, with subtle seismic vibrations regularly observed across the terrain.
Flora and Fauna:	{{see also\|[[Flora and Fauna of Sanctuary Vale]]}}The highland savanna of Sanctuary Vale supports a distinct ecosystem adapted to its mineral-rich soil, mist cycles, and exposed stone formations. Native plants such as Vale Grass and Kire Shrubs mark ground stability and are used in traditional Orasian fieldwork, while sparse tree species like Pyr and Spring Figs serve both ecological and ceremonial functions. Local fauna include the heavy-plated Slateback Behemoth, often viewed as a symbol of endurance, and Pierrooks—tall, sharp-voiced birds whose calls reflect subtle shifts in air pressure. Smaller life, like the elusive Vale Cats and spiral-burrowing Dust Beetles, are closely observed and often tied to spiritual interpretations of balance, movement, and hidden depth.
Notable features:	The terrain of Sanctuary Vale is characterized by a combination of terraced stone fields, mineral springs, exposed strata, and river-carved canyons. Much of the land is partially cultivated through ancient methods of guided erosion and mineral enrichment, practiced by [[Orasian]] stone-tenders. * [[Kar-Thal]], the largest and oldest Orasian city, is located near the eastern rim of the vale, partially embedded in the Citadel Mountains. * Dul-Val nestled in the southern pass where the Khargaath mountains meet the [[Murazkar Range]], it lies at the southern end of the vale, known for its quarry networks and basalt forges and for protecting the southern pass into the vale. * Djes-Val is situated along the Khargaath foothills to the north west of Kar-Thal. Due to its secure position its an academic town. * Mar-Thal is located in the far east of the vale on the border of the Fractured Wedge. The vale also contains several uninhabited zones considered sacred or geologically unstable, including seasonal fissures, stonefall fields, and resonance hollows.
Representation in Media:	=== '''Art''' === [[File:Artwork_-_Sanctuary_Vale_01.jpg\|thumb\|Cycle Without Break]] Sanctuary Vale has inspired generations of Orasian stonecarvers, resonance-painters, and echo-mask artisans. Most works focus on the land’s shape and spiritual stillness rather than literal depiction. One of the most widely recognized pieces is the mural series ''[[Cycle Without Break]]'', displayed in Mar-Thal’s outer archive halls. Composed entirely from pigment-infused stone dust, the mural depicts the layers of the vale’s mountains from an internal, subterranean perspective. Another notable work is ''[[Sanctum in Pressure]]'', a chiseled triptych in tonal relief found in Dul-Val, carved directly into a living basalt wall. The piece depicts three moments in the vale’s memory: the arrival of the Orasians, the sealing of the Tarsuun Pass, and the echoing silence left after the Great Erosion. === '''Literature / Poetry''' === The vale features prominently in foundational Orasian texts, most notably in ''Our Sanctuary: An Orasian History'' by [[Jek-Karun]], which poetically recounts the creation of the valley by [[Oras]] and the spiritual formation of the Orasian people within it. Short-form poetic inscriptions known as stone-verses are common throughout the vale, typically left at echo-hollows or resonance posts. Many are unsigned, passed down through oral and tonal memory. One of the most cited: {{quote\|“Carve no summit / Sing no end / This hollow holds / What waits to mend.”}} These verses are preserved by Lorewardens and often recited during Cycle Day observances. === '''Songs''' === While Orasian music is typically non-lyrical and harmonic in form, several resonance compositions are attributed to Sanctuary Vale. One of the oldest is ''Descent to Hollowflow'', a tonal progression originally performed using mineral chimes suspended in Zarkesh Hollow. It mimics the descending rhythm of a subterranean journey into Sanctuary Vale and is considered a rite of passage for apprentice resonance-keepers. Another widely practiced form is the ''Echo-Retreat Cycle''—a communal sequence of tones sung into canyon chambers at dawn. Though subtle and slow, the overlapping harmonics form a kind of auditory map of the vale’s inner resonance fields, varying slightly based on time of year and humidity. These artistic traditions serve not only as cultural expression, but as aural and visual extensions of the vale’s memory—reflecting the Orasian belief that art is not to depict, but to preserve.
See also:
Bibliography:	{{BibliographyEntry\|Category=history\|Title=Our Sanctuary: An Orasian History}} by Jek-Karun

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