Founded in 1389YR, the colony of Regnant's Reach was extablished as a penal colony by Imperial Decree #3724, and operates as a joint project headed by the Offshore Penal Corporation and with financial backing from several Noble houses. Some fifty years ago, another colony was established here, somewhat upriver, under the name of Saltville. While Saltville was found abandoned by the resupply ship after only 3 winters, they did first report rich deposits of Selenite in the area, and after her Majesty came to power, she set into motion the plans for what would be Regnant's Reach. After what happened last time, Regnant's Reach is guarded and patrolled by some of Her Majesty's most powerful and loyal servants, The Golden Fists.
Peons and Irregulars
As Regnant's Reach (or "Boomtown", as the locals call it) was founded as a penal colony, few of the residents chose to be here. But that doesn't mean they can't enjoy themselves! The sturdy oaken pallisades keep out the dangerous beasts of this wild land, while several bars and taverns serve drinkable ale that can sooth the aches of a long days work in the Selenite mines. If you prove yourself capable, you may even be granted lease of your own person and be allowed to pay off your debt to society as an Irregular. Irregulars are allowed to work outside of the mines, and venture well beyond Boomtown's walls to hunt down threatening beasts and seek out ancient treasures and other resources. So long as they can pay their own rent, and avoid a gruesome death in the wilds, they are allowed this unusual lifestyle. Irregulars are met with looks of both admiration and pity by the common miners in town.
If you are interested in becoming an Irregular, go to page 6.
Climate & Geography
The vast quantities of Selenite in the region and the marks of those who have sought it in the past have led to peculiar climatological and geographic conditions within a fairly narrow region.
The area immediately around Boomtown is heavily forested with deciduous trees, and a wide river flows down around the center of town from the mountains to the west.
Atop five of those peaks can be seen shining towers, and on clear nights, they often glow and become interconnected with aurora-like threads of light.
Upriver, the trees thin for a time as it climbs smoothly up through grassy foothills with occasional copses of trees. Some farmers live up here to supply grains and vegetables to boomtown, but it is largely unsettled by Imperial Citizens. As the river climbs higher into the rockier lowlands of the mountains, the grass and wildflowers are replaced with vast redwoods and hanging moss, and strange locals, warped by the long exposure to the wild magic of the area.
Selenite
Selenite is a rare and magically potent stone that is a prized ingredient for powering arcane infrastructure back in the heart of the empire. It also can be ground up and inhaled for a temporary boost to one's magical abilities. Naturally, it is quite valuable, worth more than its weight in gold, and it is for the acquisition of this mineral that Boomtown was established.