Aegion Vale is the heartland of divine influence and mortal valor in Hellenara. It is a bright bowl of terraces and river-cuts cradled between the highland cliffs of Mount Aeon to the east and the Blackwood's ancient boughs to the north. Here, Zeus keeps a direct foothold in the mortal world, and laws are etched not only in marble but in binding Styx Oaths. Glory is not won in silence—it echoes through every colonnade, temple, and battlefield.
The Vale is sunlit and mild for most of the year, a favored domain of Zeus, whose presence ensures the thunderclouds roll only when justice is to be served. Rolling hills and gentle farmlands give way to sacred olive groves where the light falters at the edge of the Blackwood, a realm of secrets and ancient rites. The skies are traversed by the Nimbus Gates, anchored cloud-arches forming Skyroads that link the region, while high on Mount Aeon, the Radiant Gate—the lawful way between Olympus and the mortal world—burns brighter and longer than ever before.
The ruling body of the Vale is the Temple Council of Aegion, composed of high priests of the Olympian gods. More than just a local power, the Council acts as a neutral arbiter for all of Hellenara; judgments issued "under thunder" from Aegion carry weight from reef to range. This authority is enforced by divine law, such as the Storm-Truce Bell, which halts all regional conflicts the moment it sounds from the Temple of Zeus. Military service is both civic duty and sacrament, with hoplites trained for divine purpose.
Aegion, the City of Thunder, is a white-marble polis crowning a bluff above the western sea. The city is built in concentric rings around the Grand Temple of Zeus, with three grand avenues radiating outward like a trident: Spear Way (barracks and musters), Artisan Road (markets and forges), and Scholar’s Walk (archives and observatories). Statues of champions line its avenues, and an Oracle within the temple sparks quests that ripple through the region.
Population: ~15,000 (mostly human, some aasimar, half-elves, and satyr envoys)
Trade Goods: Olive oil, scrolls of law, bronze weaponry, divine relics
Exports: Trained warriors, sacred texts, augury crystals
Faiths: Zeus (patron), Apollo (light and truth), Ares (military might), Athena (strategy and civic wisdom)
Temple of Zeus (Sacred Court of Storms): The city's core, built on the site of a skybolt impact. A vast columned complex open to the heavens, it is here the Storm-Truce Bell hangs and prophecies are spoken that cannot be unsaid.
The Blackwood: A twilight forest where the Witchwood Circle—a coven of night-sworn weavers—rallies creatures of silk and shadow like ettercaps and giant spiders. The wood's edge is uneasily patrolled by both Artemis's wardens and Hecate's lantern-keepers.
The Oak that Answers: In the Mnemonic Groves above Scholar’s Walk stands an ancient Zeus-oak where Styx-oath disputes are appealed. A priest speaks a verdict, and the tree's leaves crackle like coals when a lie is told.
Moonless Amphitheater: A hillside theater on Scholar’s Walk where tragedies are staged under new moons, its aisles ringed by Hecate's lantern-keepers, for Nyx loves an audience.
Starfall Gorge: A divine crater to the south, formed from a fallen star. The area is charged with residual power, causing spells cast nearby to twist with wild effects.
Field Camp of Ares: At the edge of the Vale lies a disciplined encampment where Aegion’s hoplites are trained in tactics, formation combat, and sacred rites of battle.
Honor is paramount in the Vale. While duels may settle slights, binding promises must be sworn as Styx Oaths to have cosmic weight, with many disputes arbitrated at the Oak that Answers. Festivals are common, including the Thundergames to honor Zeus. A new tradition has become a major event: the Skyfeast of Eagles, a race along the Skyroads where the winner receives a Storm Writ, granting them temporary right-of-way on the Nimbus Gates and an audience at the Radiant Gate.
Region Name: Aegion Vale
Theme: Lawful heroism, divine guidance, classic hoplite glory
Gods: Zeus (chief), Apollo, Ares, Athena
Ruling Power: Temple Council of Aegion
Tone: Heroic, mythic, upright; the land of oracles and oaths
Contains: City of Aegion, Temple of Zeus, The Blackwood, The Oak that Answers, Moonless Amphitheater, Starfall Gorge, Field Camp of Ares