I had worked a forge for seven hundred and thirty-two years when a nightmare entered my workshop.
20th day of Redfall, in the Second Little-Moon’s Turn, year 1021 ÆC (Ætaine Calendar)
The High District occupies a gentle rise overlooking the Shad’li crossing. At its center stands Valentien’s Fortress, originally built to defend the river and now serving as the royal palace of Valmark. Its commanding position and proximity to the crown have made the district the preferred home of the city’s nobility.
The Western District is the oldest surviving part of Valmark, founded nearly four centuries ago where the Shad’li River could once be crossed during the driest months of the year. Although the city’s merchants later relocated to the newer Market District, the Western District remains an important entry point and a center of local tradition.
The Embersteps District stands upon a low rise near Valmark’s southern wall. Once known simply as the slums, much of the district was destroyed by a devastating fire several decades ago. It was rebuilt in brick and stone, though its narrow streets still twist unpredictably between crowded homes, workshops, and small neighborhood markets.
The Northern District is known for its workshops, warehouses, and small merchant houses. Although it sees fewer travelers than Valmark’s western and southern roads, much of the city’s timber, ore, stone, and other raw materials enter through its gates from the northern forests and mines of the Northern Mountains.