“To the north of Malkona, separated from the rest of the continent by the impassable Border Ridge, a mysterious land hides beneath the clouds—Riku. The rivers here are white and cold as ice, yet no matter how much you drink from them, your thirst is never quenched; only a faint, chalky sweetness lingers on the tongue. The forests are so tall and dense that if you lift your gaze to the sky, all you will see above are thick, coniferous canopies.

A misty haze forever clings to the ground, obscuring everything beyond a few dozen steps—the world simply vanishes into the fog. And I cannot shake the feeling that no matter how far I travel, something vast and dangerous stalks me at the very edge of that mist, its watchful, measuring gaze never leaving me. Sometimes, on a rare clear midday, the fog recedes, and with it, those lurking shadows retreat as well. But in the end, they always return.

It is no surprise that the local inhabitants—the beastlike kyonnhs—surround their settlements with such formidable stone walls. Alas, convincing them to share their knowledge is no easy task (but I have not abandoned my attempts!)”

Here and in the following pages, I present excerpts from the epoch-making work “Notes on Taliskarn, Its Wonders, and the Creatures That Inhabit This World.”

The Central North of Taliskarn—Riku, also known as “Whitewater”—is an inhospitable and frigid highland. Enclosed by towering ridges, eternally shrouded in mist, and bristling with impenetrable forests, this land has become home to the hardy and tenacious beastlike kyonnhs.

The mountains of Riku are rich in metals, and the white rivers teem with fish, but the path to these riches is fraught with peril. In the fog-laden woods, massive northern wolves and bears prowl as grim shadows, stone giants slumber upon the mountain slopes, and as for what might dwell in the depths of the mines… even the kyonnhs themselves prefer to speak of it only in hushed whispers.

Key Themes and Ideas of Riku

• The atmosphere of a wild, primordial northern forest: colossal trees, thick mists, and biting cold—echoes of Norse sagas.
• The only region truly rich in metals, where blacksmithing and craftsmanship have flourished.
• Cities are dense stone fortresses with cyclopean walls, designed with practicality and defense in mind.
• Kyonnh society is divided into clans, each safeguarding its own secrets and mysteries, yet they do not openly war with one another.
• Adventures here revolve around exploring untamed forests and deep mountain mines, with perhaps a touch of “northern horror”—enemies are rare but formidable, and while the land is not outright hostile, you are an outsider here, and the true masters of these forests may yet take notice of you.