• Location • Isle Vyrelle

[Rumour]

Isle Vyrelle

Isle Vyrelle rests in the northeastern area of Lake Lovalus, within sight of the city of Rharne. The island is fairly large, and includes the Feldwyn Forest that covers the majority of the island along with several impressive yet beautiful stone plateaus. The Isle does not contain any villages or settlements as folklore surrounding the island tends to ward off most people. Tourists and hikers are not uncommon but rarely does anyone remain on the Isle after sundown due to superstition. Tales tell of people disappearing after venturing to the island.

An old rhyme is often whispered by local children when telling stories of the island’s origins, the short poem containing a warning to any who walk on the shores of the island after nightfall. The rhyme promises freedom to those who journey to the island but there is also a warning hidden in the words

To those who wish for freedom
To choose thine own path
Come find me in the water
Where trees and light do meet
--------------------------------
But, if upon my shores, you walk
To seek those whose wish is to be lost
Thy mortal soul shall balk
When moonlight touches thy skin

Origins and Story
Myths tell of a time long ago; of a young woman named Vyrelle, who was both beautiful and clever. She was sought after by every man who laid eyes upon her, for all wished for her hand in marriage and to claim her as their own. Vyrelle cared not for the idea of a husband; she craved her freedom, wishing to spend her trials swimming in the bright blue waters of the lake or sleeping on the warm sandy shore. It was not long after her suitors began their pursuit that she was soon forced into marriage by her father. Vryelle begged to be allowed to remain a carefree maiden for a bit longer, but her father would hear none of it. A wedding was to be held and she would be the bride.

The night before the wedding, under a veil of moonlight the maiden swam into Lake Lovalus to have a moment of solitude. There she begged anyone, be they Immortal or spirit with a kind heart to relieve her suffering and to take her to a place where she would be undisturbed by the world and free to do as she wished forever.

It is rumored that the man who was soon to be Vyrelle’s husband followed her to the lake and watched from shore as she swam. According to tales of his account, his bride suddenly disappeared from the soft waves in a ripple of moonlight, a look of happiness and contentment on her face as she vanished. The groom dashed into the lake, swimming out to find his lost bride and caught sight of a mysterious island cloaked in mist in the distance. On the shore of this isle stood the silvery radiant form of a young female deer. The creature seemed to look at him for a moment in recognition before joyfully cantering into the trees without looking back.

Notable Features

Feldwyn Forest: This small island bound forest is found at the heart of Isle Vyrelle. Filled with beautiful arching elms, willows, and beech trees, the forest is made all the more beautiful by its unique bioluminescence. Many creatures near Rharne along with some species of flora seem to have somehow taken on the bright violet, soft green or starry blue light of a lightning bolt, as if the power of the Immortal Ilaren has begun to permeate the land and its creatures. This phenomenon is most visible on Isle Vyrelle; the light produced by the forest can even be seen from the city’s shoreline on clear nights. Soft pulses of purple and blue emanate from fungi and leaves and while the waterways within the forest gleam with an ethereal blue light. Since few people have spent the night on the island and returned the following day, there is a great deal of mystery surrounding the forest. It is said that those who venture to the heart of the secluded forest on the night of a full moon, seeking freedom and solitude will be granted Vyrelle’s Gift. It is not understood what the nature of this gift is; some say it is riches, others say it is some powerful artifact but regardless, many desire it; especially visitors that do not share the local’s wariness of the island. Many go missing every arc after leading an expedition into the forest and yet more and more return to the island every year to seek out the precious Gift.

The Heartmourn : Rumored to prowl the length of Isle Vyrelle is the Heartmourn, a loathsome creature who will attack and kill any mortal he encounters. It is said that the great lumbering beast has existed since the birth of the island, forced to serve as its guardian over the arcs. Standing at over fifteen feet tall with bark covered skin and an antlered head, the Heartmourn is a frightful sight. At the center of its chest rests its namesake; an exposed heart that was long since turned to crystal due to some frightful curse. Some wild tales suggest that removing his heart and spiriting it away from the shores of Isle Vryelle will break the wretched curse placed on the creature.

As of the 93rd of Ashan, Arc 718: Heartmourn is no longer on the Island, having been restored from his curse by Vega, Vivian, and Arlo. Vyrelle herself is no longer on the Island, and the place is relatively safe to explore.

Isle Flora & Fauna:
Ilaren's Cap
Credit: Sephira