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The World of Foxhole: Part IV
@matt The World of Foxhole blog posts coming over the next week will provide a snapshot of history and lore to some of the new maps being introduced to Foxhole in the Entrenched update. Check back daily for the next post.
THE RED RIVER
Once the site of a historic battle, the Red River is arguably the most important landmark in all of Veli. Stretching from the Caovish border to the Mesean shores, the Red River is a geographical anomaly and one of the longest rivers in the world.
During the Battle of Red River, the Republican Colonial forces pushed the war front to the outpost of Cannonsmoke. Having become overconfident after felling the Caoivish archon in battle, the Colonials attempted to drive the Hands out of their country with one final, clumsy assault.
Unfortunately, the death of their commander only emboldened the Hands to rally behind his son, who charged into battle with his father's banner. Screaming his name, the elite force of northern musketeers forced the Colonials to retreat, leading to the dissipation of the Republican Colonials and the subjugation of Northern Veli under Fionn Callahan's thumb.
SPEAKING WOODS
Untouched by the ravages of war, the Speaking Woods are said to consume the lives of those who enter. Due to the folktales surrounding the forest, most simply opt to, well, go around. Those who are brash enough learn the hard way.
Tasked with relocating a prison camp, a Caoivish commander by the name of Quinn, the fool he was, annexed an abandoned village in the nearby woods. Within days, most of his prisoners went mad. The watchmen couldn't keep the prisoners subdued, so they opened fire and put down every last one of them. It wasn't long before his men lost their minds, killing themselves and one another before Quinn too succumbed to the voices. Perhaps it was something in the water. Or perhaps they should have heeded the warnings whispered by the trees.
KALOKAI
Once a promising collection of settlements, Kalokai built a reputation on hedonism and opposition to warfare. Their unique way of life was championed by a man who referred to himself only as Dio. Content with drinking wine and engaging in any and all earthly pleasures, the people of Kalokai rejected the northerners when they first came seeking support for their campaign.
With the strategic importance of the Great March and the river's connection to the Endless Sea, Caoivish missionaries recognized the region's value and infected the people of Kalokai with their silver tongues. The Kalokainians reluctantly opened their arms to the Northerners, hoping that, should they claim victory, Kalokai could declare themselves a state independent of Veli. With assurances in place, Dio and his people shared their beds and storehouses with the nobility's newly minted army, the Hands of Veli. With such a strategic location on lockdown, taking control of Kalokai gave the Hands a significant advantage in the coming conflict. Unfortunately for Dio, the Hands depleted their stores and emptied their fields.
An extended and seemingly unnatural drought followed the end of the Velian wars. Believing themselves cursed by the gods, the residents of Kalokai fled south. No one ever mentioned Dio again; perhaps he stayed behind to rule his tiny empire of dust.
