Willowmere
Chapter 5

Beyond the Homelands

Finish Chapter 1 and the world opens up. These realms are for adventurers in their late teens and up, and they're best with friends. Here's the lay of the land, without spoiling the story.

Stonewake

Stonewake's square: cobbles, lamp posts, miners and townsfolk, the Chain & Lantern and the Payroll Office.

Levels: Safe

Getting there: Take the Stonewake Road up from any homeland once Chapter 1 is done. It climbs to a quarry town on lifts and chains.

Three new jobs are taught up here, and so are mining, building, weaponcraft, armorcraft and alchemy. The scree above town is cold and the wolves don't care.

Reedfen

Reedfen's boardwalks and thatched houses over the water, with the Dead Letter House at the top.

Levels: 24–30

Getting there: From the highlands, the flat ferry takes the Reed river down to Reedfen.

A town on stilts in a marsh, with a festival stage on the green and a house full of letters nobody collected. The Ranger is taught in the reed beds.

The Aerie Isles

Kitehaven on its floating island: a bell under an arch, the Kite Workshop, the Bell Foundry and cottages at the cloud's edge.

Levels: 27–29

Getting there: Later in the story the Highwind airship climbs from your homeland's pier to Kitehaven.

Islands in the open sky, tied together with rope bridges. Gusts push you about on the long spans, and the kite-makers will tell you all about it.

The Undertide

Keelhollow under the sea: lamps on posts, upturned hulls for houses, divers and a pool in the floor.

Levels: 27–30

Getting there: Take the lantern-divers' bell at the end of Lanternport's east pier, straight down.

A town under the sea, where the air is kept in bells and the lamps keep the dark polite. Mind your breath outside.

The Underroot

Lampwick under the mountain: lamp-lit houses, glowing mushrooms and pools of light on the dark stone.

Levels: 27–30

Getting there: Far below Stonewake: down the great lift and a long stair.

Lampwick is a mining town that never sees the sun. Some creatures down here shy away from your lamp, and some come to it. Learn which is which.

Pro Tip

Every realm has a Tales player with a home board of their own. Collect them all. I did, lu.