The Violet Beacon / The Lodestar of Amaranthine Regrets (Patreon)

Jutting out into Green Shallows Lake is an abutment of grey stone capped with an improbable 320 foot tall spire of yellow stone - the Lodestar of Amaranthine Regrets. Fueled by some otherworldly magics, the top of the spire is lit with a watery flame that seems to bubble up from it with a lambent violet light.

Those who travel to the Violet Beacon are watched surreptitiously by the residents of the nearby village, for over the ages a number of warlocks and enchanters have come here seeking dark magics and to communicate with their otherworldly masters. Those who come here seeking the beacon and who don't speak openly and clearly to the locals are always suspect - and there are those who will keep close tabs even on those who seem to have good reasons to be investigating the spire.

A small group of dwarves from differing clans known as the Marblesong Choir keep exceptionally close watch on the spire - each traveled to the area over the last hundred years somehow drawn to the spire, yet repulsed by it when they finally caught sight of the strange flame atop its height. They have gathered in the largest nearby town of Eronwell where they become a key part of the economy (after all, who doesn't want a collection of dwarven craftsmen and retired adventurers scattered throughout their villages?), but at their weekly song meetings they also share information on local travelers and which ones are most suspect... and what to do about them. A number of the Marblesong Choir are not only excellent craftsmen and passable singers, but are also skilled assassins.

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The Lodestar of Amaranthine Regrets was drawn as the first map of my run through 30 maps in 30 days during November 2016. The presented theme for the day was "Beacon". It turns out it is HARD to draw an equally-spaced spiral freehand and this took me three attempts to get something I didn't immediately hate. Because of the rush of producing a map a day for a month, I added a number of details and touchups prior to scanning this one to post today.

You can download the finished piece for personal or commercial use from the blog post at http://wp.me/psUVp-2pr