Hidden Vale

The Hidden Vale (also know simply as the Vale) is an island located northeast of Novia, the first continent released in New Britannia. The Hidden Vale is where players start on during the Release 1 through Release 6 Pre-Alpha testing.

The Hidden Vale island stands apart from the rest of Novia. Many people have migrated to the Vale to escape the Oracle's dominion. The affirmation chambers, which are common in Brittany, are largely absent here, save a ruined one. Although the people of the Vale proudly believe themselves to be free of the Oracle's influence, the truth of their claims cannot be known.

Recently, trade with the mainland has stopped, although the reason is unknown. The town of Kingsport has fallen upon hard times. The lack of trade has emptied its coffers, crime has increased, and some of its citizens have left for safer towns.

Owl's Head is the major community of the Vale now. It has no titular ruler, although the captain of the local guard, Lord Delbart Enmar would be the person most turn to in times of crisis.

Outside of the towns and cities, wolves prowl the farmlands. To the south, the walking dead have arisen from a hidden fortress. Even a dragon has been seen in the hills.

Locations
Currently revealed locations are as follows:

Towns

 * North we have Owl's Head
 * East on the coast we have Kingsport connected by King's Road
 * In the south nestled in the Bone Spires mountains we have Braemar
 * Just northwest of Owl's Head is the player village Northshire
 * The player town Righ Inis lies east of Owl's Head
 * Further east and to the northeast of the bandit's cave is the player town Owl's Wash
 * South of Owl's Head just along the Vale road is the player town Holtrot
 * South of Holtrot and west off the Vale Road is the player town Valemark
 * Further west from Valemark lies the playertown Westhollow
 * South of Kingsport in the woods is the player town Kingswood
 * West of Braemar, over the Bone Spires mountains is the player town Ravensend
 * Finally, just to the west of the swamps along the eastern shore is the player town Southmarsh

Dungeons

 * To the east of Owl's Head is the bandit caves of Owl's Nest
 * Far to the south, over the mountains from Braemar is the ruins of Ravensmoor
 * Contains Skeletons and the Liche King


 * Slightly to the northwest of Braemar is the Dragon's Cave (labelled as Forest Cave on the map)
 * Contains Cave Wrasse and Kobold fighters


 * The ruins of Obsidian Keep lay on the northwest shore of the lake Righ Inis

Geography

 * The mountains of Owl's Aerie, north of Owl's Head, contain an active volcano
 * The Vale Road heads due south from Owl's Head to Braemar
 * Two regions are available on the road; Valeway North near Owl's Head, and Valeway South near Braemar


 * The King's Road leads west from Kingsport to a crossroads on the Vale Road
 * Greymark Forest dominates the northeast, from the south shore of the River Flow to the King's Road
 * The Plains of Righ Inis compose much of the western, central plains of the Vale
 * The Bone Spires are a small range of mountains in the southwest, near Braemar
 * Southwest of Owl's Head is the lake of Righ Inis
 * From Righ Inis, the River Flow snakes eastward into the swamplands and out to sea
 * Braemar sits on the southern edge of the Shadow Wood, which dominates much of the southern half of the island
 * This forest consists of four regions: West Ravenswood to the west of the Vale Road, South Ravenswood near Braemar, Deep Ravenswood inland to the north, and North Ravenswood north of that


 * The Lost Mire is a swamp that engulfs the eastern portion of the land
 * The swamp consists of three parts; Northmarsh and Southmarsh frame the Mysterious Swamp

Video
The Mad Hermit provided a video on How To Find Ardoris and other Towns and Villages

Trivia

 * Early alpha testing has been conducted in the Hidden Vale
 * It was initially assumed that the Hidden Vale would be the beginning location in Forsaken Virtues
 * The Hidden Vale is composed of 227 Hexes
 * Several of the labels were not present in Release 5, but were revealed during the following Pen of the Avatar