Map: Castle of Lions grounds

Source: Arusian Amateur Cartography Society

According to legend, the Castle of Lions either is, or lies on the site of, an ancient castle from the Arusian warring age. Though the warring age is itself something of a prehistoric myth on modern Arus, the castle's remarkably defensible position seems to bear this out: surrounded by water, mountains, and forest, only the Chayvos Pass in the southeast allows anything resembling large-scale access from the ground. The village of Dolce Vita, colloquially simply the Castle Village, is situated within this pass, and is believed to have originally been a defensive emplacement. The capital city of Falastol is far to the west of the castle, which is near the eastern border of the Crown Province.

The castle itself lies relatively near the pass, blocking easy access to the Meadows of Raimon. These meadows were once cultivated fields, providing crops to feed both the castle and the village. Wild descendents of some of these crops still grow among the grass and flowers of the meadows, most notably kayadruza—wild sweet corn—a delicacy unique to the castle.

Two distinct mountain groupings make up the Kyva Mountains. The volcanic Burning Ridge begins west of the castle, and runs far to the northeast until meeting the Sea of Savreth. Twelve active volcanoes are documented within this range, which includes multiple sub-ranges. The much smaller Thunder Ridge originated as part of the Burning Ridge, then was cut away from it by the Almer River. Much of this range's northern face still consists of sheer cliffs rising above the river valley; it is nearly impassable except at the Valley of Zohar, a narrow pass that features prominently in local lore.

The Golden Desert is not truly a desert by definition. It receives roughly the same precipitation as the surrounding fields, but the soil is remarkably poor, leading it to fill a similar ecological niche as true deserts. What happened to the soil is a matter of debate. Some scholars believe an ancient battle rendered it barren. More modern scientists find this unlikely, and there is some evidence of a prehistoric meteorite impact which may have contaminated the native soil, though this theory has its own problems. Regardless of its true source, the desert has historically resisted any encroachment from the neighboring fields.

The Forest of Altair is an enormous expanse of wilderness, stretching all the way to the neighboring province of the Seven Isles. Credible historical sources reference a forest road that once linked the Castle of Lions with the Seven Isles' royal manor, but this road has not been used for centuries. Over time, the border of the forest has encroached further on the castle, though no efforts have been made to beat back the wilderness.

Lake Almeria, and the Almer River that feeds it, is a recreational hub for both the castle and the capital. It also hosts a vibrant ecosystem, and provides the castle with abundant seafood. It should be noted this ecosystem is a relatively recent development in the region's history, and not the only one…

In the roughly five and a half centuries since the War of Golden Revival, the environment around the Castle of Lions has undergone peculiar changes; though the war had lingering effects across much of Arus, the castle seems to be the epicenter of the strangest. The storms of Thunder Ridge, already notable enough to name the region, intensified to a nearly constant state. Mount Kolipat in the Burning Ridge, thought long extinct, became active again, as well as forming a lava lake that has persisted since. The Forest of Altair became inhabited by vicious new predators known as banewolves; these creatures so readily preyed on travelers and hunters that the forest was deemed sacred and off limits. The Golden Desert has been slowly but steadily expanding. Perhaps the strangest of all, Lake Almeria has shifted from salt to fresh water, despite no change in the local water cycle which could account for the transition.

Though these remarkable changes have mystified scientists and caused great concern among religious authorities, the royal family has shown little distress. What is certain is that it all adds to the castle's ancient mystique, and thus, indirectly, that of the Crown.