Region on the eastern continent of Craia, which spans from the western shores to the Eastern Mountains and Whispering River canyon, and from the far northern arctic to the plains in the middle-south of the continent.

Saldelia is mostly inhabited by Circle of the Land Druids. The majority of Saldelia is untouched wilds. With the exception of the Grove-Circles which surround ancient standing stones, a significant majority of the people are nomadic druids who spend their lives living off of, studying, or pursuing spiritual connection with the land.

There is no formal government within Saldelia, though the Councils of Seasons in the various Grove-Circles offer local mediation. The Heart-Grove is located near the center of the region and often serves as a neutral party for conflicts amongst nomadic clans. The Council here also has a duty of care of balancing the voices from the surrounding Grove-Circles, and the Stonecalls here often serve to represent a relatively unified voice of Saldelia.

There are four cardinal Circle-Groves.

-Frost-Hearth is in the far north and sits on edge of the expanse into the frozen tundra. There are geothermal springs.

-River-Mouth is in the east, seated at the point where the Eastern Mountains transition into a mighty canyon stretching most of the north-south span of the continent. This is the southern-most level pass between Saldelia and Laronia, and serves as the main trade and travel hub between the two regions.
-It is here that the ancient Craians gave the Whispering River its name - the sounds of the flowing water echoing off the canyon walls creates the sound of whispering voices. They believed this was where the Wild Mother whispered her secrets, and if you whispered one of your secrets to her she would let you understand one of hers.

-Tide-Watch is the western grove, facing out towards where the sun’s fire meets the oceans water.

-Forest-Edge is the southernmost grove, and sits on the border between Saldelia and Inmouth. It is nestled in a great and ancient forest, the same ancient and expansive forest that stretches down to Aynnweth where Rusco is from.

There are also a few groves in places of spiritual or cultural importance, including:

-Cloudspire, which sits atop one of the highest peaks above the cloud-line.

-Briar-Reach in the east, nestled in a pass through the Eastern Mountains, north of. The pass is full of thick, ancient, thorny bramble - a natural defensive barrier.

Saldelians are not precisely xenophobic, but they are fiercely protective of the lands that sustain them and are generally wary of outsiders. That said, The Circle of the Land and the Circle of the Moon have a mutual understanding of trust and camaraderie that goes back at least 300 years. Many of their customs have overlap, and their ideals of stewardship and guardianship are deeply compatible.

Conversely, the borderlands where Saldelia meets Laronia are not “formally” guarded, but the Eastern Mountains and Whispering River form a natural barrier between the two. There are only a few level breaks in the barrier: the groves at River-Mouth and Briar-Reach, the wide delta where the Whispering River meets the ocean, and miles of frozen land to the north of the mountains. The groves are respites to those traveling through, but they are also as a reminder that anyone heading into Saldelia is entering protected land.

Unlike the Circle of the Moon to the south, combat is not just a ceremonial tradition in Saldelia. Many people choose to spend some time in Briar-Reach training in defensive magic and use of weapons.Toross