User:CCRyder95/Mashan'she

Mashan'she is a zone in The Waking Dream. While rendered into Desolace in the waking world, the "Loom of the Earth Mother" has remained unblemished for millennia within the Dream, a land of amber plateaus and grasslands under a near-eternal dawn sky. However, the forces of Nightmare stir under the ground, enkindled by the efforts of an enigmatic druidic coven. The spirits of the Centaur have mysteriously found passage into this sacred realm, and in the lonesome wind one can hear the restless cries of an unborn Wild God.

Geography
Divided not only horizontally but vertically by the daunting An'she Mesa, Mashan'she is of two worlds; earth and sky. The tablelands that stride the region are split apart by massive archways, where green plains meander from the wide, open prairies into lonesome box canyons. One can wander for days though these lush tracts and still be surrounded by sheer vertical walls of red clay. The lowlands are marked by water and earth, supplying the vegetation with all it needs to support the wide variety of grazing animals. The eastern regions are more open and dappled with great purple baobab and sheltering thorn acacias.

The tops of the plateaus and mesa are more arid, but still support fields of waving amber grass and herds of galloping animals. Summer storms whip across the heights as great Thunder Phoenixes fly overhead, thunder crashing with every flap of their wings. When the sky is clear, it is almost always dawn, with shades of purple tinging the western horizon and jets of orange on the east.

Underneath all of this are watery caverns, shot through with plumes of boiling steam. These caves are explored in the dungeon, the Cenarion Wellspring.

Storylines

 * [Fall of the Amber Circle]: Answer the call of the Amber Circle and witness their destruction at the hands of a terrifying raid by the Nightmare.
 * [Snake in the Grass]: The druid Naralex has been framed for the attack on the Amber Circle and been deemed a fugitive. In order to find the true assailant, he must be freed.
 * [Patron of the Skinwalkers]: Druids across the mesa have willingly submitted to an unknown Wild God, but their forms have become unstable, mixing the traits of many different beasts. Learn the origin of this creature.
 * [Bloodlines]: The death of earth princess Theradras has set free the souls of the Centaur, who have found themselves drawn to the Emerald Dream by their cenarion heritage.
 * [The Scaled Basin]: Naralex has found himself drawn to the the Scaled Basin by a familiar voice. Perhaps the Druids of the Fang could be free of the Nightmare's influence.
 * [The Unborn God]: Across Mashan'she, the cries of an unborn Wild God have been heard, echoing from the Wellspring below. Naagloshii the Skinwalker seeks to consume its flesh, attaining true godhood.
 * [Rebirth of the Amber Circle]: From the disparate peoples of Mashan'she, a new Circle rises.

Locations of Interest

 * The Scaled Basin: Concealed within a box canyon lies the Scaled Basin, a watery depression filled with glittering sands. Looking closely, one sees that these are actually millions of cast-off snake scales, shimmering in the dawn's light. Extending from this basin are dozens of underground burrows spiraling into the earth. Coiling in and out of the ground are serpentine columns of stone, similarly covered in shining reptilian scales. It is home to many species of snakes and other reptiles, some docile, others not. Archdruid Naralex has found himself drawn here by an echo of a nightmare he had long ago.
 * Fields of the Maraudine: These once peaceful fields have been overtaken by the spirits of slain centaur, the death of Princess Theradras allowing their spirits to slip her grasp and enter the Emerald Dream. Their war-like nature remaining in spite of the surrounding peace, the centaur have viciously colonized their surroundings. Massive yurts made of the skins of hunted beasts dominate the landscape as roving hordes viciously expand their territory.

Events
The centaur are split into a number of tribes that travel nomadically across Mashan'she, living in massive tent-camps that can be bundled up and easily transported. On occasion, these tribes will march to a new location to set up camp, leaving them open to counter attacks. Be wary, for they will often send raiding parties outward to discourage such an offensive. Any effort towards destabilizing their foothold on the plains would be appreciated by the Amber Circle.

Resources
Herb: Apostle's Hood