The Edgewalkers
Location: Abyss / Grand Abyss
When the unlucky children of the Grand Abyssal burg of Granite Spur come of age, they undergo the Cliff Rite, a harrowing trial where they must climb down a short section of the cliff face without safety ropes and retrieve a crystal embedded in the rock. These prizes are then fashioned into charms, which are worn to protect against falling deaths. Many don’t survive this rite, but those who do are considered full members of the community and called Edgewalkers.
The Edgewalkers are a local sect that binds the survivors of the Cliff Rite. Followed of this creed are absolutely fearless when it comes to heights, and masterful climbers with the ability to balance on a blade or grip a cliff edge with their fingertips. A favourite ritual involves walking along the very edge of the plateau during storms or planequakes to prove their resolve against the pull of the Abyss. Those who survive are celebrated for their courage; those who fall are mourned but seen as fulfilling their destiny. The Edgewalkers gather at during storms to sing haunting songs known as Void Dirges. These dark melodies echo across the cliffs and are said to soothe both the living and any restless spirits lingering near the edge.
Planewalkers who visit Granite Spur are often viewed with suspicion—especially those who preach hope or order. To these residents, such ideals are delusions that distract from life’s harsh truths. Granite Spur’s philosophy sure ain’t for everyone—but for those who dare to listen, it offers a glimpse into how mortals can find meaning even at the edge of oblivion.
Light is a False Hope: To the people of Granite Spur, light is fleeting and deceptive. It may illuminate the path for a time, but it always fades or is swallowed by the endless shadows of the Abyss. They see those who cling to light as fools chasing illusions—planewalkers who believe they can escape the pull of entropy. Instead, the residents embrace darkness as the truest constant, a force that reveals life’s raw, unvarnished reality.
Darkness is Truth: Unlike many who fear darkness as evil or malevolent, Granite Spur’s denizens view it as an honest force. The Abyss’s shadows do not lie; they strip away pretense and show existence for what it is: fragile, fleeting, and ultimately doomed to decay. Light can dazzle and distract, but darkness holds the deeper truths that most are too afraid to face.
True Balance Lies in Acceptance: The residents do not reject light entirely—they acknowledge its role in the cycle of existence. However, they believe true strength comes from accepting both light and darkness without relying on either. Light provides moments of respite and clarity, but darkness is where resilience is forged. Together, they form a balance that allows survival on the edge of oblivion. Life in the Grand Abyss has taught them that chaos has its moments of strange beauty, moments of brightness amid an inevitable descent into shadow.
Granite Spur’s philosophy isn’t for everyone—but for those willing to confront both their fears and their illusions, it offers a stark yet strangely liberating way of seeing existence: not as a battle between light and dark but as an eternal dance where both are necessary—and neither can win.
Maybe they’re right: maybe fighting against chaos is like trying to hold back an avalanche with your bare hands. But here’s the thing—they do fight it in their own way. Every day just waking up on that crumbling rock is an act of defiance against everything pulling them down. So yeah, maybe they’re doomed—but aren’t we all? At least they’ve got the stones to stare into the void without blinking.
Source: Jon Winter-Holt