Glenwood

A map of Glenwood as it appears in Tales of Zestiria.

Glenwood (グリンウッド, Gurin'uddo^?) is the name of the large continent in which the events of Tales of Zestiria take place, while the planet itself is unnamed in the game. Likewise, the existence of other landmasses is unknown due to the limited technology of the medieval setting. In Tales of Berseria, which takes place around 1,000 years prior to Tales of Zestiria on the same planet, albeit with a vastly different continental formation, the world is given the name Desolation.

Geography

Overview

Glenwood is divided into two main countries: the Kingdom of Hyland and the Empire of Rolance. The continent itself is mostly explorable, with fairly populated cities scattered throughout and several ruins sprawled on the surface and within the depths of the landmass. The eastern half of the continent is far larger than the western half, which it connects to via a small land bridge, as well as the Great Camelot Bridge, which was built by Rolance. Hyland's territory tends to be mountainous, while Rolance's territory is marked by open fields, vast plains, and thick forests. The territories to the north beyond the great gate at Zaphgott Moor are not visitable, and it is said that a third country is located there. In Tales of Zestiria Official World Guidance, it is stated that during the Era of Maotelus nomads came from the north, resulting in Lohgrin's downfalls and as an act of conciliation Rolance gave them the land to the north, establishing the Suraga Duchy with the nomad king becoming the duke.

In Tales of Zestiria the X, in the episode "The Ideal World", the "land to the north" covered in snow is shown via Symonne's illusions, which is said to be a place where no humans live and even beasts barely survive. Great amounts of malevolence are located there, where Heldalf has presumably made his headquarters as he feeds on the malevolence that is there. It is likely located in the third country's territories mentioned in the game and presumable based on the geography of Tales of Berseria, but likely nothing is heard from it due to it being succumbed and destroyed by malevolence.

Formation

Following the awakening of the four Empyreans, the next 1,000 years saw a great change in the landscape of the former Holy Midgand Empire. The islands of Northgand, Westgand, Midgand, Eastgand, and Islegand shifted with the movement of tectonic plates, and by the time of Tales of Zestiria, they formed the continent known as Glenwood.

In the place of the former Eastgand, the ancient Kingdom of Hyland rests near the lake and ruins at the southern edge of Perniya Cliffside Path, likely reformed into Lakehaven Heights, serving as the base for the city of Ladylake, and Morgana Woods likely reforming into Aroundight Forest. The city of Taliesin, village of Aball, and the Tranquil Woods housing the ruined shrine prison of Innominat were likely destroyed, swallowed by the ocean. The former Eastgand's climate altered to a more temperate climate, now sharing it with former Midgand. The former Eastgand clashes with Midgand, resulting in the formation of Stolat Mountains, which began forming on the northern side of former Midgand, and of Glaivend Basin, a wasteland that, by the time of Tales of Zestiria, functions as a buffer zone between Hyland and Rolance. Midgand's Danann Highway shifts to the east, forming Aifread's Hunting Grounds, close to which the seraphim built Morgause, Shrine of the Earth Trial.

Galles Lake Road became Pearloats Pasture, where in the south, the former Loegres became the city of Pendrago, which mostly retains its outward appearance, with the former cathedral to Innominat shifting to the eastern side of the city and becoming known as the Shrinechurch. The former Aldina Plains in the west became known as the Meadow of Triumph, which leads to the city of Lastonbell, formerly a small pioneer village known as Stonebury, and it extends to the newly formed Volgran Forest. The former Davahl Forest, where the largest known tree in the realm existed, became Malory. The Empyrean's Throne ended up isolated in the Stolat Mountains, and by the time of Tales of Zestiria, it becomes known as Artorius's Throne, to which the Shepherd Michael takes Maotelus away and builds the village of Camlann at the base of the temple.

The former Midgand is connected to the former Westgand with the Great Camelot Bridge that is build upon an old aqueduct, but it also has a land-based connection in the form of Westronbolt Gorge, which is likely reformed from former Islegand's Brigid Ravine. Westgand's Fens of Nog increased in size and became known as the Plitzerback Wetland, now connected to Zaphgott Moor, former Burnack Plateau, that from a beautiful green highland with stunning ocean view became a large desert with varying tilt levels. The Plitzerback Wetland's Lhitwerg Woods are formed from former Westgand's Warg Forest, and the port village of Reneed is no more, replaced by a village of Rodine deep in the swamp, which is ultimately destroyed by hellions. The northwestern side of Zaphgott Moor is a home to the former tower of Lothringen, which over the years has turned into ruin, but it eventually became the town of Lohgrin, and the former East Laban Tunnel became Trizolde Cave, where a poet named Mayvin rests.

The great gate in northern Zaphgott Moor is locked tight and leads to a "third country", though there is not any information provided in Tales of Zestiria of what is it exactly. The Hexen Isle changes its location drastically: initially some distance to the east of Islegand, it is now close to the southeastern side of Glaivend Basin. Also, across the coming centuries, various structures were built but ultimately fell into disuse and became ruins, which become points of interest for a lot of people. Also, underground facilities known as crucibles of malevolence were built, where hellions dwell and intensify nearby malevolence. Sea travel ceases to exist, and no traveling to outer islands and continents occurs, the populace sticking to Glenwood.