The Ruins of Gorlan

The Kingdom of Araluen is a fictional Medieval land, located roughly where England lies today. Araluen serves as the stage on which the Ranger Apprentice story takes place. Divided into 50 fiefs ruled by barons, the kingdom often must defend itself against attacks by Skandians and by threats from Morgarath, who lives in exile with his army of Wargals in the nearby Mountains of Rain and Night.

Will’s home for the first 15 years of his life, Castle Redmont stands on a hill at the center of a forested fief ruled over by the powerful and kind Baron Arald. The hilltop castle “was a massive, three-sided structure, facing roughly west and with a tower at each of the three corners” (47). It’s built of nearly indestructible ironstone that seems to glow, at dawn or dusk, with red light; hence, the castle’s name. Will’s yearmates become apprenticed to several of the castle’s Craftmasters, while Will is sent to the nearby forest for training in the Ranger arts. The castle is Will’s childhood home. Later, it represents the prosperous, peaceful world that Will strives to protect from outside enemies.