The Bleak Reach
The chaos of the Shattering was worse in some parts of the realm than
others, and the peninsula known as the Bleak Reach was one of the
less fortunate regions. Once the home of a sophisticated sister-cul-
ture to the modern Bright Republic, its cities were thrown down by
tremors and its people slaughtered by waves of celestial miasmas
and lethal karmic imbalances. For centuries afterwards the land was
thought cursed, certain to be the death of any foolish enough to dare
its rough hills and brooding forests.
As such, it was a perfect destination for exiles and malcontents of
every description. Communities and cabals driven from their old lives
would seek out new homes in the only land that would have them, the
empty fields of the Bleak Reach. The soil was rich enough to sustain
them, but the terrible beasts of the hills and the aftereffects of the
dire celestial imbalances in the region still make it a more dangerous
land than any common settler would wish to colonize. Most towns
are little more than ramshackle hamlets on the coast, where rare trade
visits from Kasirutan or Vissian merchants can barter necessities for
their dried fish and salvaged ruin-scraps.
The isolation and seclusion of the land has made it a favorite refuge
for groups unacceptable in other nations. Among the families who
lost at local politics and the religious enthusiasts cast out of their old
societies are circles of darker intent, experimenters and sorcerers who
seek undisturbed privacy. Parasite gods form particularly easily in this
disordered land, and the back country is dotted with dark temples in
which dwell these desperate divine addicts and their fearful minions.
The ancient ruins promise treasures as well, and there are always a
number of reckless adventuring bands eager to plumb the fallen cities
for lost valuables and functioning relics.
A few determined souls mean to found their own petty kingdoms in
the Bleak Reach. These aspiring kings and queens rarely end up ruling
over anything more impressive than a small coastal village of uneasy
refugees and exiles, but a few have had the charisma and contacts to
launch serious colonization efforts in the interior. Such efforts usu-
ally prosper for a time, sometimes building into substantial statelets
before the pressure of monstrous foes, demented parasite gods, or
sheer inexplicable bad luck finally drags them down. Their repeated
ultimate failures have done much to discourage other nations from
seeking new territory on the peninsula.
Those few souls who call the Bleak Reach home are a tough and
canny lot, with a hard eye for survival and a predictable enthusiasm
for luck rituals and talismans of every kind. Most locals lead hard
lives wresting crops from the fields or fish from the sea, and many
communities are more than willing to cut deals with parasite gods or
other sinister powers to ease their burdens. Some are convinced that
their special protectors are all that stand between them and the bad
luck of the peninsula. This conviction leads some communities to ter-
rible sacrifices and bleak rites, ones usually concealed from outsiders.
The local communities are ruthlessly pragmatic in their customs
and laws. Locals care very little about what strangers do with their
own affairs or with outsiders, so long as they can be relied upon to
support the community and aid their neighbors. Even the most vicious
or sinister sorts can find a home in a Reacher village so long as they
reserve their malice for useless strangers or the inhabitants of rival
villages. Some towns quietly cultivate such men and women, using
them as weapons against the myriad dangers of the Reach.
Maps
-
The Bleak Reach
A ruined exile-land where the refugees and outcasts have scratched out a hard, unlucky existence The chaos of the Shattering was worse in some parts of the realm than others, and the peninsula known as the Bleak Reach was one of the less fortunate regions. Once the home of a sophisticated sister-culture to the modern Bright Republic, its cities were thrown down by tremors and its people slaughtered by waves of celestial miasmas and lethal karmic imbalances. For centuries afterwards the land was thought cursed, certain to be the death of any foolish enough to dare its rough hills and brooding forests. As such, it was a perfect destination for exiles and malcontents of every description. Communities and cabals driven from their old lives would seek out new homes in the only land that would have them, the empty fields of the Bleak Reach. The soil was rich enough to sustain them, but the terrible beasts of the hills and the aftereffects of the dire celestial imbalances in the region still make it a more dangerous land than any common settler would wish to colonize. Most towns are little more than ramshackle hamlets on the coast, where rare trade visits from Kasirutan or Vissian merchants can barter necessities for their dried fish and salvaged ruin-scraps. The isolation and seclusion of the land has made it a favorite refuge for groups unacceptable in other nations. Among the families who lost at local politics and the religious enthusiasts cast out of their old societies are circles of darker intent, experimenters and sorcerers who seek undisturbed privacy. Parasite gods form particularly easily in this disordered land, and the back country is dotted with dark temples in which dwell these desperate divine addicts and their fearful minions. The ancient ruins promise treasures as well, and there are always a number of reckless adventuring bands eager to plumb the fallen cities for lost valuables and functioning relics. A few determined souls mean to found their own petty kingdoms in the Bleak Reach. These aspiring kings and queens rarely end up ruling over anything more impressive than a small coastal village of uneasy refugees and exiles, but a few have had the charisma and contacts to launch serious colonization efforts in the interior. Such efforts usually prosper for a time, sometimes building into substantial statelets before the pressure of monstrous foes, demented parasite gods, or sheer inexplicable bad luck finally drags them down. Their repeated ultimate failures have done much to discourage other nations from seeking new territory on the peninsula. Those few souls who call the Bleak Reach home are a tough and canny lot, with a hard eye for survival and a predictable enthusiasm for luck rituals and talismans of every kind. Most locals lead hard lives wresting crops from the fields or fish from the sea, and many communities are more than willing to cut deals with parasite gods or other sinister powers to ease their burdens. Some are convinced that their special protectors are all that stand between them and the bad luck of the peninsula. This conviction leads some communities to terrible sacrifices and bleak rites, ones usually concealed from outsiders. The local communities are ruthlessly pragmatic in their customs and laws. Locals care very little about what strangers do with their own affairs or with outsiders, so long as they can be relied upon to support the community and aid their neighbors. Even the most vicious or sinister sorts can find a home in a Reacher village so long as they reserve their malice for useless strangers or the inhabitants of rival villages. Some towns quietly cultivate such men and women, using them as weapons against the myriad dangers of the Reach. Population Probably 250,000 along the coast, with an unknown number living deeper in the interior. Government There is no overall government of the Reach. Each village or town answers only to its headman, boss, chief, elders, or some other figure powerful enough to protect them and to resolve their internal disputes in some minimally-tolerable way. Problems Parasite gods and eldritch horrors are regularly generated by the spiritual miasma of the peninsula. Dangerous creatures or devastating artifacts are sometimes released by the decay of ancient containment structures. Intolerably vile men and women regularly find refuge in the villages and deep interior of the Reach. Names Each community usually has a predominant national origin, depending on the original source of the colonists. Names follow that nation’s patterns, along with the random families of outsiders who sought refuge in the village. Descriptive aliases are particularly common among those seeking anonymity. Background Concepts Back-country hermit, Last survivor of a failed community, Exiled noble heir, Foreign bounty hunter, Failed colonist, Adventurous ruin-scavenger, Roving trader, Seeker of forbidden lore, Poor peasant farmer, Hunter of beasts and bandits
Type
Geopolitical, Colony
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments