Forested Hills

Forested Hills is the crownward area of Colliuaine Darach (pronounced col-ee-oo-in-ya dar-ach) surrounding the town of Dearg Ballachan. It is held within a depression of the more mountainous Tur an Crùn - Tower of Crowns range; the town itself sits in a deep red walled corrie. Unsurprisingly, as the region’s name suggests and being part of the vast Colliuaine Darach much of this area is covered in rolling hills hidden behind dense deciduous forest. Dearg Ballachan is a thriving frontier town with many trade caravans making the dangerous journey for the region’s high quality timber & pelts, but mostly for the ore raised to the surface by the dwarves of Stoutwall to the crown/dawnward. Its citizens are mostly human but with a sizeable dwarvish and orc presence with a smattering of elves, halflings and gnomes. With the incoming trade caravans it is better supplied than most towns of its size and it’s people well fed on the game from the forest and fish from the river & deep lake a short distance north. Inns and trading stations abound to service the caravans and their guards and passengers.
The town supports a small militia for ensuring the inns and visiting adventurers are not too rowdy and to secure the town’s defences; the militia’s size is a draw for adventurers with contracts being offered by the town and merchants for more extracurricular activities which cannot be undertaken by the town militia.
The dwarven mine working Stoutwall is the only other significant settlement in the region; a small village perched atop a steep mountain ridge protected by a curtain wall, steep cliffs and a tower atop the mountain's peak behind. Strong, precise but functional construction, little has been done to embellish their home. The true purpose of the dwarves toil is hidden in the mountain; few outsiders have ever ventured into the mines below and their extent is a mystery. What is known is Stoutwall produces a prodigious amount of fine ores highly valued by blacksmiths and armourers far and wide and has done for centuries.
Rumors abound in the taverns of Dearg Ballachan that there are veins of precious metals and gems deep below which are now too dangerous due to incursions from the underribbon; however, whenever this subject is brought up by the unwise it is always met with a stoic stoney silence only dwarves can manage. A strong bond has been forged between the people of Dearg Ballachan and the dwarves of Stoutwall and each community strongly relies on the other for their mutual safety and prosperity.
Many temporary hunting and logging camps can be found in the region along with a few ruins of past settlements and strongholds including the mysterious Echo Overlook.

Type

Forest

Location under

Colliuaine Darach