The Twin Wastes

The Barren Lands

The Twin Wastes, also known as just the Wastes, are the scorched lands between the cities of Nevia that cover over half the planet. The Wastes are split into two variants, warm and cold, with the Warm Wastes lying near the equator and the Cold Wastes covering the south pole. Their climates and appearance are near polar opposites, but they are similar in lethality.

Appearance-

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The Warm Wastes are mesa-like, with occasional flat-topped plateaus and orange, chalky rock. The days can become uncomfortably warm, but not unbearably so unless a heatwave or drought hits, and so these Wastes are a breeding ground for Chatterers. Thirst and starvation are huge hazards, as little grows from the barren rock, and there are no constant sources of water aboveground. Storms are rare, but vicious, and there is nowhere to hide from them unless one is exceptionally lucky.

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The Cold Wastes are even more barren than the Warm Wastes, not even growing Finchweed. The land is jagged and extreme, with tall peaks and long splits in the earth, and the rock that comprises the Cold Wastes is durable and a harsh, dark grey. Freezing can be a real danger here, especially nearer to the poles, but the Chatterer population is less plentiful. Starvation is again a huge hazard, but thirst is slightly better, as pools of water can be found in the open caves that litter the surface. Storms are just as vicious here as in the Warm Wastes, but the caves and ravines provide good shelter.

Fauna and flora-

Very little grows in either Waste, due to the scarce water and severe storms. The soil is rocky and poor, often buried under shelves of stone, and no plant life means no animals.
The only native plant of either waste is the Death Lilies, growing in the Cold Wastes. They are extremely hardy, with waxy leaves to conserve water, and they grow in massive interconnected thickets, shielding them from storms. They get most of their nutrients by using their blood-splattered appearance to drive Chatterers into frenzies and trap them, though they do take some nutrients from the ground.
Finchweed is another one of the only plants that can grow in the Wastes. They are known for being very durable, and have incredibly tough roots, able to dig through even the Waste's rock. They are the main food source for anyone caught in the Wastes, but are not very filling, with little nutritional value.

Sentient population-

Aside from travelling Talrathi, the Wastes have two known species- Wasplings and Wildings.
Wasplings live in the Warm Wastes in massive communal hives, and are insect-like, with large eyes and venomous spines covering their arms, wings, and tails. They are one of the only two flying sentient species in Nevia, and build their own farms and ranches to survive.
Wildlings live in the Cold Wastes, in small roaming packs. They are a minor subspecies of Talrathi, born without faceplates, instead making their own masks out of skulls. They scavenge to survive, but always replant the flowers and leaves that they take, lest they make the Wastes even more barren than it already is.

Significance and History-

The Wastes once covered almost the entire world, until cities and territories were marked and communities built. The lack of Chatterers at the time meant that new ground could be gently coaxed back into life over time, and boundary walls were thin and could be torn down and rebuilt easily. The Wastes shrank, and the world seemed to be healing- though not all the Wastes was salvageable, enough was to inspire hope.
Then the Reapers were the first to break the Veil, and though they meant no harm, bloodshed followed them.
Once that gate was opened, it could not be closed. Creatures once unable to enter the physical plane found that they now could, and chaos reigned for a brief time as they fought to keep this new space for their own. Both sides quickly realized that neither wanted to fight, though, and a compromise was struck- they would both stay peaceful, and the newcomers would be allowed to live in Nevia.
But it was soon found that the tearing of the Veil had strange, lethal consequences- the areas where Reapers first arrived mutated anything that came near them, warping any creature beyond recognition. The location of the sites were impossible to detect until it was too late, and the first Chatterers were formed. Mad, monstrous creatures with no control over their actions, they slaughtered anyone they encountered, and could not be killed by mortal means, forever somewhere between life and death.
Populations retreated, abandoning their homes. They hid behind the new borders they had drawn- the walls now foreboding and final, the last defense against another invasion.
Thus stopped the expansion of territories in Nevia. The boundaries have stayed much the same since then, no one willing to risk leaving their home's walls. The looming threat of the Chatterers severed the trade and relation between territories, and even with the Talrathi's assistance things have never been quite the same.

Structures and ruins-

Ruins of villages and towns once living have all but crumbled to dust now, but occasionally one will have a few standing buildings. They are empty of all useful resources, and the lingering smell of dried blood draws Chatterers, so it is wise not to approach. Rumors of ghosts and spirits abound, but no one that has been inside a ruin will speak of what they have seen.
Structures in either Waste are rare, due to their tendency to crumble under the deadly storms and harsh weather. Waspling Spire nests are a notable outlier, but even they are rare, and only found in the Warm Wastes. Nevians have built some outposts in notable areas, the most famous of which is Talnest Solrum, but not without help from Talrathi.