Bleakridge

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Overview

Bleakridge (Enchiridian, Old Nortongue Hvammi \hɪˈvɔmi\ meaning tall bluff, Old Ningtongue Okashapu \oˈkɑʃəpu\ meaning sharp hills) is named for being one of the highest elevations in Oscillia, as well as being among the most riddled with mass graves and ancient battlefields from Sindra's March. Lore about Bleakridge is relatively rare and incomplete, largely because it has not been explored to any significant degree in centuries. Bleakridge is considered a frontier region, not fully claimed by any power of government.

History

In the early Shattered Age, the wilderness of Bleakridge was originally settled by the cultural Nor Human explorers from Tjorhof (modern Malocia. They traveled down the Wyldwash river and named the expanse of steep hills Hvammi. They settled it sparsely on their way south to the Jeweled Sea. While the steep and rugged hills of Hvammi proved difficult to settle, there were a few river valleys and lake valleys where Nor settlements could thrive between IR 110 and IR 230.

In IR 234, the first Queen of Lenhaugr, Tabitha Irontooth, was coronated, and Hvammi was part of her queendom. While Hvamm remained one of the lesser populated regions of Lenhaugr, the coastal region prospered through illicit trade with the penal colonies of Bannor (now Mercatia).

Much later in the Shattered Age, in IR 563, at the beginning of the Realm War in Tjorhof, the contemporaneous king of Lenhaugr built a series of military forts throughout Hvammi, as a line of defense against the eastern invasion of Barigor. Most of these fortifications fell to the Barigor armies, and Lenhaugr became the second kingdom of Acrolon to fall to the Barigor, after Tjorhof.

Hvammi was liberated from the Barigor, along with the rest of Lenhaugr, when the Barigor retreated from Acrolon in IR 595. Though many Orcs remained behind, detached from the hasty and disorganized retreat. These Orcs settled in remote areas, far from Nor civilization which would still consider them enemies for centuries to come. One such location was Hvammi, which the Orcs named Okashapu.

Cosmology

Bleakridge is a relatively typical region of an Integral Shard. Due to the high concentration of death in a short period of time, there are some places where The Mortal Veil is thin, allowing passage to and from Gehenna.

Geography

Bleakridge is approximately 260 miles from north to south and 240 miles from east to west. The terrain is dominated by densely packed, rough hills that increase in elevation to the east, creating a bluff above the Wyldwash river valley that separates Oscillia from Viridia to the east.

South of Bleakridge is the Jeweled Sea, which contains the archipelago nation of Mercatia. North of Bleakridge is the southeast corner of Stonewall mountain ranges. West of Bleakridge are two more regions of Oscillia: Crimson Hills in the north and Thornholt in the south.

In addition to dense hills, Bleakridge is spotted with small river valleys that lead into lakes. There are light woods through most of the hills, becoming more dense in the southwest, where the Bonewood Forest can be found.

Inhabitants

There are only two benevolent settlements in Bleakridge, both trade missions from Mercatia. Both of these settlements are located along the southern shores of the Jeweled Sea. The smaller village is Ilira's Anvil to the east. The larger is the town of Embershore, hometown of the famed hero-turned-Exarch Ember, The Burning Shield.

There are many other inhabitants outside of civilization. These include:

• Raider tribes descended from the Dark Age survivors of ancient wars and the Dark Empire.
• Peaceful nomadic tribes that broke off from raider tribes.
• Pockets of Demon cults who broke apart from the Dark Empire after it fell.
• Pockets of Dark Imperials in hiding from Concordia.
• A group of Reintegrated Cakelings have settled in shallow around one of the mid-region lakes.