The Barrens

A vast savannah and bushland at the edge of the jungles and deserts of the south. Ferocious and gigantic wildlife range alongside profound elemental essences that allow nature to abound, acting as a bulwark against the corrupted landscapes at its borders. Since the beginnings of the world the southern lycan pack have roamed these lands as their deep druidic ties have safeguarded them from the threats within and beyond the world.

Geography

The Huntah Plateaus. Expansive uplands that hinder passage for much of the central region, meeting the shores of Lake Waikandir. Sacred to the lycan, for many ancient settlements now serve as shrines, where their ancestors had held against the Eldritch Realms of the Age of Water. Within the canyons and crags are the most savage of natural creatures in Kyme. Great prides of hunting cats, packs of jackals, and hyenas with which the lycan share a totemic union of bestial spirit.

Lake Waikandir. The great lake at the end of the Gna'el River, the waters teem with life and spirits of the wilds. Living islands conjoin with root and rock as they move upon the lake, each one a sacred being to the lycan druids of the Circle of Ga. Sailors know well not to transgress the spirits of the lake, nor step upon the mysterious living islands of Waikandir, lest the wrath of the shamans and all of nature be invoked.

Seren'ti. A venerable savannah that stretches across the whole of the region, where nature's brutal and mystical cycles prevail. Herds of prey—antelope, zebra, buffalo, roam across the grasses and bush forever tracked by the packs of predators—jackals, hyena, and great cats. Yet dominating the landscape are the eminent baoi trees that have stood serene for thousands of years and each one revered by the lycan for their life giving nature and wisdom.

The Spirit Dunes. The bordering sand wastes to the far west, where the arid region meets the strange chalked Ghost Sands. The monumental dunes are still marked by the footsteps of those that strayed from safe paths, unable to be recovered. Druids of the southern lycan pack wage an unending war against the spread of the Ghost Sands, using all the magics they might muster to keep the sand at bay.

Valleys of the Ancients. The great valleys and canyons that mark the eastern expanse of the Barrens. Amongst the earth are the ancestral burial grounds of the lycan, ancient dens where it is said the lycan first formed their packs to survive in ages past.

Roads and Landmarks

The Astran Pass. The safe paths that lead through the Spirit Dunes, marked by totemic shrines of druidic power that protect its travelers.

The Barrier Grove. The impassible thornbrush that surrounds Zudishu. A defense raised at the start of the War of Extinction in order to protect the city from any threat, where the spirits of nature are bound in service.

The Heart Scrawl. Seeded throughout the Barrens, the miles long effigies from the shaping of stone and earth to create sacred arts and strengthen the spirits of nature.

Trail of Totems. The road leading west and east from Zudishu, like a great river guiding the Southern Lycan Pack home once more.

Settlements

Ago'tiak. A settlement at the edge of the Barrens north of the Marrow Wall. Set into an ancient den of the lycan it now serves as a place of journeys into the realms of spirits.

Bandaru. The chief port on Lake Waikandir, with strong ties to Zudishu. The lycans that sail the lake honor the spirits of nature lest they fall prey to their power in venturing upon the lake.

Bholokar. A lycan settlement within a small rocky valley near the edge of the Blastlands. Noted for the enclave of dwarven prospectors come south, seeking the riches of the Alloy Expanse.

Ga Ladha. The territory of the shamans in the Barrens where baoi trees roam and sentinel beasts guard the sacred land. From this place the Ga Shaman is chosen to serve the Drie Pact of Zudishu, as they become one with nature's spirit.

Kah'swili. Known as a place of peace and hospitality, this large settlement in the north center of the region invites many to join their way of life.

Lo-Ammafa. Serving as the central refuge for the prey castes of the Southern Lycan Pack. Where those that still carry the bestial spirit of prey are allowed to persist, separate from their pack kin.

Mwambe. A Lycan settlement in the far western Barrens atop a bluff, from where the greatest of werecat warriors hail.

Zudishu. The sacred city of the Southern Lycan Pack where the Drie Pact, the archdruids of the Circle of Ga preside over the region. Protected under a dome of baoi trees woven by druidic magic the city lies southeast of the Shadowed Passes.

Ruins and Subterrane

Far below the Barrens lay the unnatural heart of eldritch corruption, the Buried Kingdom. Believed that the ancient shamans of the Southern Lycan Pack sealed away the warping presence at the end of the Age of Water. While breaches exist into the Depths the power of nature strengthened by the Lycan people, the horrors are repelled and made to dwell below.

Djioubu. A city of unknown ruins atop the Huntah Plateaus, known to have been seized by a terrible presence that curses the surrounding land.

Kwala'rah. Dominated by four immense stone pylons, the ruin is overtaken by a swell of elemental force that echoes the shifts of the seasons. Found in the west of the region the violent and disastrous nature held within constantly threatens to spill outward.

Sacred Den of the Umndeni. A cavern once long lost, holds ancient teachings known as the Umndeni. A mated pair of lycan has begun spreading the teachings of greater unity with the bestial spirit of the lycan and their kin humanity, so all might gather strength to face the darkness in the world.