Southeast of Valdris and south of Eldoria lies the Ash Wastes — a nightmarish volcanic expanse created when fragments of the dying Primordials crashed into the earth during the First Breaking. This is a land of black glass, rivers of molten stone, and skies perpetually choked with ash. Extreme heat by day and freezing nights alternate with sudden ash storms that can bury entire caravans.
Key Locations
The Fireglass Plains: Endless fields of razor-sharp black volcanic glass that reflect distorted, prophetic, or maddening visions.
The Obsidian Towers: Mysterious, jagged structures that hum with alien energy and serve as ritual sites for Ashborn cultists.
The Burning Rift: A colossal chasm said to lead close to the beating heart of Vael. Ash Prophets perform mass sacrifices here.
Cinder Hollow: The largest Ashborn settlement — a sprawling shantytown built around geothermal vents where mutated survivors eke out a miserable existence.
Inhabitants and Dangers
The Ashborn — humans twisted by primordial fire — dominate the region. Their cracked, magma-veined skin and glowing eyes mark them as both cursed and powerful. Fanatical cults, roaming warbands, and mutated beasts make the Wastes incredibly hostile. Many believe the Ash Wastes are the physical manifestation of Vael’s slowly awakening rage, and that one day the flames will consume the entire continent.