The Ashlands

The Ashlands lie south of the Vale of Fingers, beyond the Vaelmark, and form the southernmost region known to its inhabitants. Settlement diminishes steadily across this territory as water becomes scarce, soil degrades, and infrastructure disappears. For most people of the Vale, the Ashlands mark the point at which ordinary habitation is no longer sustainable.

The terrain is dry and unstable. Fertile soil gives way to ash, dust, and compacted grit, with vegetation limited to hardy, short-lived growth. Winds move fine particulate across open ground, gradually eroding exposed structures and obscuring older paths. Reliable water sources are rare and often seasonal. No permanent cities or agricultural systems are known to exist, and even short-term camps require careful planning to endure.

Historical records indicate that the Ashlands were once inhabited by organised societies. Prolonged wars between southern peoples and the Vale reshaped the region through burning, deforestation, and repeated destruction of roads, settlements, and irrigation. The environmental damage outlasted the conflicts themselves. Land that had supported population and trade deteriorated further in the years that followed, and recovery did not occur.

The fate of the Ashland peoples is uncertain. Some accounts suggest widespread loss of life during the wars. Others describe migration deeper into the southern wastes or dispersal into smaller groups. No enduring successor states or rebuilt centres of population have been identified, and no continuous cultural record remains.

In the present day, the Ashlands are believed to be sparsely traversed by nomadic groups who move with seasonal water and weather patterns. These groups leave little permanent mark on the land and rarely maintain contact with the Vale. Reports of encounters are inconsistent, shaped by distance, scarcity, and the difficulty of travel.

Over time, the Ashlands have slipped from ordinary consideration. They do not factor into trade, seasonal movement, or political concern, and few decisions made in the Vale depend on what lies beyond the southern border.