Hills of Shade
The Land of Steam and Shadow
The region known as the Hills of Shade is a rocky wilderness in the northwest of Faydwer, nestled between the Ocean of Tears, the Butcherblock Mountains, and the Lesser Faydark. The hills are believed to be a spur of the geologically active Steamfont Mountains over 500 miles away.
Despite the unforgiving terrain and various hazards, adventurers do occasionally come to the Hills of Shade. Most are drawn to the promise of treasure, for the region is riddled with ancient tombs and barrows dating back to the earliest empires of Norrath. Those who operate out of the town of Blackwater cull valuables from the shale, treasures shaken free of the tombs by geysers and earthquakes, although such materials aren’t common enough to encourage many to seek them. The inhabitants also seek treasure in the hills, but their source is the remains of those who have died or been buried nearby. In fact, so many bodies can be found within the hills that the lords of Neriak long ago decided their remains made a valuable resource.
Geography
The Hills of Shade run roughly 150 miles east-to-west and about 100 miles that at its widest point north-to-south. The region is composed of tall hills and small mountains, most of which are covered in loose layers of grey and black shale. The hills are riddled with rocky outcrops, natural caverns, and hot springs, and vegetation throughout the area is sparse. The land rises and falls regularly in sudden cliffs and drop-offs, making sharp, shifting shadows commonplace, thus giving the land its name.
Though not as tall as the Steamfont Mountains and lacking its forested zones, the Hills of Shade are the only other place on Norrath where steam vents and geysers are common occurrences, bursting up from layers of shale with little warning. The steam of the hills acts differently than that of the mountains, though, mixing with the cold air of the north sea to cover the area in a thin fog. Gnome scholars occasionally come to study this unusual behavior, and the consensus is that the cool environment and the great age of the hills are the cause of this difference, rather than any fundamental difference in how the geysers function in the two regions.
No detailed maps of the Hills of Shade exist, and no nation claims the hills as territory; there is little in the way of natural resources here that might interest regents or merchants. Though they run to the northern coast of Faydwer, the hills shelter no good natural ports, so the area is not a common destination for ships. Indeed, the Hills of Shade are not a common destination for any settlers or travelers. Further, the hills are unusually dangerous for the casual traveler. The earth itself is unstable here, periodically shaking like the surface of a troubled sea. This ground shaking often accompanies violent thrusts of geological formations up from the ground, and during these (admittedly rare) occurrences, the terrain in a given location can rise and fall as much as a hundred feet in a matter of days. Violent steam geysers are forced out of hot springs caught between such mountains, sometimes causing a section of ground 50 feet across to explode upwards. The shale covering most of the hills can become an avalanche with no warning in such events, flowing with the speed and force of flood waters.
To make matters worse, a perpetual fog covers the region. Though this fog is not dense enough to seriously limit visibility, it does make it impossible to see the stars at night or to determine the exact location of the sun by day. This, coupled with the constantly changing landscape and deceptive shadows, makes it very easy to get lost within the hills. More than one explorer’s body has been found dead of exhaustion and starvation just hours from the edge of the hills, suggesting they starved without knowing which way lay their salvation.
The Triad of Misfortune
The most famous and noticeable geographic features within the Hills of Shade are its three tallest mountains: Spite, Scorn and Sorrow. These names are just legends and stories passed down by the inhabitants of Blackwater due to the treacherous and dangerous nature of the mountains and the unfortunate events that occurred there.Spite
The mountain was named after the treacherous and deadly traps that were set by ancient tombs and barrows raiders to protect their treasures. Many treasure hunters and tomb raiders who dared to venture too close to Spite, never returned. They fell to the traps and the guardians of the tombs, and their spirits are said to still linger, seeking revenge on those who would disturb their final resting place.Scorn
The mountain was named after the harsh and unforgiving nature of its terrain. The cliffs and drop-offs of Scorn are said to be so steep and treacherous that they can only be climbed by the most skilled and experienced mountaineers. Many climbers have attempted to conquer Scorn but only a few have succeeded. Those who failed, fell to their deaths and their spirits are said to still linger, scorned by the mountain for their failure.Sorrow
The mountain was named after the tragic events that occurred there. According to legend, a large community of dwarves settled at the base of the mountain, and they thrived for many years. However, an earthquake caused a massive cave-in, and the entire community was buried alive. The mountain was named Sorrow in honor of the dwarves and their families who lost their lives, and their spirits are said to still linger, mourning their tragic fate.History
The earliest records regarding the Hills of Shade are the old Dwarven sagas of Kaladim. In these it is called the Land of Steam and Shadow, and is even today often used as a metaphor for death. Interestingly, these sagas also make it clear that even in the Dwarves' ancient history, this land was already full of ancient tombs and twisted wildlife. Most of the tales make no effort to explain where the tombs came from, but a few references to the "dark lords" has lead Teir'Dal scholars to claim the hills were a common burial ground for their Caerthielian Empire. By contrast, the few Dwarven lore-masters who have studied the question claim that the origin of the tombs is not mentioned simply because it was unimportant, and thus is the result of some minor kingdom long since forgotten.
Not nearly as old or reliable are the legends perpetuated by the Crushbone Orcs. Ancient maps in the possession of the Crushbone Orcs — written in an ancient Orc dialect known only to a handful of scholars today, none of whom are among the Crushbone Orcs, — call this region the "Land of Hungry Mountains." These Orc maps also show a temple to Rallos Zek, a druid stone circle, and two teleport pyramids, as well as a pictogram of a Shissar, although one needs to read Ancient Orc to know this. Orc prophets from Crushbone claim the area as forbidden to any but prophets of Rallos Zek and they sometimes journey to the hills to seek guidance and visions, yet they seem to have no real idea about the region’s history.
The Coming of Elves
Nothing else after the dwarf-sagas is known to have been written about the Hills of Shade until the time of the Elven Hejira. As newcomers to a vast and unknown continent, the Elves wanted to explore their new home and its resources. Most of their efforts focused on the areas around the vicinity of current-day Felwithe and Kelethin, but smaller groups of Elves set up communities anywhere there wasn't already a local population. The very fact that the Hills of Shade were abandoned made it perfect for individuals seeking a new home, and relations between the Elven newcomers and the indigenous Dwarves were strong. Thus, the small community of Durathin arose in the hills; though small and never prosperous, the town was kept safe by combined forces of High Elf and Dwarven guards. The inhabitants of Durathin learned much about the dangers of the Hills of Shade and recorded their findings thoroughly. The deceptive shadows and changing landscape made maps useless within weeks of being drawn, but it was possible for explorers with a strong sense of direction to find their way around cautiously. One could navigate by using the coastline as a guide, and notorious or unusual regions within the hills kept the same identifying properties even when their appearance changed: Durathin citizens identified Bertoxxulous' Cauldron, the Black Tombs, the Crawling Ruins, and the Grave Mounds. They also erected dozens of trail-markers to establish (relatively) safe paths through the hills. Slowly, a trickle of exotic exports to Kaladim and Kelethin, using Durathin guides to find the shortest route from the Butcherblock Mountains. Durathin was poised to blossom into a large and prosperous trade community.The Hungry Mountains
The promise of Durathin was never allowed to flower. An earthquake more powerful than any the inhabitants had ever experienced shook the hills with such great violence that every building in Durathin was destroyed. Huge rents opened throughout the region, swallowing trail-markers and wagons. Hundreds were killed, and the survivors forced to flee the area. Nothing of Durathin was left. Over the centuries since that terrible day, no more than an occasional piece of shattered building has been found beneath the hills to mark Durathin's passing. So complete was the disaster that not even those who had made their living guiding others through its dangers could make their way safely out of the hills. Undead that had long been sealed in deep tombs were released onto the surface, and the promise of unopposed salvage brought the worst kind of freeloaders and scavengers from across the continent. It was clear that reclaiming the Hills of Shade would require concerted effort from both Elves and Dwarves, likely draining the resources of both their communities. Fresh from the memory of losing the Elddar Forest, the Elves were unwilling to fight for so minor a land as the unsavory Hills of Shade. Unable to support a trading community by themselves, the Dwarves also abandoned the idea. Finally, soon after the disaster a series of trade routes around the Lesser Faydark — especially along the north side of Ranthok's Ridge — were established, and the Hills of Shade were thus left to beasts, scavengers, malcontents, and the walking dead.Land of the Dead
The Hills of Shade were almost completely ignored by the residents of Faydwer for many years after the destruction of Durathin. Bandits and criminals are likely to have taken refuge there, but such outcasts were far enough from civilization that no real effort was made to discourage this kind of self-imposed exile. Common wisdom across Faydwer held that nothing of importance would ever come of the Hills of Shade. Of course, nature abhors a vacuum, and such a vast, unregulated wilderness could not go forever unexploited. Though unsuited to supporting living communities, the hills proved far more accommodating for groups of undead. Such creatures didn’t mind getting lost, since they had no destinations anyway and had all the time in the world; they had no love for the sun, so the shade was a boon; and they had no need for farms and ranches to produce food. Over years, the number of undead in the hills grew to stunning proportions. The more powerful undead forced their lesser brethren to built grand tombs, turned the peaceful corpses already interred within the hills into new kinds of undead, and seeped the powers of necromancy into the ground itself. A kind of hierarchy developed, and a black necropolis was built to serve as home to the throngs of undead. Unlike earlier societies of such creatures, the undead of the hills kept to themselves. It is unknown if this time of quiet was the calm before the storm, or if the walking corpses truly had no desire other than to be left alone by the living. In any case, they did not raid outside their borders or build any defenses that might be noticed by casual travelers. Even so, it is surprising that this dangerous development went unnoticed by the guardian races of Faydwer. No report of vast armies of undead reached the lords of Felwithe, Kaladim, Kelethin, or far off Ak'Anon. Many have since suggested that some powerful being may have concealed the activities of the undead in the Hills of Shade — creatures ranging from Mayong Mistmoore to the Dragon Trakanon and even the gods themselves have been suggested for this role. No real evidence of such a plot has ever been produced, but the suspicion remains that some force must have protected the black dead of the Hills of Shade.The Crusade of Tears
The undead were eventually noticed by two of the gods — Mithaniel and Erollisi Marr. Concerned about this development and other goings on throughout the continent, the twin gods ordered their worshipers to undertake a crusade. Not only were the undead of the Hills of Shade to be destroyed, but numerous other objectives on Faydwer were commanded as well. To this day, no one knows the full extent of the gods’ commands but their chief followers. The Priests of Marr and Knights of Truth, both based out of Freeport, took up the call and bent their full, considerable power to the Crusade. Through careful and complex diplomacy, the followers of the Marr twins managed to gain acceptance from local governments on Faydwer for their fight, and were free to march through the wilds of the continent as they wished. The Crusade took many years and eventually cost the orders the control of their home city, but in time the will of their gods was carried out. Whatever else the Crusade’s warriors may have done, they cleansed the Hills of Shade of undead and made it once more nothing but an empty wasteland.The Second Colonization
Unwilling to turn a blind eye once more to the risks the hills posed, the rulers of Kelethin, Felwithe, and Ak’Anon agreed to share the cost of a small stronghold to secure the region. An old mining site was chosen for the location of the new city, and gnomish clockwork guards were built and sent to crew the place in order to reduce the cost of shipping in foodstuffs. Called Therege, the small fort soon spawned a small town within its walls. Peopled largely by misfits, adventurers, and scholars (aside from the clockworks), Therege was soon filled with relics that had been recovered from the tombs that various undead and the many earthquakes of the region had brought to the surface. Such finds provided just enough economic stimulus to encourage more civilians to brave the harsh land, and Therege, very slowly, grew. Other elves and gnomes had noticed a new resource within the hills as well. The destruction of so many undead and the opening of so many tombs had left the land rich with bits of skeleton bones, scraps of mummy wrappings, and flakes of zombie skin. Gnome necromancers were likely the first to notice the ease with which such corpsebased material components could be acquired in the hills, but their discovery soon spread to the Teir’Dal of Neriak. Spurred by the desire to gain greater power, Queen Thex of Neriak sent agents to take control of the Hills of Shade. Her agents failed miserably, but they did manage to send back caravans full of necromantic magics and materials. The Queen was angered by her servants’ failures, but was unwilling to remove them from such a useful post. She decreed that the agents could never return to Antonica until they ruled the hills. The agents accepted their exile with what little grace they could muster and established a roving camp for the exploitation of ruins and the mining of corpses. Called Exile, this camp soon became a common stop for necromancers of all races.The Hills Today
Travel through the hills is still dangerous, but there are reasons to attempt it. Merchants (and smugglers) seeking to find faster ways from the great forests to the Butcherblock Mountains often push their very well-guarded caravans through the hills, depending on local guides to keep them pointed the right way. Scouts from both Kelethin and Felwithe patrol the edges of the hills for signs of undead or for other, living threats. Explorers — especially necromancers and shadow knights, but also those who oppose them — often seek the ancient tombs and complexes buried beneath the hills, and outcasts and misfits who can’t fit in to more civilized lands sometimes seek freedom among the hills’ shifting terrain. As with any wilderness, moving through the Hills of Shade is difficult and dangerous. Because the hills are not on any major trade route, no roads or well-established paths cross them. No native tribes or peoples have mapped the hills, so few guides are available for this region — and those who do offer their services charge ridiculous rates for them. The jagged spurs of black rock and the geysers of steam blend with the shadows, making it easy to become confused when searching for landmarks. To make matters worse, the hills themselves are constantly shifting and changing, making maps as little as a few years old entirely useless. All outposts and towns fell into devastation and ruin over the years. The only one to avoid this fate was Blackwater. With the help of some elven magic, they were able overcome the constantly shifting landscape and establish a fortified town where the rivers split.
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Rolling Hills
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