Dorun

The craggy mountains of Dorun paint an imposing, but oddly captivating landscape. Covered in rocky peaks, canyons, hoodoos, mesas, and dry riverbeds, a simple journey from one town to another can have travelers climbing up and down in elevation and twisting their route to avoid dramatic natural features. Only the hardiest of beasts call this landscape home, and the plants that grow here are just as tough. Those who can brave the dangers Dorun holds and beat dehydration may find a wealth of resources waiting to be discovered.

High Desert

When folk from other regions first hear of Dorun and Pirenni, many assume them to be similar. Each full of deserts, each just across the sea. The reality is much different. Pirenni is home to rolling dunes and shifting sands, landscapes that change with time. Dorun is rocky, hard, and unmoving. Its mountains and canyons have remained unchanged since they were carved by the forces of weather, and its low-lying deserts are full of shrubs, cacti, and hardy desert wildflowers. The weather is much more dramatic in Dorun as well - winters bring bitter cold winds and freezing nights, and summers scorch the landscape even more than their inner neighbors. The peaks get snowfall, making journies around this treacherous landscape even more dangerous, and rains come hard and fast, leading to flooding. There's beauty in Dorun's nature, but the locals know to respect it.

Gold Rush

A little over a hundred and fifty years ago, a group of merchants strayed from the road to water their animals and fill their canteens. They began to drink from a stream, but caught something shiny catching their reflections at the bottom. It was gold - hidden in the silt for untold generations, and about to make this small merchant caravan fabulously wealthy. Since then, thousands of companies of miners, prospectors, and adventurers have staked their lives on finding the next hidden treasure in Dorun. Only a small percent have been successful - more than half go missing, never to be seen again.

Haunted Wastes

Everyone who lives in Dorun has a ghost story to tell. Most folk will share them for a drink or a few coins, and you'd quickly get the impression there are more ghosts than living souls in the region. A variety of spectral or mysterious magical beings are said to lurk in the desert, most hostile to anyone who enters their turf. Ghosts wandering the wastes looking for lost loves, graveyards where the dead crawl from the earth if you enter after dark, and any matter of shapeshifters and strange flying things are said to snatch people from trails. A collection of stories a traveling bard heard during her time in Dorun has become popular in other regions, published under the name Ghosts of Dry River.

Notable Places:

• Ghost Creek
• Marida
• Farspring Canyon

Demonym

Dorunish

Government System

Oligarchy

Neighboring Nations

• Colladia
• Gordunni
• Kingdom of Masoria
• Pirenni

Related Species

• Gnoll

Travel Tips:

I had the pleasure of visiting Dorun in the company of a painter seeking to capture its magnificent vistas. The local culture may take some adjusting to, as people can appear standoffish and unfriendly, but they quickly warmed to us and welcomed us to their town. When traveling the roads, be sure to bring ample waterskins and clothes for both hot and cold weather!
-Rodanté