The Barrier Hills

From a technical standpoint, the Barrier Hills, which once were known as the Piedmont Highlands, qualify as mountains. However, when compared to the soaring Stoneheart Mountains to their west, the Barriers, with maximum elevations ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 feet, seem much more like bumps in the landscape than full-fledged mountains. They became known as the Barrier Hills after the explosion that destroyed Tsen immolated and permanently defaced their eastern slopes. The range took the brunt of the blast, which helped spare the city of Apothasalos from certain destruction and thus earned the highlands their new name. Like the nearby metropolis, the western slopes rebounded relatively quickly from the devastation. However, the eastern side remains rocky and barren. Few humanoids venture here. The intrepid souls who throw caution to the wind to explore these peaks trudge across a desolate landscape teeming with deranged cultists, ogres, trolls, and bandits. Furthermore, explorers also frequently suffer from puzzling burns and inexplicable hair loss after spending only a few days in the area. Some attribute these ailments to temporal anomalies caused by an unnamed monster that stalks the hills. The majority place the blame squarely on the ruined city of Tsen to the east, claiming that whatever force razed the city still possesses the same destructive power it had thousands of years ago.

Alternative Name(s)

Piedmont Highlands

Type

Rolling Hills