The Badlands of Ondras

The Badlands of Ondras are a hostile and unforgiving region north of Velkaria and west of Landonia. While trade cities fortified with ArkTech and walls provide some pockets of safety, the vast majority of the land is a dangerous wasteland. The environment is harsh, with swirling blue aethyr storms, petrified forests, and fields of colossal bones. Packs of scavengers, raiders, and feral Undead roam the land, which has long been used as a penal colony and a refuge for those fleeing persecution. Survival is the only constant, and the land leaves its indelible mark on all who call it home.

The Badlands were once part of the vibrant continent of Ondras. The land was difficult but manageable, with massive beasts and a nomadic, tribal population. This all changed with the Breaking of the World, which triggered the violent eruption of Mount Lakun. For years, the volcano spewed ash and toxic gas, blanketing the land in a perpetual twilight. The once-great forests burned, the beasts died, and only a few resilient people survived by seeking refuge in caves. These survivors were forever changed, embracing a new way of life centered on strength, cunning, and adaptation.

In the aftermath, a large raven, an Incarna of the land, took pity on the lost survivors. It flew through the darkness, its wings alight with blue flame. Where the flames landed, predators were vanquished, and the people gathered, learning cooperation. The raven then took a humanoid form, teaching them secrets of Weave and Umbra, the fundamental forces of magic. As the people grew and changed, they splintered into different groups, each adapting in their own way. Some became cannibals out of necessity, others learned to craft intricate Mechra, and some focused on physical strength.

The people's newfound survival was soon tested. Landonian airships, seeing the Badlands as a "bad-land," began to raid and hunt them from the skies. The Badlanders, however, were resourceful. They learned to fight back, stealing and repurposing the airships' technology. This era, known as The Culling, was a brutal time when the weak were targeted and killed, leading to a deep-seated distrust of outsiders. After the invaders gave up, the Badlanders turned on each other for resources. However, this period of infighting eventually gave way to a new understanding. The survivors mourned the loss of the "weak," and realized that skills, creativity, and intellect were just as vital as physical strength. This new value system allowed them to grow and prosper.

Since then, the Badlands have resisted every attempt at colonization. Other nations now send their prisoners and undesirables to the region, inadvertently providing the Badlanders with new technology and magic to steal and repurpose. This has led to the development of a tenuous network of trade cities, though the harsh reality of the wasteland remains.

Social Culture & Beliefs

The Badlanders are a people born of darkness and innovation. Their philosophy centers on the idea that through trials and perseverance, one gains strength. Personal freedom is paramount, and slavery is abhorrent. They strongly identify with the myth of Kannan the Maker, a Mortal who ascended through skill and trials. Outsiders are viewed with deep suspicion, a direct result of past invasions and persecution.
Communication is direct and truthful; there is no room for flattery. The words one speaks are believed to shape one's will and guide their magic. Hatching, a written language of symbols, is used for survival information, territorial claims, and group affiliation. Names often reflect a person's affiliation, such as their clan, Faction, or profession. A lack of a last name implies they are homeless or an outcast.

Formal government is scarce. Within cities, a Mayor leads with the help of a Council, which includes a representative from each Faction. Mayors are essentially "Warlords with walls," and their word is final. Citizens are expected to arm themselves for protection, as there is no standing military.
Outside the city walls, Warlords rule their respective territories. The only universally agreed-upon law in the Badlands is the prohibition of slavery. Control over another's will is seen as the greatest crime, and death is considered a more merciful fate than enslavement.

Mining, smithing, and tinkering are highly common and respected skills. Many also work as mercenaries, bodyguards, or fleshwardens. Skills are often passed down from a mentor or within a clan. Any profession that aids in survival is respected, with Mechramancers being particularly valued.
Food is a constant challenge. Large cities rely on hydroponic gardens, and lizard meat is a common trade staple. Everyone must supplement their diet by scavenging. Notable Badlands foods include Ashweed (plants grown from Essential Ash), Flame Beetles (a tasty insect found near magma), Cannibal Flowers (which are dangerous but edible), Blood Bread (a nutritious bread from the cannibals), and Fire Lizard (a spicy reptile).

Badlands architecture is designed for survival and concealment. Structures are made from petrified wood, animal bones, or carved into caves. All buildings are reinforced against earthquakes and camouflaged from above.
Art is minimalistic and portable. Flow arts and performance art are far more common than traditional static art, as they are experiences that can be carried with a person.

The Badlands People

Incarna

The Grymm are the immortal beings of the Badlands and are very few in numbers. Inspired by Weave Fire and walking the secret paths of Umbra, Grymm embody both of these aspects as they seek to help their people survive and recover. Decades of being hunted have left them hardened and untrusting of others, especially outsiders.

Appearance: Incarna are extremely rare. When present, they exhibit bright blue veins and smokey black markings around their eyes that emit spider-like veins.
Lifestyle: Little is known about the Grymm, as they tend to stay out of sight. They are secretive and are believed to be pulling strings from the shadows.

Mortals

Mortals are the living people of the Badlands. For them, life is a constant struggle for survival. Mortal children are rare and fiercely protected. The populace is largely Risen, so the mortal lifestyle is one of vigilance, scavenging, and resilience, whether inside or outside city walls.

Appearance: Mortals are rough and grungy, wearing torn clothing scavenged and patched together from various sources. Their fashion is practical, protective, and often designed to intimidate, as they don't want to be easy prey.
Color Palette: Grays, blacks, browns, and other muted earth tones dominate their clothing, blending into the ash and debris of the Badlands. Pops of color might come from salvaged scraps or unique materials.

Risen

The Necrites are former Mortals revived through Mechramancy into forms that blend necrotic flesh with mechanical augmentation. Their undeath grants them resilience and a unique perspective on the harsh realities of the Badlands.

Appearance: Necrites all have open festering wounds, bone protrusions, and metallic devices and patches coming out of their skin, often in haphazard or painful looking ways. Occasionally they go as far as having entire limbs replaced with crude metallic versions. The appearance of the Risen with improved Vestments depends on their specific form:
- Charred: Patchwork beings combining necrotic flesh with Mechramancy augmentations made of rock and magma. Their mastery over the forces of fire and earth lends them a terrifying reputation. Gender is often indiscernible, and their unsettling appearance makes them feared by most.
- Revenant: Often feral, these Necrites are obsessed with scavenging and attaching salvaged parts to their bodies. Their appearance often incorporates pathways to channel the lightning that drives them.
- Draugr: Organized into clans, they are gaunt with darkened eyes and hollow cheeks, often covered in blood and decorated with the bones of their victims. Skilled in biology and survival, they use their knowledge to sustain themselves and protect their people, sometimes replacing or enhancing limbs with mechanical augmentations. They are allowed in cities but viewed with suspicion by the Mortals.
Lifestyle: Necrite occupy a spectrum of lives in the Badlands. Some continue previous professions, but most focus on survival, augmentation, and finding purpose within warbands or factions. Their mechanical augmentations and persistence beyond death provide resilience, making them formidable survivors in one of Eldross’s most dangerous regions.

Key Locations

Calypso: The capital city, located on the southern sea, and a major hub for trade via airships and railways. It is the most fortified city, welcoming all who come to trade and do not cause trouble. Mayor Sraes often hires people to explore the nearby Ruins of Mael.
Relic: A hidden, underground city with ancient, intact structures. Its walls and doorways are covered in mysterious glyphs. Relic is the home of Fir’na’goth, the School of Flameweavers.
Illmoor: A sprawling city built into rock shelters where the Petrified forest meets Cragsmoor. It features an elaborate rain collection system and a large hydroponic garden, making it a key food provider. The people of Illmoor are often in conflict with Cannibals.
Blackridge: A city situated in the Boneyard, camouflaged by bone debris. It's a former crossroads town that has fallen on hard times and lacks strong leadership, forcing residents to fend for themselves.
Cinderun: A mining town located near the Magma lakes. The air is always hazy, but the town is rich in minerals and is the primary source of Essential Fire. Its smiths are considered the most skilled in the Badlands.
Garotte: A city near the Farewell known for its large battle arena, used for gladiator combat and training. It was established to provide a place to settle disputes without defiling the sacred ground of the Farewell.
The Conflagration: Also known as the Lakes, this is an active source of Mechra Magma. The hot lakes are unstable and highly combustible, and the air is thick with ash.
Mount Lakun: An active but quiet volcano. Its eruption during the Breaking of the World created the Badlands as they are known today.
Ruins of Mael: The crumbled remains of a vast fortress, believed to be haunted and cursed.
The Boneyard: A massive collection of bones and fossils from colossal creatures. It is a prime location for harvesting alchemy ingredients like mushrooms and fungus.
Cragsmoor: A maze of rock spires, boulders, and caves that serves as the home to a strong clan of cannibals.
The Active Malformation: A dangerous area of intense magical energy that generates the powerful storms and winds sweeping across the Badlands.
The Farewell: An open expanse of land with small shrines and fire pits, serving as a place of reverence. It is considered a neutral ground for meetings and negotiations, and fighting is forbidden out of respect for the ancestors who sacrificed their lives here to protect others.
The Oasis of Resolve: A hard-to-find oasis where the dark waters are said to refresh travelers. The air contains flecks of violet. Attempts to build a settlement here have all failed.
The Cliff: The natural cliff face that separates the Badlands from Landonia. Scaling it is a perilous challenge, as Landonian guards are known to shoot at anyone who attempts it.