Anti-magic fields hang over the region of the Arrajan Wilds (pronounced ARR-ah-jon), preventing almost all use of spells of magical items. The people that live there have instead learned other means of getting by, and have repurposed ancient infrastructure to assist in this. The anti-magic fields are better, however, than the intense storms that occur in their occasional absence.
Geography, flora, and fauna
The Arrajan Wilds are highly unique due to the presence of powerful anti-magic fields that hang over the region. The area is not defined by political, cultural, or historical boundaries, but rather by where these fields taper off and lose strength. This border is not fixed, and changes on perceptible scales, shifting sometimes by multiple miles per day. The general outline of the Wilds is fairly consistent on a year to year basis, however. In the west the fields rarely stretch past the Streko River, while to the east and south the effect is solidly fixed at the edges of the dry regions of the Rharne Highlands and the Taizzan Expanse. The northern edge is more flexible, varying from the shores of Lake Ciuto all the way to only a hundred or so miles from River Qes. These changes take place on the scale of centuries.
The anti-magic fields are not consistent in strength. On the edges of the fields skilled mages can, with difficulty, still cast some spells, but these abilities are quickly lost as one ventures further into the Wilds.
While the residents of the Wilds can deal with the anti-magic field without too much difficulty, having adapted to the quirks of life without magic, on rare occasions the field will completely collapse as violent magical tempests descend on the land. Occurring simultaneously throughout the Wilds, these storms are usually characterized by shrieking gales, dark and ominous storm clouds, almost aurora borealis-like lights in the sky, and frequent lightning strikes. These events range in duration from an hour to multiple days. All magic becomes functional at this time, usually at increased strength. Dangerous magical beasts are known to emerge during these storms, driven into a violent frenzy and far more mighty than normal. While these storms are usually unpredictable, a storm will always coincide with an eclipse, either solar or lunar. When this occurs, the storm is even stronger than normal.
These storms are not all negative to the Wildlanders, however. The rain they bring greatly accelerates plant growth, both wild and domesticated. If farm fields are not set ablaze by lightning strikes or drowned in the flooding, the crops will grow much more quickly until the water has evaporated or sunk into the earth. Seeds and pits dropped by trees and other plants in the wilderness germinate and grow extraordinarily quickly, sometimes seeming to skip months worth of growth overnight.
The geography of the Wilds is quite varied, ranging from the fertile flat plains of the west, to the shores of Lake Ciuto, to the dry hills to the east. In general, Arrajan is a temperate region of moderate seasonal variance, with warm summers and very mild winters.
Trees cover a large proportion of the land area of the Wilds. In particular, the Arrajan Forest, in the western half of the region, boasts massive pine trees, often growing up to 300 feet tall. Needles from these trees blanket the ground, preventing many other plants from gaining a foothold. As such, travel through the forests of Arrajan is comparatively easy, as those who pass through enjoy easy terrain and a good degree of visibility. The forests have drastically shrunk from their boundaries centuries ago, as ever increasing amounts of wood are needed by the inhabitants of the Wilds, and the trees grow too slowly to replenish what is cut down.
The rest of the surface area of Arrajan is mostly expansive grasslands and prairies, with primarily tall grasses (10 to 12 feet tall, generally) that a variety of creatures are known to hide in. Giant sunflowers, sometimes up to 20 feet in height, grow above the grasses.
A number of rivers feed into Lake Ciuto, carrying water from the surrounding hills. The Nestra River is the only outlet from the lake, eventually leading into the Chaska Sea. A great number of fish thrive in the waterways of the Wilds, particularly trout and salmon. There are rumors of powerful aquatic beasts that dwell in the depths of the lake, waiting for opportunities to flex their true strength when unhindered by the anti-magic fields.
The Wilds are aptly named, as a great deal of wildlife dwells within them. Mundane and magical creatures share the forests, plains, and waters, to a large degree equalized by the anti-magic field. The Wilds are well known for the sheer variety of creatures that live there, and some enterprising individuals use the field to their advantage to capture magical beasts that would otherwise pose too much of a threat.
Ancient ruins can be found throughout Arrajan. The most distinctive of these are the pairs of metal lines that wander across the lands, referred to by Wildlanders as the Steel Roads. Most of these are heavily overgrown or broken apart, though some major lengths remain intact. Notably, the Steel Road that runs in a loop between the settlements of Arnun, Caralis, Sarafand, and Mirmil is in quite good shape and is actively maintained, as is the line that starts in Shurat and ends in Motya. Other ruins are also present, such as the mostly collapsed metal and stone towers that dot the landscape. These are particularly concentrated in the region between Sarafand and Shurat.
Demographics
Humans make up about 40% of the population of Arrajan, with the rest split between large numbers of dwarves and catfolk, and smaller numbers of halflings, half-orcs, and half-elves. Individuals of races with innate magical abilities often feel uncomfortable in the Wilds, almost like a core part of them has been removed, and do not commonly remain for long.
Small numbers of kobolds are known to live in the forests and hills north of Mayadun and Tanburit. Aside from attacking those that travel the Steel Roads, these kobolds generally keep to themselves and little is known about their culture.
On rare occasions, automatons will emerge from underground portions of the ancient ruins, lacking memories of their past, confused about their whereabouts, and speaking an utterly alien language. While many of these automatons leave to parts unknown, presumably to seek answers, some choose to stay in the Wildlander settlements. These automatons often take names from the first people they encounter, often based on the aesthetics of the sounds. The latent anti-magic fields do not seem to bother the automatons much, as they are fully capable of life regardless.
Culture
Religion
Religion in the Wilds is rather different than elsewhere, partially as a result of the anti-magic field. While many deities are respected and worshiped to a degree, there are not a great number of active followers of any god. Clerics and paladins tend to avoid the region, as their connections to their patron deity becomes temporarily severed. As such, there are few churches or temples in the communities within Arrajan. Instead, the Green Faith has found many adherents. While elsewhere the Green Faith is mostly only followed by druids, in the Wilds it has become a much more common form of religion. Worship of other religions and deities is generally a decentralized and more private affair.
Like followers of the Green Faith elsewhere, those in Arrajan eschew temples or formal religion and instead maintain and protect natural places that are used for worship purposes. Holy texts are copied and inscribed on runestones throughout the region. It is viewed as a particularly pious act to memorize a section of the texts, travel to a remote part of the Wilds, and replicate the inscription without disturbing the surrounding landscape. However, most practices of the Green Faith are kept through oral tradition, passed through communal storytelling. Devout followers of the Green Faith are frequently at odds with those that seek to cut down ever more trees in order to feed the ancient engines that ply the Steel Roads.
Traditions
In general, Wildlanders do not use a typical formalized monthly calendar but rather keep track of the year by natural cycles, particularly the solstices and equinoxes. All four of these are cause for celebration. Many travellers to Arrajan have noted the practice of holding massive ceremonial bonfires on each occasion, upon which items with negative connections are thrown. These are viewed as a way for individuals and communities to release themselves from negative influences or memories, to begin the next quarter of the year afresh.
Special occasions are also marked with festivities, typically with competitions within the community. These take a range of forms, including archery competitions, races, and others more unique to the region. One of these involves Wildlanders taming the various beasts of the area with nothing more than their wit and brute strength. Another test of strength is a competition to pull an ancient engine by oneself, using ropes tied from the engine to the competitor’s body. Contestants have been known to lose consciousness from the sheer physical exertion.
Languages
A mix of languages are spoken within Arrajan, both regional and racial. Telan is the most used language, followed by Common. It is common for dwarves, catfolk, kobolds, and the other various non-human races of Arrajan to speak their racial tongues in addition to other languages. Some but not all automatons emerge able to speak a unique language known as Steelspeech, poorly understood by most Wildlanders.
Occupations
The adventurers and combat-inclined of the Wilds are usually (but not necessarily always) attracted to martial roles. In particular, the practical utility of skill with a bow has led many to continue this training into becoming highly skilled rangers. The Wilds are also known for having produced a number of expert brawlers who would later become famous for their adventuring exploits elsewhere. A large number of druids also live in Arrajan, making do without spellcasting. Though only able to utilize their abilities during the anomalous magical storms, the storm druids of Arrajan are some of the most powerful in the world.
Technology
Though not particularly common, owing to the expense of maintaining their equipment, some Wildlanders have become skilled with firearms. Heavily influenced by ancient artifacts that have been uncovered and by the built-in armaments of some automatons, these weapons bear a striking resemblance to those of Kantarr. Many Wildlander firearms are decorated and ornamented, as they are not seen as simply weapons but also symbols of status and wealth.
Food and cuisine
Food in Arrajan is highly varied. Those living in settlements on the lakes or waterways tend to eat large amounts of fish, which is also salted or dried and traded to interior communities. Other sources of meat are also plentiful, and are supplemented with crops such as wheat, corn, beans, pumpkins, gourds, and peppers. Sunflower seeds are a highly popular ingredient and snack, both harvested wild and grown domesticated in gardens.
Medicine
In the absence of restoration magic, healers of the Wilds have become adept at using a variety of salves, poultices, and tinctures to cure the ills of the populace. While not as effective as magical means of healing, this generally proves to be enough to treat most ailments. Adventurers are still advised to remain cautious, as serious injuries or even death are not as easily rectified as they may be elsewhere. It is common for clerics and others with magical healing capabilities to gather the sick and injured during the storms in order to treat as many people as possible before the storm passes. In desperation and looking for treatment, some in the Wilds have fallen victim to traveling merchants peddling nothing more than fraudulent “miracle cure-alls”. By the time the scheme is discovered, these salesmen are often long gone with their ill-gotten profits.
Travel
While most travel throughout the Wilds is done on foot, on the backs of domesticated animals, or in some places by carriage, ancient metal engines and carriages have been restored and brought back to life by particularly clever engineers and mechanics. Sleek and aerodynamic contraptions, these are painted a matte black with polished steel portions, in an attempt to copy the appearance of the single example of these found in good condition. These engines are fed by either wood or coal mined from the eastern hills of Arrajan, and crewed by a team that is dedicated to that particular engine. These positions are generally held in prestige, except among the more zealous followers of the Green Faith. The engines run only occasionally, carrying cargo and passengers in heavily protected carriages between the cities of the Wilds.
Society
Nearly all settlements in the Wilds, both large and small, have some sort of defensive perimeter. Usually stone walls or wooden palisades, but sometimes also repurposed ancient structures, these protect the community from magical beasts that have been driven mad and made more powerful by the magical storms. These walls are regularly maintained and inspected to ensure their structural integrity. While small gardens and animal pens may be located on the inside of these defenses, large scale agriculture is usually outside so as to keep the perimeter small. It is not uncommon for settlements past a certain size to use golems to help defend themselves as well.
Government
The communities of the Wilds use a mix of governments. Most operate using citizen’s councils, electoral systems where the heads of household can select a mayor to lead them. The specifics and names vary by location, but the process is broadly consistent. A few cities, notably Abdera and Motya, are instead hereditary fiefdoms.
Economy
Arrajan has a vibrant economy, both between settlements and with outsiders. The region is largely self-sufficient, between natural resources and material scavenged from ancient ruins. Some ancient artifacts make their way into the hands of foreign buyers, and the trade in magical beasts has proven quite profitable.