When it comes to defining the landscape of The Frontier, there’s a huge amount to explore and a good starting point is an overview of all the major provinces and some background on key locations within each area.
The Frontier is split into nine Provinces, which are broken down into smaller Territories and contain villages, towns and cities. Here are all nine of the Provinces:
1. Aortia
Located in the centre of The Frontier, Aortia is a large Province where the most important events in the land take place. Aortia is home to the capital, Crest City, where The Frontier’s ruling government body holds power under the reign of the Prime Marshal.
Beyond Crest City, there’s a lot of smaller industrial towns that live in the capital’s shadow. Whether you’re poor or rich, a street urchin or a wealthy minister, the one thing that unites the residents of Aortia is a feeling that they are at the centre of the world and people outside the Province are moon-eyed country bumpkins.
2. Robuck
Making up a large portion of the western regions of The Frontier, Robuck is all green pastures, rolling hills, flat plains, sleepy towns and villages.
A major site in Robuck is The Great Plains, where a wide variety of wildlife lives, from monsters that stalk travelers in the night, to wild horses that roam freely in the day.
3. Merais
Further west of Robuck is the Province of Merais, a region that’s known for its changeable weather conditions and hardy folk. Merais is most famous (or infamous) for being the stronghold of the Questers, who operate from the fortress city of Black Rock.
A common story about the people of Merais is that they are distrustful of outsiders and mystery looms heavy in the landscape.
4. Deepstead
Located in the deep south of The Frontier, Deepstead is appropriately named and walks the line between civilisation and anarchy. There’s vast swamps, murky bogs and water-logged forests. There’s also towns built above rivers, boat communities traversing the waterways and good times offered if you know where to find them.
Deepstead’s main attraction is GostoVille, a sprawling city of vice and energy that people from all over The Frontier flock to for entertainment.
The general attitude from the folk who live in Deepstead is a laid-back approach to life and a strong pride from where they come from.
5. Eyra
Named after the Eyra Desert, which is the most prominent natural formation in this eastern region, Eyra is the largest and most wild Province in The Frontier. Only the most resilient choose to make their home in Eyra and it’s a place of extremely hot days and cold nights.
This hard living has led to a nomad culture of people trading goods and being less judgemental than other Provinces. On the other hand, it’s also a useful place for criminals to hide and ambush anyone stupid enough not to prepare for survival in Eyra.
6. Karstium
Located in the south-west, Karstium is a Province with a long history of violence and bad memories. It was once the spiritual base of the kamuni, the island people who arrived in The Frontier centuries before the frontiersmen and were uprooted over several generations and forced to leave.
Karstium contains the largest volume of kamuni ruins and structures on The Frontier and there’s an ancient, otherworldly feeling about the landscape.
Many of the kamuni who remain on The Frontier have small settlements in the Province and they are always bumping up against the frontiersmen and women who are trying to make a life for themselves as well.
7. Frithland
Found in the south-east, Frithland is a Province that has a deep connection to water and covers many coastal towns and cities along the Soul Sea. A mish-mash of mariner culture, wealthy merchants and hunters, people from Frithland were born with the sea in their veins and are always proud to shout about it to folk from other Provinces.
A notable site in Frithland is Harbour City, the second largest city on The Frontier and a getaway destination for the rich. The Prime Marshal also has a second residence in the city.
8. Lera
Lera is a Province in the far north and is made up of large mountain chains that outsiders swear go on forever. For locals, the mountains are a way of life and provide a source of food, water and shelter.
One of the most infamous mountains in Lera is Durmack, a stronghold for the witch clans of The Frontier.
9. Ironsford
Named after the iron that was once common in the region, Ironsford is a north-western Province that borders Lera and Aortia. It has a large number of mining settlements used in the excavation of precious materials for Aortia and much of the industry across The Frontier.
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