Collapsed Realms of Rust

## History

Much like the Kingdom of Gold, this region was claimed by the snow elves prior to the arrival of colonists from Greater Elanxa (those who would become known as Zemylanders), though few snow elves lived in this dull and desolate area.

However, like in the Kingdom of Gold, the Zemylanders possessed the means to locate valuable mineral deposits deep beneath the tundra, and began mining gold, diamonds, iron, and several other metals that could be used to create several different resilient metal alloys. Steel ingots became the main export, and so rich were the seams that steel became significantly cheaper than wood, resulting in dozens of mining towns and prospecting camps where nearly everything was made of steel and stone.

The region became known as the Realms of Steel. It never developed a significant population even compared to the Kingdom of Gold, and instead relied upon workers and soldiers from other Zemylander nations, working on behalf mining companies own by Zemylander nobility. Aside from the natural desolation of the region, the other main reason for the low population was the frequent raids by the snow elves and their remaining allies among the other fey races like snow goblins and hags.

Despite these raids, the region prospered, and it was only brought down by the discovery of a new resource, Arcanium, which has many uses for spell casters. Unfortunately, the easiest way to locate Arcanium was to cast wide area rituals that caused the Arcanium to increase in both size and potency. In areas where Arcanium was already found in large concentrations, this led to the creation of “Wild Zones”, where reality was flimsy, and all sorts of strange magical effects happened like mutations, strange sicknesses, freakish weather, magic going haywire, spontaneous combustion, mass hallucinations, gatherings of restless undead spirits, and the appearances of strange extra dimensional beings.

Minerals mined near Wild Zones began showing signs of their curse, even when exported far away, and the Wild Zones themselves grew, shrank, and shifted unpredictably.

In the end, the Realms of Steel, and its exports, became widely regarded as cursed and tainted, and all official mining activity ceased. The steel structures found throughout the region (most meant to be temporary anyways) began to rust over the course of centuries, thus giving it a new name, the Realms of Rust.

## Government

None official. The Kingdom of Gold sometimes patrols this region, and snow elf raiders sometimes pass through here. The only folk who live here permanently though are small pockets of fey like snow goblins, hags, and vodyanoi, who only answer to themselves, as well as the occasional human or gnome-dwarf hunter, trapper, or prospector who is unusually reckless.

## Economy

The fey who still live here scrape by on hunter-gatherer lifestyles. Some reckless hunters and trappers also live in the area, as do prospectors looking for small Arcanium deposits that are safe enough to harvest.

Most rational folk avoid this region, as the Wild Zones are still present and still dangerous, though longtime inhabitants and veteran patrollers eventually get a sense of when and where Wild Zones are likely to shift and expand, and when they are at their most potent.

Goods are mostly traded with the Kingdom of Gold by land, but abandoned coastal settlements are occasionally repurposed as trading posts supplied by ship when (relatively) large numbers of hunters, trappers, and prospectors are operating in a particular region.

## Foreign Relations

Kingdom of Gold – sometimes patrols this region looking for snow elf raiders, fey bandits, trolls, or human fugitives. They also sometimes escort those heading to Biblon.

Aine Saevherne – the snow elves sometimes pass through this area on the way to raid the Kingdom of Gold.

Corteau Canyon – The Nemir rarely leave the canyon, preferring terrain they are used to.

## Geography

Even more so than the Kingdom of Gold, the Realms of Rust are endless tundra, with little variation except the occasional rusted community, rocky ridge, small lake, and the odd green glow that you sometimes see when you are dangerously close to a large Arcanium deposit, and likely well within a Wild Zone.

## Demographics

### Humans

Humans make up most of the population, and are mostly Zemylanders, though some have a bit of goblin or hag blood in them.

### The Fey

Most fey now avoid this area due to the Wild Zones, but a few still live here, usually species that are solitary (hags), aquatic (rusalka, vodyanoi), or certain tribes that are still hostile to both humans and snow elves (usually snow goblin or uldra worshippers of an obscure cannibal god). Some have become mutated by the Wild Zones.

### Trolls

Several variants of troll live here, though they are borderline non-sentient.

### Gnome-Dwarves

In keeping with their unhinged reputation, these half-breeds make up a significant portion of the prospectors operating in the Realms of Rust at any given time.

## Religion

Most folk here aren’t that religious, but Mirslava and Zolovora sometimes get the odd prayer, or even an unmanned shrine. The fey and gnome-dwarves have their own gods, who sometimes also get acknowledged by humans.

## Military

None. The Kingdom of Gold sometimes sends militia and Royal Army patrols through this region, and snow elf raiders sometimes travel through it as well. Some goblins, hags, trolls, uldra, and bandits of various races will attack any potential target they think they can take.