Meanwhile, in the Midlands

Welcome to the Midlands, Traveller. The best thing ever said about the Midlands was they were “like the badlands, but not as bad.”

Culture and Organizations

Keep a night eye out for the cult of sun worshipers, devout followers of a deity who, they teach, has taken an intensely judgemental view of the world and determined to burn up its inhabitants. Logically, they've adopted a nocturnal lifestyle under the assumption that the Blue Mother is less likely to notice them when she is off-duty. Their highest-ranking priests guard the “Secret of the Shining Shield”.

While you’re here you’ll see the artificers at Big Bob’s Big Ship Snappers for all your spell-tech needs and a lively haggle. Their inventions are as baffling as they are ingenious, and can be all yours, for the right price.

<aside> ⚠️ Rare, non-rusting metal manufactured in the Midlands is alloyed with magic (metal is magic soluble). Non-magical metal is a real problem— the rust pollutes magical energy. Get your metals infused ASAP!

</aside>

If more magic and less tech is your thing (and judging by your pointy hat, why wouldn’t it be), your best bet is in the subterranean Catacombs of the Fallen—an ancient city governed by pure magic ideas.

We recommend traveling through the midlands by joining one of the nomadic tribes on a trip across the desert. Not only will you get an authentic experience, but also the tribe shamans lace their dinners with powerful hallucinogens— sweet dreams, Traveller!

Places to see

<aside> 🏜️ Put these sights on your list!

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• [ ] Cathedral of the Noonday Sun in the heart of the desert
• [ ] The city of Rust Falls atop the five mile long Rustbelt Plateau
  • [ ] Home of Big Bob’s Big Ship Manufactorium
  • [ ] A subterranean labyrinth beneath Rust Falls leads to the ancient Catacombs of the Fallen
  • [ ] The Inverted Tower at the heart of the catacombs channels magic from the earth
• [ ] Eight-sided Hill, a tribal ancestor oasis surrounded by a half-crescent mountain range
  • [ ] The Epicenter, a major leyline intersection
  • [ ] The Mourning Place
  • [ ] The Dancing Field
  • [ ] Fields of Harvest
• [ ] New Genesis town
• [ ] The Edge of the Heat outlet malls on the outskirts of the desert
  • [ ] Big Bob’s Big Ships warehouse stores
  • [ ] The Obsidian Pillars: ruins of an ancient colossus automaton—now the town gates.

People to meet

Few people get a chance to meet Big Bob itself. Fewer still know to expect a greedy, AI-powered mechanical dragon.