The Region

Earth-helm
The town is ruled by Lord Naestrel, an Elan of unknown origins. He arrived at the place not long after the first rifts were discovered, and presented himself as advisor to the current lord, if he would take one. Lord Braltha accepted Naestrel, and in a few months became fast friends. When Braltha did not return from one foray into the surrounding region, his wife asked Naestrel to take the mantle, which he refused for a while. Guild leaders repeatedly asked him as they hoped for protection from the crazy things happening in the world, and finally he yielded. Never left the town ever since he'd arrived.
The walls have been reinforced, mostly made higher, and the guard patrols nearby lands in teams led by at least one psionic member, but they never venture far.
The Lord mostly leaves everyday decisions to the Council of Masters (guild leaders), and often strolls the wall, regularly stopping and staring into the distance. They say he is sensing around for danger.
The few laws that the lord and his guards maintain are about residents not hurting each other and the buildings permanently, and paying for healing / repair.
The Hall of Roads is the structure used as the most commonly used inn, kept in good shape by the lord's coins. The 'owner' is Maya Ghisteir, a maenad traveller who got stranded here after losing her ship and crew to a psionic lightning storm. She runs the place but is part of the lord's entourage, not an real independent owner.

The Deep Marshes
There's a long canyon stretching hundreds of miles from north to south. It's 1 mile at its most shallow, 10 miles at its deepest; 200 yards at its narrowest, 2 miles at its widest.
It's 2 miles deep and 1 mile wide near the starting location, the small frontier town of Earth-helm. Traders come here to buy local specialities and sell basic supplies, then head back to wherever they came from with their new merchandise.
About 10 miles south the Blue River falls into it, travels north and forms a 4-mile-long marshland shrouded in shadows. For dozens of miles south and north, this marshland is the least changed section at the bottom, so guides take it as a default when leading people across the canyon. It is naturally dangerous, and from rifts neither too far nor very close, just a little from other worlds seeps through here.

Longshade
Nestled at the base of a large cliff, this large village is a collection of makeshift houses in a thin row along the cliff. It is a waypoint to the east, and even the locals tend to pack up and just leave on a moment's notice. No-one really rules the place, it works by itself, and there is nobody who would enforce rules, anyway. Rules are in place for a home or shop, maybe a few huddled together.
Despite the dangers of travel, this settlement never stops activity and if no travellers leave or arrive during a day, that's something rare to be talked over and theories run rampant about the possible reasons.