Highwall (Region 206)
Description: Highwall is named not for a geographical feature or ancient maps, but for its civilization, carried to prominence in the area through the auspices of one man - Robert, now called the Builder. Robert the builder was proficient with the spear and even stronger with the hammer, and forward-thinking, physically powerful, and charismatic enough to become a leader among the scattered humans in the region. He taught them to hunt and build strong walls, and united the disparate groups.
Everything changed when the Vandal Nation attacked. Fog swept in, obliterating the region's economy and sorely pressing the defenders, only to immediately be set upon by the Omega. The mechanical nation had arrived with the intention of conquest, only to find their nascent imperialism blocked by piracy and the ecological catastrophe caused by the pirates' curious fog weapon. In the three way battle that emerged, the Omega were victorious, though not without the temporary loss of both Robert and Kor, the Omega's field leader and hero.
Both escaped and Robert returned to his people to find that his homeland was still cleaning up after the pirate raid. He aided with the effort long enough to see prosperity return before leaving for distant lands, leaving his nation as a protectorate of the Omega, and it remains so to this day.
People: The people of Highwall are primarily human, though the Utui form a solid and noticeable minority. Their reluctance to begin widespread agriculture has kept their population low and their forests of Whispering Woods unusually close to their numerous crude but solid fortifications. The coastline is a wild mix of unassailable cliffs and highly accessible inlets and fjords, and in the hands of a more populous people might have been impossible for the pirates to assault, but there simply was neither the time nor the manpower to cut off every point of entry.
Culturally, the Highwallers are as fond of constructions as the name implies. Indeed, it isn't considered a proper courtship without one partner building a home for the other, and marriage officially ends when said home is destroyed through malice or mischance - though a couple that is truly in love will simply build another (with the aid of the community if need be) and marry again in the latter case. "Burning the house down" is a common phrase for a relationship that has met its end there, even if it never reached the point of matrimony.
A longstanding Disciple presence in the area has led to the locals to assume advanced technology over magic in the presence of the unknown as well, with one exception: A great many superstitions surround the Whispering Woods as well, primarily due to their unique properties. Folkloric tales name everything from magic wolves to fair folk to ancient machines within the woods and more, and the dense and dark woods are seen as boon and bane with a frightful and capricious whimsy.
Resource: For all it was named after artifice, Highwall is home to the Whispering Wood. These woods are a truly strange specimen of flora, seeming to be a type of evergreen or pine, save that they are not evergreen, as the needles change color - yellowing at some times and reddening at others before turning green again, all with little to no evident explanation. There's no question the trees are hardwood, though, and they are useful construction materials for buildings, tools, and weapons. More esoteric uses include the bark for insulation and sap to form a kind of bittersweet syrup popular among the elderly and absolutely no one else. It is difficult to set Whispering Wood on fire, but once alight it can burn for a surprisingly long time, making it an efficient fuel source so long as extreme heat is not required.