Let's collect my feedback of Arcana Evolved to design a leadin for the overhaul. That is: how would a party native to the rewritten northwest, start out adventuring in that northwest?
As a first step this "Pallembor" is closer to the Dragon. Second step: here is where the Runes are at. Absent, from here, are the Magisters; the mages trend Runethane.
I get a generally low-civilisation vibe from the region. (I am tempted to do away with the Warmain, also.) But being low-civ has its drawbacks: starting with, what's the economy? Once you've looted the tomb, where are you spending the loot?
For that, here I note that my proposal has expanded the northwest. If I have expanded it enough, I have room for that old-school Silk Road. How about: seasonal cities, that disperse in advance of the Bad Time. Maybe this land is like Sogdiana or North Dakota where nobody wants to be here in winter. The Bad Time can be made even worse by magic. If there is no (say) Aral Sea then there is no Choresmia, and no permanent university staff, so - no Magister Academy. Just the occasional tower here-and-there with its reclusive senpai.
The common AU races here are litorians and humans. (And mojh.) Radont herds are common; I should add, from Legacy, squamous lir and grynlocs. The bandits are predominantly rhodin thus, banned from decent caravanserai. Bandits trade their ill-gotten-gains in parallel, piratical bartertowns. A bandit when caught in a "good" caravanserai tends to be crucified, hanged, impaled and/or gibbeted.
One major feature here is flight. The walking-distances are prohibitive, horse-management is frowned upon, and I don't think this world got camels. Besides - we are closer to the Dragon which I want to foreshadow - and I think Monte did too, given "Castles Of The Sky" here. I even wonder if we can have literal aeroplanes and zeppelins out here. DaVinci Eilmer of Malmesbury, bitchez! The aircraft would be made of papier-maché and balsa (not Balsam, lol), all powered by magic - obviously. In season along the Road these craft are safe-enough but, they are not good in storms, and no match for a wyvern or a flying Magister - or for T'kraam from BoEM3. Hence why these craft aren't used in the lands of the Diamond Throne beyond the odd hot-air balloon.
Where does all the wood and leather come from? Propose: that is a feature of the steppe, that it is thick with grassy plants in the papyrus / bamboo / balsa species. Adding to the importance of not being out here in the fire season.
Essential viewing for the ambience: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, except the structures look even more temporary, because they are.
UPDATE 8/28: Big tip o' the hat to O'Neill for de Malmesbury.
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