The hills where the nameless come to die—or to begin again.
The Hills of Dolor are a barren expanse of rocky ridges and sun-scorched valleys in north-central Ve, wedged between the Dunes of Evioli to the east and the plains of Sestros to the west. The name translates from old Shyonan as "Hills of Grief," and for most of Ve's history, that grief was literal: these hills were where Shyona sent its exiles to perish.
Geography
The Hills of Dolor cover roughly two thousand square miles of broken terrain. Low ridges of red and ochre rock alternate with narrow valleys where seasonal streams flow during the brief rainy season. The soil is poor, the vegetation sparse—tough scrub, twisted thorn trees, and the occasional cactus adapted to months without rain.
Water exists but must be found. Deep wells tap into underground aquifers, and a few permanent springs emerge from the rock in sheltered valleys. Those who know where to find water can survive here. Those who don't find bones.
The hills transition gradually into the Dunes of Evioli to the east, the rocky terrain giving way to sandy desert as elevation drops toward Gnotobi's lake basin. To the west, the land flattens into Sestros's plains. To the south, the terrain rises toward the Widebarrow Mountains.
The Cydoris River
The Cydoris River flows through the southwestern Hills of Dolor, emerging from springs in the high ground and cutting a winding path northeast toward the Golden River system. The Cydoris is seasonal—a rushing torrent during the rains, a trickle or dry bed during the long dry season. Its banks support the only significant vegetation in the western hills.
The Marshal River joins the Cydoris from the south, draining the northern slopes of the Widebarrows. Together, they eventually feed the Golden River that flows through Gnotobi.
Cydorite Bluff rises along the Cydoris's course, a dramatic cliff formation where the river has carved through layers of colored stone over millennia. The bluff is visible for miles and serves as a navigation landmark for travelers crossing the hills.
History
For centuries before Keshwindi existed, the Hills of Dolor were simply where exiles went. Shyonan custom held that those stripped of name and clan should walk into the western desert and never return. Most complied—where else could they go? The hills were not a destination but an ending.
The bones of those who died here are everywhere. Old campsites, abandoned shelters, the remnants of desperate last efforts to survive. The hills earned their name honestly.
When the exiles who became Keshwindi decided to live instead of die, they broke a tradition that had lasted generations. They found the wells, learned the land, and built a city in defiance of what these hills were supposed to mean. The name remains as a reminder—and as a warning to Shyona about what happens when you underestimate the condemned.
Keshwindi
The city-state of Keshwindi occupies the most habitable portion of the Hills of Dolor, clustered around a series of deep wells in a protected valley. It is the only significant settlement in the region.
See Keshwindi for full details.
Hazards
The Hills of Dolor are not actively hostile, merely indifferent. The hazards are environmental:
Dehydration: Water sources are scattered and easily missed. Travelers without local knowledge or adequate supplies die regularly.
Heat: Summer temperatures exceed human tolerance. Travel during the day is inadvisable; most crossing attempts happen at night or during the brief spring and autumn seasons.
Flash Floods: During the rains, dry valleys become torrents without warning. The Cydoris and its tributaries can rise ten feet in an hour.
Wildlife: Desert predators—primarily serpents and large hunting cats—avoid humans when possible but will take advantage of the weak or sleeping.
Bandits: Small groups of raiders sometimes operate in the hills, preying on travelers and Gnotobi caravans. The Goldwatch deals with them harshly when caught.
Travel
Few enter the Hills of Dolor by choice. Those who do are typically:
- Exiles from Shyona, making the traditional walk into disgrace
- Traders using the overland route between Sestros and the Dunes of Evioli (a poor alternative to the Golden River, but sometimes necessary)
- Goldwatch patrols securing the western approaches to Gnotobi
- Prospectors hoping to find copper or other minerals worth the effort of extraction
The journey from Shyona's western borders to Keshwindi takes roughly two weeks on foot, longer if you don't know where the wells are. Many don't make it.