The Stolen Lands have long resisted attempts at colonization. Wedged between the River Kingdoms and Brevoy, the approximately 35,000-square-mile swath of wilderness has a long history of being regarded as “stolen”—from and by whom depending on the point of view. In Brevoy, the lands are considered stolen from that nation’s southern expanse by bandits and barbarians variously from Numeria, Iobaria, or the River Kingdoms themselves. In the River Kingdoms, the general impression is that Brevoy allowed the lands to fall into the hands of monsters and worse in order to rob the lords of the River Kingdoms of more lands to rule.

Spurred to action in part by an increase in aggression among the bandits and barbarians of the Stolen Lands and by building political tensions to the north, the swordlords of Restov have sent agents and colonists into the disputed region to explore and settle and, if need be, conquer. Four expeditions have been sent to the four generally recognized regions of the Stolen Lands.

These four regions and their charters are briefly summarized below, from easternmost to west.

The Nomen Heights
With a southern skyline dominated by the ragged, stony mountains known as the Tors of Levenies, the Nomen Heights are named after the aggressive tribes of Nomen Centaurs who view the eastern steppes of the region as their own. Ancient ruins dot the Tors themselves, hinting that the region may have once been the most civilized of the Stolen Lands.

Minor nobleman and adventurer Maegar Varn holds the charter for this region. His group, the Varnlings, consists of himself and a mix of experienced explorers and hopeful pioneers to establish a town and make peace with the Nomen centaurs.

The Greenbelt
With the tangled woodlands of the Narlmarches to the west and the rugged hills of the Kamelands to the east, the Greenbelt is a haven for bandits. The lack of dangerous inhabitants other than indigenous tribes of kobolds and mites makes this the safest of the four regions for “freelance banditry,” although recent rumors hold that a particularly powerful bandit known as the Stag Lord has risen to unite and lead the region’s brigands. To the south, rumors say far more dangerous creatures provide a quite effective buffer between Brevoy and Mivon.

The charter to explore and map this region, the least dangerous of the four, was given to a group of amateur explorers.

The Slough
East of the Glenebon Uplands, the rugged hills and rolling grasslands soon give way to a swath of reeking swampland known as Hooktongue Slough. Inhabited by lizardfolk, boggards, and stranger beings, this region has long been a battleground between the Tiger Lord barbarians and the more monstrous tribes of the swamp.

As the most vital trade route to the south, this area is the most important to Brevoy. As a result, Lord Hannis Drelev, late of Restov, holds this region’s charter and took with him a force of soldiers and professional diplomats to ensure the trade route is open and safe.

The Glenebon Uplands
The westernmost quadrant of the Stolen Lands is a contested zone between the barbarian tribes known as the Tiger Lords to the north and the bandits of Pitax to the south. Further complicating this scene is the not-insignificant presence of several powerful fey and dangerous monsters in the Branthlend Mountains and the forest of Thousand Voices.

The swordlords sent a hardened band of mercenaries known as the Iron Wraiths into the Glenebon Uplands, charging them with purging the hills of the Tiger Lord barbarians and eventually making diplomatic contact with Pitax to work out border issues.