Sunderland

The Sunderland was a region in southeastern Vaasa where the majority of that realm's Vaasan human and dwarven populations lived.

Description
The Sunderland was the most desirable region for human settlers in Vaasa owing to its combination of soil that could actually support crops and access to mining opportunities in the Galena Mountains. It was a grassland that was covered in snow during the winter months, and became muddy and boggy during the summer.

Geography
The Sunderland was nestled between the mountains where the Galenas and Western Galenas met. It extended as far north as Bloodstone Pass, and included the towns of Darmshall and Maur-Eturo. Hillsafar Hall lay in the mountains on its eastern side.

The mountains along the southern edge of the region were pocked with caves and caverns filled with monsters. The locals called these the Black Holes of Sunderland.

History
Throughout its history prior to the 15 century DR, the land was considered to be unclaimed until someone arrived and began using it. As long as a new settler didn't upset the folks already living nearby, and promised to help out when times got hard or orcs and goblins attacked, they could claim any plot they wanted.

During the reign of Zhengyi the Witch-King from the, until the , he and his armies laid claim to all of Vaasa. Despite this, the Sunderland was never truly conquered as the nigh-impregnable fortress town of Darmshall never fell to the invaders. Regardless, the area was ultimately made a puppet of the Witch-King akin to one of the southern baronies of Damara. During this time, this administrative area was called Sunderland and Darmshall was made the capital.

During the early years of his rule, King Gareth Dragonsbane of Damara and his advisors believed it was vitally important to win the hearts and minds of the folk of the Sunderland in order to pacify and annex Vaasa in the wake of the Witch-King's defeat. The Sunderland was eventually absorbed into Gareth Dragonsbane's Kingdom of Bloodstone, and was subsequently conquered by the Warlock Knights of Vaasa in the 1460s DR.

Under the Warlock Knights, the common folk of the Sunderland were reduced to serfs. The lords among the Knights, called Fellthanes, claimed the land and forced the people to work in the fields and hills that they once owned.

Rumors & Legends
Following the Witch-King's defeat and the collapse of Castle Perilous, a phenomenon called The Pit began appearing in the Sunderland. Its victims would find the ground beneath them suddenly open into a hole filled with spikes, which would then close just as suddenly and disappear completely. Whether this was some new monster or a roving magical trap was unclear, but bounties were soon offered for anyone who could catch the Pit.

Notable Locations

 * The Black Holes of Sunderland
 * Darmshall
 * Maur-Eturo
 * Hillsafar Hall

Inhabitants
The Sunderland was home to small mining communities along the mountains and farming communities further into the grassland, which transitioned into ranching in the northwest near Darmshall and Maur-Eturo. As with anywhere in Vaasa, conditions were harsh and the threat of monster raids was omnipresent, so the people of the Sunderland tended to be hardy and battle-tested. They were also tight-knit and supportive of each other, recognizing that they had to stick together to survive.