The Five Towns

The Five Towns are a collection of five settlements nestled between the northwest edge of the Greenlake and the foothills of the Steelspire mountains. Their isolation, both from each other and the world's major political and military powers, has given rise to unique traditions and culture.

History
The Five Towns have been settled for an undetermined amount of time. While imperial records note trade with Oblinsk dating back some 700 years, local folklore implies habitation between 1000 and 1600 years ago. It is widely accepted by scholars that Haven, Oblinsk, and Steade were the first locations to support small villages, but the Ciran origin story remains hotly debated.

The Towns

 * Oblinsk: The largest and most cosmopolitan of the Five Towns, Oblinsk is the region's gateway to the rest of the world. It is an important economic, political, religious center.
 * Haven: Historically known for its anything-goes attitude, Haven is the region's largest melting pot. True to its name, many settle in Haven out of a desire to get away from the wider world. While the town's history is intertwined with the story of its organized crime clans, it serves now as an important, mostly legal port to the region.
 * Steade: On the outskirts of the forest of Brevar lies Steade, home to hunters, tanners, and woodcrafters. Its people are defined by their relationship with the vast surrounding forest, depending on it for survival and prosperity.
 * Shale Town: Its signature lyrium used to be sold the world over, but its mines were forced into irrelevance long ago. Now it is a shadow of what it once was, sitting high above the Envar valley at the edge of the world.
 * Cira: Known for its odd customs and free-flowing way of life, Ciran traditionalists trace their history back to a splinter group of nobility from the ancient Kulashi empire. Whether myth or fact, none can deny the uniqueness of the Cirans--even for the Five Towns.