Dumein Hills (doo-mine)

Similar to their neighbor, the Wessil Hills, this area of eastern Ayndrinor is more a highlands than gentle rolling hills. It is rocky and rough, but the valleys have proven to be incredibly fertile. The entire hillscape is dotted with homesteads and wide open farms and herd lands, with very few in close proximity to one another. People have relocated here from all over the world to take advantage of the fertile lands and wide open spaces that provide opportunity but also a quiet life. Recent decades have seen an uptick in distilleries and whiskey aging facilities in the highlands, using a special type of barley that grows only here and the Wessil Hills. Some have even taken to aging the whiskeys in barrels made from a tree that only grows in this region as well, imparting a sweet note to the otherwise harsh and smoky liquor.   Due to the relocations and the mix of people who live in the hills, they are somewhat lawless and do not fully answer to any kingdom or nation. The Dumein Dominion has had nominal claim to the hills and their people for several centuries, but the tax collectors rarely deign to make the trek across the rocky terrain to track down every homestead or villa. This arrangement had not caused any real problems until the recent Everyn War, during which rebels against the Dominion operated with impunity from the highlands, launching raids on Dominion supply caravans and soldiers. The Dominion tried to quell this insurgence, and they were successful in finding a dozen or more homesteads that had been actively participating in the rebellion. But many more were not found, and the area continues to be a hotbed of dissent and rebellion. The King has promised clemency for any rebels who come forward and renounce their ways, swearing an oath not to attack the Federation troops or caravans, but very few have come forward to take advantage of this offer.