From a distance, it is hard to judge where these expansive ruins begin and where they end. The criss cross of ravines and violent peaks serve to further disorient the casual observer.
From what few official surveys have been conducted of the area, the ruins have a width of somewhere between 20 and 50 miles, depending on how the individual cartographer decides to classify the numerous outlying towns or settlements. The Outskirts of the ruins are well explored, anything of worth has long since been carted away. The closer one gets to the centre however, the more hazardous and valuable the trip becomes.
The Outskirts
The term used for the various suburb-like settlements around the edge of the walled section of the ancient city, as well as the parts of the city within a half-mile of the crumbling walls. This is the region most heavily explored, documented and looted by previous visitors to the ruins. As a result, the outskirts are also the bastions of modern civilisation in the region, with shops, taverns and sometimes a heavy guild presence.
Navigating The Outskirts can be tricky, especially within the boundaries of the walls, due to the numerous creatures and beasts that now call the Sundered Ruins their home. Typical encounters are usually bandits, hell hounds, minor fiends and elementals.
The Outer Segments
The city itself seemed to be split into segments by the core thoroughfares dating from its original construction. The original term for these districts or city regions has long since been lost, but modern explorers and cartographers refer to them as The Segments. Half of these city blocks are found in the northern half of the city, with the Inner Wall marking the transition point to deeper parts of the city.
As of the current date, forays into The Outer Segments have been met with mixed success. What few adventuring troupes return offer conflicting tales of what they have found, the most foolhardy of which report crossing path with the demonic behemoths that seem to patrol the thoroughfares of the ruins. Those who are wise enough to avoid the towering figures and return alive are often set for life, finding ancient artifacts and wealth beyond their wildest dreams.
The Inner Segments
Passing through the Inner Wall of the ruins takes adventurers into the heart of the ruins, almost within touching distance of the Sundered Tower. Unlike the Outer Segments, the Inners are mostly untouched by looters and explorers. The few notable trips into this section of the city have been described as fighting tooth and claw for every step. This conflicts with scout reports from atop the walls however, which rarely observe any signs on fiendish or elemental activity. Upon questioning, past explorers simply shake their head and say they do not wish to speak of it.
It is speculated that the Inner Segments once served as the municipal district, and as a result many adventurers still charge in headfirst to find ancient treasuries, libraries and mansions. They do not return.
The Sundered Tower
The most prominent landmark of the ruins, this tower extends its reach far into the skies and can be seen from many miles away. Nothing is really known of this tower, unfortunately. Only one group has ever reached it and returned alive to share their discoveries, and they shared that it was impossible to gain access.
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