That great range of towering volcanic peaks...
The Jotens, that "great range of towering volcanic peaks that serves as a natural wall between this region and the rest of the continent" of Anlaika, to the north of the Aranrath, is inhabitted by any number of large, hostile giants, and thus is basically impassible to most other (smaller) lifeforms... although rumours of a mythic trader, named Joe, who is granted passage by a powerful giant lord, persist...
Most trade with the outside world is done by naval ships (the great, metal, armored Town-ships being designed for land-travel, and most are incapable of ocean-going). Two of the great port cities of the region, An-woon and Mijipoor, are at the base of the Jotens, on the east and west sides of the peninsula, respectively. The third major port city is Andrith, at the southernmost tip of the peninsula, home of the Andrith dynasty (to whom many look for salvation from The Blight)!
Tunnelled within the faces of the Jotens, just to the north of the Aranrath, is the immense Dwarven city of Rockwall. This immense Dwarf-delve extends from Mijipoor on the west, to An-woon on the east, clear across the peninsula. There, the Dwarves can mine and smith, nearly unbothered by The Blight, insulated as they are within their halls of stone.
There, they produce all manner of metals, including "Cold" Iron, Mithral, and Adamantine, as well as most gemstones, and coal. What they do not produce for themselves are foodstuffs, and wood. These they import, in quantity, although the Aranrath has difficulty in producing them.
Thus, the net effect is that a great deal of wealth is being siphoned off, out of the Aranrath, and into the rest of Anlaika. The self-sustaining Town-ships are an attempt to stop this...
The large, metal-armored Town-ships have soil covering the deck just below the "main deck", with hatches which can be raised to allow the sun to shine down through gratings, to the plants below, or quickly shut to shield the plants from Blightwinds. By sailing about and changing locations, Plant Growth can sometimes be used to get a crop before the ground is blighted, again... but it is always a gamble...
Plants grown in blighted soil can be eaten, but this taints the eater, unless Purify Food & Drink is used, first. This spell is also efficacious upon the soil, itself, and Detect Magic will reveal whether or not a patch of soil or watering hole is tainted.
Obviously, untainted water in the wild is nearly unheard of. Because of this, it is law in almost all places that wells be covered. Removing the cover of a well (as in taking it away), or leaving it off when the well is not in use, is the height of bad manners, in the Aranrath, and a capital offense, in many principalities. Because of this, many wells have hinged covers, which cannot be removed. Even so, many wells are tainted... A Decanter of Endless Water is worth twice the price, in this region.
Due to the difficulties in travel in this region, the newcomers is strongly urged not to set foot outside the port cities, except in large, armed caravans, or upon one of the 34-or-so Town-ships, which occasionally stop to trade. For those who do venture out, some new items of equipment are highly recommended:
1) A "Blight-bag"; a 6 x 3' bag, made of two layers of stout leather, with lead foil sandwhiched between, designed to be carried at all times, when outdoors. These are necessary, and so very common, and cost a mere one gold piece. When an unexpected blight hits, the commoners get inside, or into one of these.
2) A standard tent, modified as above, with the same weight and cost as in the PHB. Virtually all tents in the Aranrath are made this way.
3) A Decanter of Endless Water, if going off the roads (at twice the DMG price).
4) Magic items allowing unlimited use of Detect Magic (for finding out what's tainted), and Purify Food & Drink. Anyone without these should stay with the large, heavily-armed caravans, and stick to roads where well-monitored and well-maintained wells are, and food can be purchased.
No reason for Humans to live there, at all, save the inertia of "I was born here!", as far as I can see...
