Dreadlands

– Abd al-Hazir after seeing the Dreadlands for the first time
 * What truly happened here? Where are those majestic warriors of old?

The Dreadlands, otherwise known as the "Badlands," "the wastes," and formerly known as the "Northern Steppes" is a barren region in Sanctuary's northwest.

The Northern Steppes
The Northern Steppes were inhabited by the Children of Bul-Kathos, known to the people of Westmarch as the "Barbarians." Theirs was primarily a nomadic and tribal culture, though they had a few permanent settlements such as Sescheron and Harrogath. The Northern Steppes were a harsh environment and its denizens adapted to it as such, dedicated in their vigil of guarding the Worldstone.

The Barbarians' vigil came to an end with Baal's invasion, however. Although the Lord of Destruction was eventually defeated, he had succeeded in his goal of corrupting the Worldstone. To prevent mankind from being corrupted, Tyrael was forced to destroy the powerful artifact. He succeeded, but the resulting explosion tore Mount Arreat asunder, reducing the Steppes into a smoldering wasteland.

The Dreadlands
With the destruction of Mount Arreat, dust and ash rained over the Steppes and the Barbarians were left divided and scattered, robbed of the heart of their culture in an instant. The entropy of Hell itself became part of the landscape.

Over the years, the situation worsened as demonic corruption ran rampant, threatening both Man and beast. To make matters worse, after the Worldstone's destruction, the Dreadlands suffered an outbreak of the Rage Plague. Currently, all that is left of Barbarian civilization in the Dreadlands are the rubbles of their settlements and scattered fortifications.

In the years that followed the Worldstone's destruction, a new group would arise and make the Dreadlands their home: the Demon Hunters, comprised of survivors of demon attacks and sworn to destroy the creatures of Hell. They chose the Dreadlands as their home due to both the abundance of demons giving them plenty of opportunities to hone their skills, and the need to live and train without the interference of any nation that would worry about such a group camped within its borders.

Landforms

 * Bloody Foothills
 * Cavern of Echoes
 * Crystalline Passage
 * Drifter Cavern
 * Frozen River
 * Glacial Trail
 * Infernal Pit
 * Kae Huron
 * Mount Arreat (destroyed)
 * Mount Paolarr
 * Pit of Acheron
 * The Ancients' Way

Regions

 * Arreat Plateau
 * Daken-Shar
 * Eternal Woods
 * Frigid Highlands
 * Frozen Tundra

Settlements

 * Harrogath
 * Ice Clan Village
 * Sescheron
 * Staalbreak

Structures

 * Bastion's Keep
 * Nihlathak's Temple
 * Worldstone Keep