Dab Ea (dɑb ɛˈɑ)

Dab Ea (Moldése for The Valley), officially the Autonomous Zone of Dab Ea, is a self-governing region in The Highlands of Wonderland. Founded by The Beast as a safe haven for kíndallan refugees, this collection of hamlets and small towns is now a refuge for the unjustly maligned of all species.

Geography

Dab Ea is a glen east of Connor’s Gob and west of The Highlands’ border with The Reek. The region is bisected by the Dor La, a river of brilliant blue water which is fed by streams flowing down from the mountains the kíndalla call Yosh Ikí.  

History

Late in the First Age, this valley was the place where kindallan soldiers who’d been forcibly drafted into the so-called Monster Hordes hid to escape persecution. During the Wander Years that followed, the valley was mostly empty. But then, at the start of the Second Age—as if the sister goddesses planned it—more kindallans ended up in the valley than in any other region in Eden.

And yet, during the early years of the Second Age, control of this area was highly disputed—the source of near-continuous conflict between the kíndallans and the xenophobic human-run Kingdom of the Highlands. But since the signing of Treaty of Meltwater, the people of Dab Ea have governed themselves without interference from the outside world.

Notable Landmarks

Since the Second Age, the region has been best known for its iconic watchtowers. These pentagonal obelisks are positioned at regular intervals along the border and are built of seamless, shiny black stone.

Ok dal Bilmíl was a smuggler’s hideout during the fighting between The Highlands and the Beast-led kíndallans. These days, it is a bustling market at the crossroads of two high mountain passes—a place where you can buy just about anything you might want, from just about every culture in Eden.

And lastly, there is the Tomb of the Deepest Root—so named by the human miners who originally dug the hole. In their efforts to find a place deep enough to imprison the purportedly immortal Hamish I for good, they discovered a root system for a Hellfire Pine which descended further into the earth than should have been possible. Hamish disappeared before they could trap him down there, so now the place acts as a tourist destination.