Borderlands
Borderlands are the areas either between or immediately adjacent to country borders. Historically, borders (being at the far periphery of a country or kingdom) were less well defined, less well defended, and less well managed. These borderlands were places where bandits had greater freedom, where raids may occur at any moment, and where local lords (or crime lords) may exert greater rule than a distant monarch. They may contain watchtowers, outposts, forts, great walls, and bandit camps.
| Synonyms: marchlands |
| Example Mythonyms: The Rim, the peripheral lands |
| Territories |
Archetypes
Overview
Borderlands, those fascinating fringes where cultures clash and identities blur, offer a vibrant stage for the intricate interplay of geography, culture, and history.
Borderlands are often melting pots, where ethnicities and languages meld into a unique cultural tapestry. This blending can be seen in the vibrant traditions and customs that emerge, or in the development of pidgins and creoles – languages born from the necessity of communication across cultural divides. Free cities, independent hubs for trade and intrigue, become hotbeds for cultural exchange, fostering both prosperity and tension as competing factions vie for power.
Fictional borderlands may be adjacent to other countries, territories, or wilderness.
Histories
Borderlands often have a robust history full of violence and bloodshed. Fictional versions are no different. Ruins and artifacts may be scattered across the landscape that whisper of bygone battles and ancient civilizations. These remnants may serve as a constant reminder of the history that shaped the borderlands.
