The wilds (synonyms: outlands, wildlands, wilderness, unknown lands, uncharted territories; example toponyms: the Outlands) are any largely unexplored region bereft of major civilizations (or at least someone’s perspective of civilization). They may contain uncharted rivers and other unique and extreme terrain features. There may be outposts or forward forts, hidden civilizations, ruins, and other places in these lands. They may be home to lost tribes, barbarians, rangers, great beasts, and other people and monsters.

The wilds may be great forests, vast deserts, frozen landscapes, mistlands, wastes, or other regions. When designing wilds consider what represents the frontier or border between the wilds and your more central world. This border may fall along some natural feature like a river or mountain range, it may be magical in nature, or it may be man-made, such as a great wall.

How do people survive in the wilds of your world? Are they less wild than some might think?