Creating factions/ power groups

[Gilladian]

I've started work on a new/old section of my campaign world, for a future possible campaign.
In this region of the world, dwarves and men live (mostly happily) together, near an area known as "the Barrens". This region was devastated about 400 years ago by a horrible near-earth-shattering ritual. The Barrens is what was left after the ritual was stopped; an area of blasted waste, burnt soil, poisoned water and melted ruins.

Four hundred years later life has begun to return to the  fringes of the Barrens. An area at the northwest end of the region is known as the Deadlands. This region is rugged low mountains in cold-temperate climate (think the Catskills). Much of the region is covered in nothing but low snarled thornbushes, puny, warped trees, unhealthy and weird small insects and not much else. The fringes are beginning to recover, with small but healthier trees, fast-growing plantlife regaining a foothold, and the sturdiest small mammals moving back in. The whole region is about 150x80 miles across. On two sides it is flanked by river valleys and at least somewhat populated areas; in the other two directions are further and more twisted/damaged Barrens.

I've begun to rough out ideas of what/who would affect the region. Some of my ideas are listed below. I'd love some feedback and some suggestions for expanding this info into something usable for a campaign.

    * local humans - interest in capturing rare and unusual animals found in the Barrens - golden furred pelts? dragon hides? Hunters from Sekberg and Vittek make frequent forays into the Deadlands, hunting for a number of rare monster parts, including the wolverine pelts, crescent elk horns, yeti, and aurumvorax, among others.
    * local dwarvish clan - want to begin mining rare mineral deposits found at the edge of Barrens - poisons wildlife? makes area otherwise uninhabitable by rare animals? Or opens trade route, makes hunting more feasible?
    * humanoid tribe - desires isolation, hates dwarves and/or humans? hunts humans for slaves?
    * power-hungry wizard - seeks after lost knowledge in ruins. Wants to create power base. Trying to enslave humanoid tribe? Win them over? Has powerful monster ally? Is a monster?
    * evil/corrupted fey - faerie ruler blames outsiders for destroying them. Wants revenge? Wants cure? Both?

# population centers

    * Kelpen - nearest large town to the Barrens, (they begin about 20 miles to the west), it sits firmly on both the southern border of Harothar and the main trade route  to Greenvale. Roads lead north, south and east, but not west. It has a large military presence. There is a fort on the hill just above the river, which collects tolls for the local Lord. The Lord lives in town, in a newer and more "civilized" home. Most of the dwarves in Kelpen are members of the Maskethel clan.
    * three small villages lie within the region west of Kelpen and yet not within the Barrens. This is rich river valley, heavily forested, but good for farming, orchards and dairy once cleared.
    * North of Kolpen lies the town of Vittek. To the west of Vittek is Sekberg. These towns lie in rich, fertile river valleys just northwest of the Barrens by some 30-50 miles. Sekberg is on the east-west road to Lathamsfind and Irgirth.

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