The Thornwaste is the least civilized region the Vale. Even the Wyrmsmoke Mountains are more densely settled, albeit by goblinoids. The Thornwaste is desolate in comparison, populated only by a few roving tribes of feral barbarians.
The Ghostlord's presence has driven these tribes westward, and none of the superstitious barbarians dwell in the eastern reaches of the region today. Instead, the Thornwaste is home to all manner of nefarious and dangerous creatures, from packs of lions and dire lions to more fantastic creatures such as chimeras and bulettes.
The terrain of the Thornwaste is dangerous as well. A maze of broken hills, briar-choked ravines, and thistle-clogged fissures, this treacherous landscape can most easily be traversed by overland flight. Creatures forced to slog through the Thornwaste on foot find the prospect grueling at best. Overland movement rates are reduced by half, as if traversing trackless forest. Worse, the countless thistles and thorns have a way of working themselves into armor and clothing.
GAME NOTE: Once an hour, a creature that spends any amount of time moving through the waste on foot must make a DC 15 DEX save to avoid taking 1 point of damage from these thorns. Those who take damage from the thorns have their movement speeds reduced by half as if they had been damaged by caltrops. Creatures with a natural armor bonus of at least +3, the woodland stride ability, or at least +5 in nature can move through the Thornwaste without fear of taking damage from the nettles and thorns.