A wide band of short- and tallgrass plains with low, rolling hills and river-cut draws. Visibility is long; shelter is scarce. Herds of grazers move with the seasons, and wildfires run fast when the wind is up. Summer brings heat and thunderstorms; spring and autumn have sudden cold snaps; winters can ice the ground flat. Travel follows wagon tracks along the ridgelines and the green ribbons of riparian trees.
Settlements sit on creek bends and shallow lakes; windmills and pump wells are common. Ranching and grain are the main work, with rail spurs for cattle and hay. Hazards include prairie fires, stampedes, tornadoes, flash-flooded draws, and nighttime whiteouts of wind-driven dust or snow. Scouts watch the horizon, riders post firebreaks, and everyone keeps an eye on the sky.