The Shadowed Barrows, looming ominously to the south of Meristine Work Camp A2, were once a pristine range of natural splendor. Today, however, these mountains are infested with the Maleks—apex predators born from the catastrophic mining disasters of the Red Sun Dominion. This transformation from a revered natural sanctuary into a dangerous frontier was accelerated by the Dominion’s systematic eradication of local indigenous cultures, who deeply revered the Barrows as the dwelling places of ancient guardian spirits.

Historically, local peoples navigated this rugged terrain with secret paths and intimate knowledge of each cave, a tradition lost in the chaos of conflict and bloodshed. With the destruction of these cultural legacies, the delicate balance of the planet’s ecosystem was upturned, giving rise to the Maleks as the new, albeit fearsome, guardians of the region. Their relentless presence makes the Shadowed Barrows a perilous refuge for fugitives and a dangerous territory for anyone daring enough to seek its hidden mineral treasures.