There are a number of empty places and lands on Crestar. There is no nation called Empty Lands, but rather areas where no one lives. No cities, not even a small village. These are not like various wild areas where wandering tribes of humans, demi-humans, or non-humans live, but empty lands.
Note that Noral is on one side, and the Jungle Lands are across the Inner Ocean from that empty area. Apparently Noral has not expanded into those unpopulated areas. There are a few beings out there, but nothing organized. You would think someone or somebody would start up a civilization or city or town in an area that is almost completely empty of any intelligent beings. Yet. There are no permanent populations there… Its not that there is anything visible keeping anyone from building a permanent structure out here. Nor does it seem that anyone invisible is preventing anyone from building here either.
There are the Dust Maker Mountains, and points north and northwest. The soil is poor and the water very hard to find near those mountains. But that doesn’t explain the lack of settlements in the other areas of these empty places. The soil is good there, lots of water. Just, no people of any sort living there. No buildings. Not even haunted places. There are a few places with ruins in them. Some have even been gone over by adventurers, some loot was found. None of it seemed to be cursed nor did ill fortune occur to those who went there. Just doesn’t seem to be any reason why its empty.
According to local knowledge in Noral, about the empty lands near them, “We don’t live or go there.” and a vague puzzlement as to why anyone would think that was unusual. Yet, Trillolara’s knowledge is that Noral, along with Gashtra, are invaders always looking for more land… At least, the folks who invade Trillolara say they are from Gashtra and Noral. Indications they are from there. Weapons, speech, clothes, food, etc. show they are from there… but are they actually from there ?