The High North

Geography

The High North is the entire area north of the Greiforn Mountains. In the West it stretches to Valmea and in the east to the Fjord of Bretnost. The High North is covered in snow and for the largest part of the year. Only in the most southern parts the snow thaws in summer. It contains Melahaa's Well, a frozen inland sea that hosts a dangerous monster prisoner under its frozen depths, and the Frozen Flow, a river whose surface is thoroughly frozen but underneath the water flows incredibly fast.
Most of the High North is relatively flat but twoards the south the terrain has many hills that eventually transition into the Greiforn Mountains.
The High North features long, very cold winters and short, cool summers, resulting in treeless tundra, glaciers, or a permanent or semi-permanent layer of ice.

Ecosystem

Most of the High North is covered in snow and ice all year round. Only in summer when the highest temperatures reached are at around 10°C does the snow and ice in the most southern parts of the North thaw and plants are able to grow.
Most, if not all life in the High North is in the southern parts of it, mainly at the western and eastern tips because currents from the oceans make the costal regions warmer there. The only notable exception are the ice giants, which inhabit the coldest part of the High North.

Ecosystem Cycles

In the summer the nights are incredibly short and the sun doesn't set entirely, whereas in the winter the sun doesn't really rise above the horizon. Thus temperatures fluctuate extremely with the seasons. In summer they can get up to 10°C and in winter they can get down to -40°C on average.
This means that only in summer plants can grow and that most life in the North migrates to warmer places or hibernates in the mountains.

Localized Phenomena

In rare cases, an aurora can be observed.

Fauna & Flora

In summer small shrubs, lichen and moss grow in the parts where the ground thaws enough to allow for plant growth. There are only very few animals and they usually stick to the most southern parts of the High North. Among these animals are hares, wolves, snow foxes, moose and bears. There are also birds and sealife such as whales, fish and seals. There are probably also some magical creatures, might add them later.
The primary inhabitants of the High North are the Ice Giants, but there are only few of them left and they live isolated from the rest of the world.
In the west, in Valmea, life the last of the Northern Seaelves but they are also an endangered species.

Natural Resources

Oil, gas, minerals, fresh water and fish.

History

The High North the way it is now is believed to have formed during the Era of Stillness and Silence, which was basically an Ice Age. Before, it is thought that only the most northern tips were covered in ice and snow permanently and that Melahaa's Well had not been frozen over.
The reason for the name "Land of the Dead" is that many believe that anyone who ventures into the High North will inevitably die because of the extreme cold and inhospitality of the region.

Tourism

Almost none. The area is believed by many to be too hostile to be worth a visit. Most of the rare visits are made by the dwarves of the Greiforn mountains in search of resources.

Alternative Name(s)

Land of the Dead

Included Locations

• Greiforn's StA Guildhouse

Included Organizations

• Greiforn

Inhabiting Species

• Ice Giant