Avondier

Land of Frozen Peaks and Depths

Written by Ginjajewfro

"The character of Avondier can only be described as tough. Its land is rough and treacherous, its wildlife can be deadly, and its few cities and villages are often in need of more troops and less outlaws. However, tough places make tough people, and Avondier is no exception. The people who live in the North here are warm enough to melt away any sorrows of the climate, but tough enough to ensure ruffians don't track in frigid intentions." -Joveta the Swift

Geography

Rising like a stairway to the heavens above, the Avondier region of Hyctrois is a gently sloping landscape that reaches its highest point at the capital city of Epibjörd, which overlooks the Bay of Brinethol like a magnanimous angel. The only other landmarks on this cliff of ice and rock, however, are the Inglis River and Terian Canal; two flowing waters which cascade as falls down the cliff face and into the freezing depths.
This glorious icy cliff to the region's far North is contrasted by the near endless forests of the region, which reach for the sky as if trying to mirror the glory of Epibjörd. These forests cascade through the region, reaching all the way from the rocky and grey northern shores all the way down to the mountains of the Gathered Summits. These mountains are treacherous, and earn their name both by their majesty and unique dangers, as if they were a round table of kings and queens. Their uniqueness is only further glorified by the diversity in their cores, with Mount Krounwood hosting an expansive underground jungle known as the Krowned Wilds; Mount Fi'ir cradling lakes of molten stone and magma; and Mount Evermüth being composed of a decaying monster of behemoth size. Through these mountains the only clear path is one forged by nature itself: the Gorndel River (which, too, seems lost as it splits in two indecisively). If one can traverse the summits, they would either find themselves in the empty and echoing Absom Lowlands on the South-Western shore of the region (just North of the city of Ferrin), or at the dynamically flowing border of the region, the Arel Channel. The difference in navigation often becomes a matter of life or death.

Fauna & Flora

Being both a wonderland and wasteland of ice and snow, the wildlife in Northern Avondier has developed to be tougher and more resilient than any other on the continent. Under the snow, lichen clings to the rocky landscape as if to take shelter from the frost above, and small clusters of sedge and moss dot the ground and trees alike. Coniferous trees like the Douglas fir and white spruce congregate in forests, as small outcroppings of birch break up the monotony of their hue. Through these forests stalk proud elks, moose, and reindeer; whose peaceful observances are too often broken up by the savagery of wolf packs and the occasional bear. To the far North of Epibjörd and beyond, these bears take on a polar form to fit in with their blindingly white surroundings. Scurrying among these giants, one may occasionally encounter a hare or lemming, who make their burrows deep within the snow.
Among the Gathered Summits, a paragon of life leaps, burrows, and swims. In the mountains, snug in their caves and crevices, lie a plethora of mushrooms, juniper, and thistle. The use of these diverse ingredients in alchemy often draws many an apprentice or researcher deep into the bowels of the mountains. Aspen and spruce trees nestle themselves in the valleys between the peaks, comforted by the grass they sprout from. In these mountains, goats make their home as they graze on what little grass patches exist on the peaks and plateaus of the mountains while lynxes prowl from above. Gophers make their burrows in the ground as squirrels do the trees, and beavers in the Gorndel River. Wild boar have even been seen in more green areas, harvesting truffles and whatever roughage can be found. Hawks and eagles dominate the skies with their majesty, hunting anything that moves. Mount Krounwood is a peculiar case among the others in the range, as beds of wildflowers and grasses coat the underground with torchberries dangling from the ceilings and glowcap mushrooms decorating the walls. Some explorers claim entire forests lie in the cave depths, though only a handful of people can confirm this.
South of the Gathered Summits lies a land of deciduous forests and grassy hills, though conifers such as cedars still make their presence known among the tall redwoods and oak trees. Wild berries are in abundance in these forests, alongside common shrubbery and underbrush. In these forests and among the hills roam deer, foxes, and squirrels. The occasional wolf is found, though they have recently overtaken the woods surrounding Ferrin in the past decade. Owls gaze watchfully from their burrows up above, and beavers take refuge in the many offshoots of the Arel Channel.

Natural Resources

Avondier is best known for their masterful and extensive mining systems, ranging from the Gathered Summits to the ever-growing Epigroeve in which their capital city sits. Starting in the South-East corner of the Gathered Summits, Mount Jadeførn is a veritable cornucopia of precious gems and metals. Streams of hardened magma found in the bowels of the mountain indicate that there was once a roaring river of magma that connected Mount Fi'ir to Mount Jadeførn, bringing with it the jeweled bounties of the earth. The most common gems found in Mount Jadeførn include amethyst, ruby, sapphire, citrine, emerald, peridot, garnet, aquamarine, diamond, and opal. Among these gem deposits lie clusters of gold and silver ore, as well as the occasional platinum deposit. Because of this material wealth, the mountain is sanctioned off by the city of Bartenvale.
In the far North, the capital city of Epibjörd sits upon the Epigroeve, the world's largest quarry. Every day, hundreds of tons of limestone and granite are excavated, with coal, copper, and tin deposits being dug up the nearer to the bottom miners venture. This stone is processed in Epibjörd and is shipped to all the cities on the Bay of Brinethol, particularly Bartenvale. Additional resources include oil, found in the Northern wastes; animal fat, from seals, whales, and walruses along the coasts; and pine wood, whose trade routes often stray towards Bartenvale. While these resources are the most abundant in the region, Avondier boasts its independence from other regions and has the other miscellaneous resources to back up their claims.

Map of Avondier

MAP
IN
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Type

Region

Location under

Hyctrois

A map of Avondier's cities and landmarks, created by Joveta the Swift on her visit nearly 10 years ago

Cities and Landmarks

Cities:

• Epibjörd

• Ferrin

• Bartenvale

Landmarks:

• Mount Jadeførn

• Mount Fi'ir

• Mount Krounwood

• Mount Evermüth