Steppe Climate and Culture

The north-eastern quadrant of the Empire is characterised by an incredibly long grassland that stretches as far as the eye can see.
Few trees grow in the Lower Steppe, particularly above Sage's Rest and to the east of the Dancing River , towards Lavender Point by the coast.
This area is dry and categorized by tall wheatish yellow grass that stretches past the waist of most humanoid creatures. With little tree cover gale winds blow both from the coast to the east and the mountains to the west, giving the region its colloquial name - the Golden Sea.
While still dotted with farmsteads and crops, the region is inhabited primarily by more nomadic herders, who rear the famed Rondo, as well as some of the finest horses and oxen in the Empire. These communities are constantly on the move, setting up temporary lodgings around the river and towns of the area when they wish to do trade.
To the west of the river the flat grasslands rise into a more hilly region, where the grass is shorter and crags of rock and stone are present.
Moving northward, the expansive grasslands give way quite suddenly to forested valleys surrounding the river. These valleys are difficult to traverse if not by road. In the largest valley at the intersection of many rivers lies Dol Gadmen, the Shimmering City with its dozens of waterfalls.
Off the coast, the more modern port town of Whitehaven is located, which acts as a naval base for the Empire.