Aurorium

Aurorium is the northernmost region within the Atathian Empire, located on the northern continent. It is named after the beautiful and fantastic auroras that cover the sky during the night.

Geography

Aurorium is located in the northwest of the northern continent. It is divided into two halves: Upper Aurorium and Lower Aurorium. A mountain range, known as the Vindvegg, divides the two halves.
Lower Aurorium is a taiga forest, with endless miles of ancient trees. The largest settlement in the area is Ceteum with a population of 15,000. Ceteum acts as the primary port for imports and exports for the province. Other human settlements of Atathian settlers or native Skjoldr dot the area. Lower Aurorium has a large iron mine which is the centerpiece of its economy, although industries also trade in whales, fish, lumber, ivory, and furs. The land is not suited for farming, with local food produced through hunting, fishing, and foraging. Traditional Atathian foods are imported.
Upper Aurorium is a desolate tundra and the inhabitants are hardy or desperate. The limited economy is based off of fishing, hunting, and mining. Valuable deposits of gems and gold have been found, prompting prospectors and others to come to the region. Furs and ivory are also collected for trade. Trees are scarce in much of the tundra, except for in three specific groves. Rivers run through Upper Aurorium, including through several lakes.
The colonial settlements in Upper Aurorium include:

• Aquae Lucidae: Population 150. Aquae Lucidae is a small town, focused on seasonal fishing and gold panning. The town buildings are built on stilts to deal with flooding in the spring and summer. The town was burnt by the Jarl of Ashes and Tiger Tribe in 6512, and has since been rebuilt.
• Castellum: Population 100. Castellum is named after the Atathian fortification, the Castellum Arcto, which sits on a prominent position on a hill with great visibility. The town mostly consists of services for the Castellum and residences for the families of the Legionaries. In 6512, the garrison was killed by Elven rebels. The local hero Helvius Marinia is from the town.
• Colonia Civium Ahenobarbum: Population 1,500. Colonia Civium Ahenobarbum (or Ahenobarbum for short) is the largest town in Upper Aurorium. Trade coming to or from Lower Aurorium passes through Ahenobarbum, as it is the first city on the other side of the Summer Pass. The Firetongue Kobolds now live beneath the surface of Ahenobarbum.
• Elysium: Population 0. Elysium was a small insular village, dedicated to unorthodox worship of the "Angel of the Stones". In 6512, the Angel was revealed to be the demon Soltinnir. Many residents died in fighting, and the village remains abandoned to this day.
• Ensomskog: Population 75. Ensomskog lies alongside a small forest and the primary industry is logging. The wood is primarily used for construction, not for fuel. Many of the settlers are of Skjoldr descent. In 6512, the town was repeatedly harassed by servants of Auril, and later, Elven rebels aligned with the Tiger Tribe.
• Honungheim: Population 100. Honungheim is the primary source of alcohol, specifically mead, for Upper Aurorium. It was founded by a group of Skjoldr tribesmen. Bees are common in the summer and provide the honey for the mead. No other alcohol is produced locally and must be imported. In 6512, Honungheim was spared the worst of the devastation as heroes fought back the threats to the town.
• Lapidium: Population 600. Lapidium is named after the gem mines in this town. There is a significant mine complex which excavates rubies for export. The mine is operated by the Imperial Mining Company, which is the largest private entity in the town and employs most of the population. In 6512, the town was evacuated. After the Winter, many of the miners started new lives in other parts of Aurorium. The Imperial Mining Company made large investments to reopen the mines and rebuild the town, including recruiting new workers from Atathia proper.
• Lux Sancta: Population 150. Lux Sancta was the site of a ruined monastery which was devastated in the Northern War. In 6512, the town faced many threats but overcame them due to the timely intervention of heroes and the determination of two local scouts.
• Noviodunum: Population 900. Noviodunum is the second largest town in Upper Aurorium. It is known for its deep harbor, allowing for larger ships for fishing. A wall surrounds the town and the harbor. In 6512, the town
• Osterheim: Population 300. Osterheim was a large fishing town, primarily populated by Skjoldr. In 6512, the town was burned by Tiger Tribe warriors. Nearly all of the Osterheim Militia died in fighting the Tiger Tribe. The Osterheim Militia and their leader Dag Ulfsson are local legends, but the town never recovered from the devastation. Many former Osterheim residents now live in other Aurorium towns.

Although Upper Aurorium is claimed by Atathia, many are the people who do not recognize its rule. Skoldjr tribal nomads live their lives as they always have. The Dwarven clanhold of Dun Nuraval mines within their mountains and cliffs. Goliaths live upon the mountain peaks.  The Icewander tribe of Dragonborn retains their independence, but they are now closer linked to the Atathian colonists following the events of 6512.
The primary connection between Upper Aurorium and Lower Aurorium is the Summer Pass. During winter months, snow fall makes the Pass unusable, but after snow melt in the Spring, the Pass is cross able until snows fall again later that year. Similarly, Upper Aurorium can be reached through the ocean, but during winter months sea ice forms making the route unnavigable.
Together, this means that the economy and trade to Upper Aurorium is seasonal. Upper Aurorium tends to stock up on food and other key essentials to survive through the winter, only to trade their gems, gold, and other goods in a flurry of merchant activity in the summer.

Ecosystem Cycles

Snow from the mountains and glaciers melts in the Spring, filling the rivers and lakes of Aurorium. Plants bloom after the snow retreats, and the lands are green during the summer. In Lower Aurorium, the summer brings new growth in the trees. In Upper Aurorium, the ice in the ground melts, giving the region a marshy appearance. Grasses and small shrubs blossom across the region.
Many animals have adapted to this seasonal growth. These creatures eat during the summer with the intention of preparing for the long winter.

Localized Phenomena

Upper Aurorium has been afflicted by an unnatural darkness and winter through the year. It is normal for the sun to not rise upon Aurorium in the dead of winter, and for the sun to never set in midsummer. This year, the sun never returned after the winter. A darkness and eternal winter has fallen over the land. Communication with Lower Aurorium has been broken and the province can only speculate as to what is occurring in Upper Aurorium.
In recent years, a new mineral became common in the area. Nicknamed Demon Ice, these crystals had magical properties, able to absorb and store magical effects. A small boom occurred as new prospectors and miners moved to the area. However, the Demon Ice was tainted, leading those who possessed it to madness. The growing trade ended as quickly as it began.

Fauna & Flora

Elk, moose, reindeer, and mammoths are the main large herbivores in the region. Natural predators include polar bears, brown bears, wolves, sabertooth tigers, crag cats, griffons, and owl bears.
In freshwater, knucklehead trout are a common catch. In the oceans, whales, seals, sea wolves, and walruses are common.

History

Giant Wars:
The region saw multiple battles during the Giant Wars between the Dwarves and their Skjoldr allies and the Giants. The largest of these was the destruction of Dun Creige, which was sacked by Frost Giants.
Reign of the Witch Queen:
Aurorium was ruled by the Witch Queen in ancient times, who is said to have had command over both demons and fey. Her tyrannical reign lasted for decades, until a group of heroes slew the Witch Queen. The heroes are memorialized in the Saga of the Witch Slayers, and the hero who hit the killing blow is recognized as St. Ivarr.
Atathian Colonization:
The Atathian Empire lost much during the Demonic Invasion and the chaos that followed. Not least among these losses was access to a regular supply of iron. New iron mines were needed to properly equip the Legions for the defense and expansion of the Empire.
100 years ago, the Atathian Emperor signed a treaty with the High King of the Hjalgrim Kingdom. In the Aurorium Purchase, the Hjalgrim Kingdom agreed to give the Atathian Empire the surface lands of what is now Aurorium. In return, the Hjalgrim Kingdom received a significant sum of wealth.
The clanhold of Dun Nuraval bears a century old grudge against the Atathian colonists. While the High King had the right to conduct the Treaty under Dwarven law, the clan felt that they were not properly compensated for the loss of the lands surrounding their Clanhold. They refuse to trade with the Atathians and their demeanor for others ranges from unfriendly to hostile.
Initial Atathian colonization focused on Lower Aurorium and the iron mines. Later waves of colonists began to set up settlements in Upper Aurorium, after prospectors found the gem and gold deposits. There are rumors of a secret Atathian prison in Upper Aurorium.
Northern War:
The most recent conflict in the province was ten years ago, when the Jarl of Ashes, Bjornhild Solvigsdottir of the Tiger Tribe, launched a series of brutal attacks on Atathian settlements. Her attacks overran the initial defense and pillaged large sections of Noviodunum and Lux Sancta. Legio XXI reinforcements were brought from the south, which defeated her forces in open battle at Ahenobarbum. The Queen and her tribe were forced to flee into the tundra, where they managed to evade Legion pursuit. An uneasy peace has lasted since with the Tribe and Atathian defenses have been increased at Ahenobarbum, Castellum, and Noviodunum. The conflict is now known as the Northern War.
Eternal Winter:
The winter of 6511 never stopped in Upper Aurorium, and the region was blanketed in darkness and ice throughout 6512. Legatus Varius Ahenobarbus mobilized forces to respond to the situation, and sent an expedition led by his son Centurion Thracius Ahenobarbus, into the north. The expedition was accompanied by a group of specialists. The expedition was almost immediately attacked by Auril, Goddess of Winter, who wounded Thracius. The specialists saved Centurion Ahenobarbus' life. In the months that followed, the Ten Municipia were attacked by servants of Auril, including the Tiger Tribe, as well as the Trueborn. A desperate alliance of kobolds, dragonborn, and the Atathians repelled the invasion. The winter was eventually stopped after a climatic battle at the Great Glacier. In the aftermath, the Municipia were rebuilt, but the destruction of the winter permanently changed the region.

Type

Region

Included Locations

• Ceteum
• Colonia Civium Ahenobarbum

Owning Organization

Atathian Empire

Related Ethnicities

• Skjoldr

Contested By

• Hjalgrim Kingdom

Inhabiting Species

• Kobold