Vaskir

The Frozen Isle of Giants & Dragons

Vaskir, south of the continent of Arna, is just large enough to be considered an island-continent and not just a very large series of islands. They are cold and mountainous and dominated by Giants- the leader of which is known regionally simply as The Cloud King. To the far north the weather is a bit milder and does thaw out in the summer and this is where most of the people of the region live. Before the Event these islands were a part of the mainland of Arna and portions of it were even a part of the original woodland of Astrithyr. Very old remains of elvish settlements can be found here, buried under the snow.

Vaskira

In the north, the region known as Vaskira, small populations of humans and dwarves subsist mainly along the coast. Some are skilled trappers and hunters and fur is, understandably, an important trade. Some Twilight Elves from Kalara also live here, at least in the larger towns. The humans here are descended from the Södra people and share ancestry with the folks who live on the Wild South of Arna. Most historians believe this area, when still a part of the main continent, was probably one of the first elvish regions taken over by conquering humans. There are documents which reference the human mageocracies of Wittendal, Dracht, and Ammen that were likely at least partially located in this region before sinking below the waves of the Twin Seas. The people still largely speak a variant of the original Ammenian language and Common is actually not so common once you leave the trade towns. Also, like the Wild South, large portions of the land in Vaskira (mostly in the west) were befouled by magic during the Event. That region (called the Scarred Taiga) has been largely abandoned due to the issues with the undead and most folks in Vaskira live in northeastern port towns situated around Bolvar Bay or along the Vester River and it's large lake source. Probably a solid 60% of the human populace lives in one large city- Kuvasjer. It is probably the only settlement that could be considered a city. It's sizable population relies heavily on imports to sustain it and its also where probably 95% of all foreign ships make berth. The people rely heavily on produce and grains shipped from the Wild South or Kalara because the growing season here is so very short. They also rely on trade from the Kvituvian isles for ore and metal. No one dares attempt to mine the mountains to the south.  Kuvasjer has the most racial and cultural diversity, though that doesn't mean much. Most of the dwarves who live here are descended from those who were ousted from their ancestral mountainous stronghold (Halamor) long ago when the giants took this area over. Some unfortunate dwarves ended up enslaved and working under the mountains at the behest of the frost and fire giants therein. Occasionally escaped dwarven slaves arrive in Vaskira and there are some pockets of these individuals who plot and scheme ways to overthrow the Giants. The vast, vast majority of Vaskiran dwarves, however, have lost all ties to their heritage and have simply accepted a new non-mining related lifestyle and many don't even worship dwarvish gods any longer. Their loss of the old stronghold predates the Event by several centuries.
There is no official national governing body in Vaskira. Most towns govern themselves, though some hamlets exist under the protection of nearby larger towns and answer to them. Many villages out in the wilderness, lumber towns and hunting outposts, are affiliated with a given town. Life is simple here- survive. Down here the days are short, the summers shorter, and the weather bitter and windy. The people are tough and they have to make an effort to find what little pleasures and enjoyment they can. The biggest pastimes in this region are telling tall tales, drinking heavily, and gambling. Though they do their best to keep their citizens protected, most don't have particularly long lifespans- especially the fishermen and hunters that everyone relies on for subsistence. In Vaskir there are far more beasts than men and the weather can kill even faster than them if someone is unlucky or ignorant. Just traveling from one town to another is a dangerous ordeal that must be well prepared for. This does contribute to the overall dour and "realist" attitudes many people seem to have. Some turn to religion and at least attempt an optimistic view of life, praying heavily to Tulmar and Bruselle mostly. The majority of these people never leave their hometown or the safety of their walls, not unless they have a very good reason. Though sailing the turbulent Twin Seas surely has its dangers, only the very brave work in the interior of the region, facing winter wolves, giant white bears and of course the occasional hostile Giant or white dragon.
With the slow but steady growth of the populace here, imports have become crucial. Though foreign ships are common, newcomers that stay are actually quite rare. Locals may be reserved towards anyone different, especially those who are not human, dwarf, or elf, as they hardly ever see someone who does not fall within these parameters. Tritons and Genasi are common enough to avoid this potential complication. While they do tend to distrust outsiders, they also love and appreciate anyone who is genuinely helpful. They are tight knit communities that understand they must work together to survive and anyone with team spirit can be a welcome addition. The local sentiment towards magic is roughly the same as in the Wild South- they don't trust or care for it, but they probably won't string you up for it unless you actively use it against them. Its very rare for someone around here to be well versed in learned arcane magic. They certainly don't teach it here- in fact much of the population is illiterate. That said, druids. clerics, and some sorcerers do walk among them and some are very well respected for the assistance they are capable of providing with their magical talents. They especially revere druids who can manifest food, heal illness, and quell animals.

The Halamor Mountains and Beyond

The large frozen mountains historically called the Halamor Mountains are called Konge Fjell by their new inhabitants, the Giants of Isekalta. According to myth, Giants once roamed every inch of E'ahnna, ruled it even, until their war with the dragons and humans and the gods. Now this is the only place you are likely to find them in great numbers- at least on this side of the planet. The smaller and less intelligent of their kind, the hill giants and other various giantkin, can be found worldwide (albeit rarely). Only here do you run into the more sophisticated flavors of giant and enough of them to have a culture and an identity as a people. They are civilized, but that doesn't mean they are tolerant or kind. In their eyes, all other lifeforms exist to serve them, and they keep a lot of servants. Just take a gander into their mines- you wont find giants working them. Thankfully, they do not actively threaten the major coastal settlements, seeing them as just too far away to bother with. Those who live closer to the mountains, like those settled on Zemya Lake, will occasionally have tribute demanded of them- a kind of tax to allow them to remain so close to their territory. They have additionally laid claim to the wilderness south of the mountains (which are too cold for humans and others to live long term anyhow). The snow here never melts and not many creatures are able to subsist in these wastes other than white dragons, who the giants love to hunt. They hold a bit of a grudge and for this reason no white dragon here has ever lived long enough to reach an "ancient" age. There are some loosely affiliated tribes of Goliaths who pay tribute to the giants that also hunt in the icy wastes. Sometimes their clans briefly move northward and come into conflict with the Vaskirans. According to some stories, mythical Yeti also live here, but these are surely just stories. Most giants live within the mountains and largely out of sight but there is one exterior settlement within the caldera of the largest mountain, called Voninhjerte. This city is situated around a large frozen lake at it's center. This is where the throne of the Cloud King is said to be situated- at the top of the world (Skjultskatt Mountain) where he belongs. There is also rumored to be a mysterious sky castle that hovers over these mountains, and depending on who you talk to it's Giant inhabitants can be either benevolent or cruel. Then again, the Vaskirans love their tall tales.
To the far, far south are the icelands- floating ice fields that stretch on far past the continent. The southern, inhospitable second-largest island of Alvesund is home to a large population of artistic stone giants who are removed from the main island of Vaskir, as well as significantly more numbers of white dragons. It is also home to an odd group of Moon Elves who live in a strangely lush forest (completely unknown to the general population of Vaskir). Though mostly they stay hidden down here, there have been stories of strange pale elves in the forests of Vaskira- mostly chalked up to be local cryptids or fake rumors. In truth they arrived centuries ago from an island somewhere far to the southeast- a place their first ancestors in E'ahna had gone to and never left. For whatever reason they did and they made landfall here. They don't remember anything of their home island or where it was, as this knowledge was seemingly wiped from their minds over time. They do know that they have no interest in mingling or meeting others not of their own kind. They keep to themselves down here quite peaceably. Only the neighboring stone giants know of their existence as fact. They appear fairly immune to the cold and don't even dress in protective furs. Most of them wield natural magic easily, growing food even here in the tundra. They also, apparently, have a sort of kinship with the white dragons of this region. Some have even claimed to view an elf riding upon one.

Other Islands

To the east is a large archipelago called the Kvituvan Isles, home to a number of nomadic hunting tribes and an unspeakable number of sunken ships within the surrounding channels. The past few centuries they've been slowly moving further into Vaskira and have established a number of fishing towns like Katma and Nushatak to the east, some assimilating with the native Vaskirans. They tend to devoutly worship their own gods and they aren't keen on converting others or even divulging anything of their religion to outsiders. They tend to see themselves as a 'chosen' people of their gods and don't like the thought of sharing that with others. Early on, when they first began roaming the mainland, there were bloody conflicts with the Vaskirans. It was only after a few generations of bloody spats that they managed to come to an accord. Nowadays this animosity has faded and few still hold serious grudges, thankfully. That doesn't mean there aren't some intolerant individuals among each group. Though there has been some natural intermingling, they have largely remains two peoples with very very different cultures and ideals. Though the Kvituvans have settled portions of the east in a very "Vaskiran" way, (building ports and mining settlements) that's about where the similarities end. Kvituvans rely heavily on hunting and trapping as opposed to fishing- far more so than the Vaskirans. They do not rely on imports and in a strange way see that as "cheating". They don't think the Vaskirans deserve their claim to a land they so fear. They see them huddling in their towns for safety and laugh at this fear and weakness. These people come from the strong bloodlines who have climbed the food chain- the real survivors- they hunt the wolves, not the other way around. They don't rely on anyone but themselves.
Imber Island (to the west) is not always considered a part of Vaskira - those who attempt to enter it are never heard from again and it is considered cursed by most. It is infamous for the strange and violent magic that surrounds it so most boats try to avoid the Wildspell Channel. The isle of Trollsk also belongs to the Vaskiran Isles but it is somewhat rocky and uninhabited by anything but a few haunted ruins.

Government / Leaders
Individual city-states with various types of government. Some cities have a flag but not all.
Largest Populations:
Giants & Goliaths (30%), Humans (40%), Mountain Dwarves (25%), Other (5%)
Largest Cities:
Kuvasjer (Human, Dwarf), Nushatak (Human, Dwarf), Voninhjerte (Giantkin)

Largest Trades / Exports:
Seafood, Pelts