Nastkaanda

The region of Alnn that is flanked to the south and west by the Northern Entas Mountains and by the sea to the north and east. The landscape is dominated by large, steep hills spotted with large rock outcroppings. It has virtually no forests across its landscape but is populated with short hardy brushes and grasses. It is also home to a unique plant known as a Quarts Arm. These plants have the appearance of large leafless trees made of crystal-like materials. They naturally absorb sunlight during the summer months where sunlight is plentiful and release it during the winter months. These Quarts Arms serve as one of the unique economic factors of the nation that dominates the region.
The country of Kaanvacc is an isolationist country mainly comprised of Half-Orcs. Half-Orcs consider it their ancestral lands and visitors are rarely given the opportunity to stay for longer than a couple of months. Their cities are usually built on the leeward sides of the rock spires that dot the landscape. A number of their society is nomadic, roaming the hills over the course of the year.

Geography

The majority of Nastkaanda is a very rugged, broken, and hilly terrain. The low rolling hills are interspersed with massive spires of rock, some of which reach over 100 feet. These large spires continue throughout the region, eventually making it to the northern sea, where they form the Ice Spire Reef. The soil in the majority of Nastkaanda is not very deep, with bedrock being found only a few dozen feet below the surface. Additionally, due to this thin layer of soil, the region is crossed by a multitude of small streams. These streams only connect to form large rivers within close proximity to the sea, leaving the majority of Nastkaanda without navigable waterways. While the region is bordered to both the south and west by the Entas Mountains, the northern peaks are not a steep as they can be to the south. This leaves a significant portion of the mountainsides open to more flora and fauna.
The region is also suffused with geothermal activity with hundreds of locations across the region producing geysers, hot springs, or other forms of natural heat. With the region spotted with small streams, in some areas these small rivers can be heated near to boiling. This geothermal activity also helps keep the shallow streams flowing in the harsh winters the region experiences.

Fauna & Flora

Given the region's latitude and relative lack of rainfall, most plants, and animals that call the region home must be sturdier and smaller than their cousins found in northern Kallaan. The region is dominated by short and tough grasses that rarely grow to more than a foot in length. This shorter grass allows shrubs to grow, sprouting up in small clumps in the fields. These shrubs also form miniature forests around hot springs, some stream banks, and within the lee of the large rock spires.
Nastkaanda also is home to some unique flora, most notably the Quartz Arms and it's family of plants. Quartz arms grow similar to small trees but the material it is made of is similar to pink quartz stone. The plant's surface is similar to an uncut gemstone, with small buds jutting along its surface and from the tips of branches. A similar plant called Quartz Rose and a third plant known as Quartz Moss are made of similar materials. These plants all operate very similarly, their entire body absorbs light during the long days of summer and release it during nights and the longer nights of winter. The plants then glow with soft pink light, during this period all three plants open up flowers, large white lily-like flowers for Quartz Arm, small dense purple rose-like flowers for Quartz Rose, and minuscule blue flowers for Quartz Moss.

Alternative Name(s)

Land of Stone Thorns, The Broken North, Home of the Orcs

Type

Region

Location under

Alnn

Included Organizations

• Kaanvaac

Owning Organization

Kaanvaac