Seren Peninsula

The Seren Peninsula is a major region of the continent of Cauron.  It is located at the extreme north-west end of Cauron, located beyond the heights of the Veinhammer Mountains.  It is characterized by low rolling hills, covered by thick jungle to the east and by fertile grasslands to the west and north.  The Seren Peninsula is named for the nation and ethnic group that migrated to the region near the end of the 3rd age.  The original inhabitants of the Seren Peninsula were gradually supplanted by the newcomers.  Today the region is hotbed for disputes between the many small nations that control the peninsula.

Geography

The landscape of the Seren Peninsula is relatively mild compared to many other locations of civilization on Cauron.  The major northern spur of the Veinhammer Mountains protected the region from the scouring of Illenhall.  So it has remained in its natural and fertile state.  The major wind primarily comes from the east for the majority of Cauron, the Veinhammer Mountains then create a 'rainshield' for a large portion of the Seren Peninsula.  This creates for a large portion of the peninsula's northern sections a landscape of rolling grass covered hills spotted with clumps of trees and other shrubs.  This particular portion of the peninsula is incredibly fertile, sporting some of the most productive fields in all of Cauron.
To the south, the Seren Peninsula is dominated by vast swaths of dense forests and jungle.  While these particular regions are most heavily within the Veinhammer Mountain's rainshadow, they are fed by winds from much further south.  For reasons that are still not fully understood, storms will be re-directed northward if they would typically make land-fall in Illenhall.  These storms slam into the western slopes of the Veinhammer Mountains and can drop torrential rain on the region.  The season for storms such as these typically occurs between Anitedant and Celina.  While the storms do regularly pass over the shorter peaks of the north-western spur of the Veinhammer range and drop considerable rain in the high-valleys of the Vallen region, storms will on occasion remain over the southern region of the Seren Peninsula.  At times such as these rainfall in excess of 35 inches over the course of the entire season.

Ecosystem

The variety of wildlife between regions of the Seren Peninsula can be vast.  In the heavily agrarian regions to the north-west, many native species have either been hunted into extinction or driven to small and isolated regions that lack the necessary infrastructure for large-scale farming operations to be profitable.  These isolated portions in the north-west are one of the few places where the rare Seren Lion is known to roam.  A creature that has still managed to thrive despite the local's best attempts would be the massive Lea-Strider.  This flightless bird can reach heights of well over 4 meters and can outrun a well-seasoned race horse easily.  Their size and speed make them difficult to hunt or capture, and while it has been attempted multiple times, War-Lea have near universally ended with the bird on top of its rider, rather than the intended situation.
To the south of the Seren Peninsula, the ecology is far more varied.  As the dense jungle prevents large-scale farming to the level that is possible in the north, along with the generally poorer soil conditions has allowed far greater areas to remain relatively untouched.  These vast swaths of forest are home a vast variety of animals, both natural and unnatural.  The ruins of a 3rd Age civilization are located along and within the peaks of the North-Western spur of the Veinhammer Mountains.  It is believed by many scholars in the Serentaraq capital of Baendar Eban that many of the more 'exotic' creatures of the jungles of southern Seren were originally fabricated by this civilization.

Ecosystem Cycles

All of the Seren Peninsula is affected by the seasonal monsoons, the south is affected significantly more by these storms, but the large rain storms can and regularly strike the entirety of the peninsula.

History

It is unknown when the first inhabitants came to the regions.  Unlike other areas such as Jjyorkvald which retain numerous and significant ruins dating back to the 1st Age or even older, the Seren Peninsula has few if any ancient ruins.  The majority of ancient structures date from the late 2nd Age, or more commonly the 3rd Age.  This lack of information in the region from the ancient ages of the world has lead to missing pieces of information that historians are attempting to find.
As best understood the Seren Peninsula was inhabited prior to the 1st Age, whatever culture first inhabited the region left very little in the way of evidence to its existence.  These first human inhabitants seemed to be localized to the Bay of Cair region.  Local universities have spear-headed research into this most-ancient civilization and have discovered nearly a dozen archeological sites that belonged to this civilization.  Research indicates that this civilization existed possibly prior to the 1st Age to sometime early in the first age.  It is unknown why this civilization disappeared, but it seems that it ended quite suddenly and abruptly.
Research has found a few other scattered evidence for 1st era but nothing concrete.  As the world moved into the 2nd Age and the Great Divine War began, civilization in the Seren Peninsula rapidly advanced.  A civilization known as the Siurites came to dominate the majority of the peninsula.  As the war progressed the cultures and groups that inhabited the Seren peninsula became more diverse, but that progress was cut short during the Scouring of Cauron.  While the peninsula was sheltered thanks to the North-Western spur of the Veinhammer mountains, records indicate that nearly 1 in 3 individuals perished in the direct aftermath of the Scouring.
In the wake of the Great Divine War and at the start of the 3rd Age, the peninsula was granted a period of relative peace.  Histories show that during the early years of the 3rd age that only a single rupture occurred within the borders of the Seren Peninsula.  This allowed for a variety of advanced, magical societies to begin flourishing.  This all changed in the mid years of the 3rd age.  The destruction of the kingdom of Vallenkiach lead to a mass migration from the mountain-valley kingdom.  The peninsula received a vast influx of refugees swelling the population and introducing a new and still powerful culture.  Over the course of the next millennia the Vallen ethnic group came to dominate the peninsula, eventually conquering the entirety of the peninsula.  This nation would however meet its end in the Storm of Chanting Nights which brought about the end of the 3rd Age.
In the 4th age, the Seren Peninsula is a fragmented area, split between numerous states each vying for power.  They all hold to the common heritage of the Vallen group that migrated to the region.  Each nation claims dominion over the entirety of the peninsula and border wars are common.  Turmoil is a constant state for the many nations of the peninsula due in part to a common aspect of their governments.  Powerful noble houses and clans have enormous power within the nations of the Seren peninsula and the leaders of each nation are not passed down through a single line.  Each house and clan makes plays for the throne to have their chosen representative chosen to be elevated.  As such, the elements in power can shift suddenly and wildly.

Type

Peninsula

Location under

Cauron

Owning Organization

Serentaraq