The Kaltzreich

West of Vitstotten lies the region known as the Kaltzreich, a frigid expanse of tundra at the foot of the Himmelfjäll mountain range. The Kaltzreich is by a large margin, the coldest and most inhospitable province in the empire. Nearly the entirety of the Kaltzreich is blanketed with a thick layer of snow year round, save for some of the southernmost fishing villages, who see less than two months of thawed ground per year. The eastern coast of the Kaltzreich is composed of colossal glaciers, with nomadic icebergs drifting off the coast as far as the eye can see. These ice floes are home to small fishing villages, none of which can be marked on the map as the ice floes that they are built upon constantly change position based on the current of the Nomad Sea. Despite its small population, the Kaltzreich is the home of the most profitable mining trade in the world due to the high concentration of rare metals mined in the mountains.Population is sparse here, but this region is home to the largest mining industry in the world.
The largest mines, most notable among them being Eisenhall, have been expanding for centuries, as the people of the Kaltzreich dig deeper and deeper into the earth. Cities sprouted up around these mines and have grown ever since, and are where the majority of the population resides. The blacksmiths of the Kaltzreich are known for their unique smithing style that combines transmutation magic with basic smithing principles, providing the finest machinery and weaponry in the Empire.

Geography

Above ground, the Kaltzreich is a barely habitable arctic expanse, but the sprawling mines in the mountains are bustling with activity. The western coast of the province is a labyrinthine maze of glaciers, mountains, and icebergs. There are numerous isolated villages along the coast, home to more primitive northmen who survive by and hunting the coastal sea creatures that swim beneath the ice sheets. Many of these villages are built on large icebergs, and drift along the coast detached from land.

Natural Resources

The primary export from the Kaltzreich are iron, adamantine, gold, silver, rare-earth metals, gems, and other mineral exports. There is also an active smithing trade, though typically these smiths will move to more populated areas to make better use of their craft. There are still a select few smiths in the Kaltzreich so deeply rooted in their trade that they refuse to ever leave their ancestral home, and their black smithing skills are said to be unmatched.