Frozen Wastes

The Northern Frozen Wastes are steeped in mystery and shrouded in death. Explorers to this cold land speak of a landscape dotted with ruins from ancient human and elven civilizations. It is always winter, blanketing the land in snow and ice, yet rivers remain unfrozen, glaciers still melt, and large herds of herbivores survive unimpeded.
There are no permanent settlements. Most outposts are functional for only a few months during the year when the snow and ice storms ease off. Exploration is taken at the expense of those leaving the last few vestiges of civilization. Hunting is the only way to survive as no mortal tools can cut through the snow and ice to find the vegetation thriving beneath. The people that are native to the area are nomadic, rarely staying in one place for longer than a month.
Some unfortunate, grisly landmarks are the remains of past expeditions. There is Gunthak's Folly, a rare Orc party that had gone north in search of land for his clan only to meet their end in the harsh cold. Goldtooth's Rest is a Dwarven campsite that was caught in a freak storm that froze the explorers instantly. The Red Boots are the only visible part of a human expedition that can be seen poking out of the ground. While unclear what happened, the boots remain firmly attached to the poor soul's feet and no amount of magic or force can remove them.
For those that do manage to reach the ruins, there are treasures beyond imagining. Ancient magic items of immense value lay hidden within the ruins, waiting for a chance to see the light of day. Often, these items are brought to museums to be displayed and identified as most exploration parties find that they make for poor use in the modern world as they have strange properties. One explorer, a prominent Paladin, lament that he could not use a Light Blessed Sword because it would only stay lit when the moon was in its waning phase, becoming brittle and inert the rest of the month. Another item, a Necklace of Poison-Stopping, only worked if the wearer was already suffering from poison, completely negating the point. 
Most adventurers agree that the journey to the ruins is often the best part. While minor treasures can be kept to the benefit of those that find them, the ruins are an archeological dream, but a nightmare to anyone hoping for a powerful ancient weapon.

Type

Desert, Ice