Federal Province of Saralost

The Federal Province of Saralost is a major territory in North Central Tersten. It is home to the North Tersten Confederacy, and several other minor nations. Saralost is an extremely diverse province, stretching from the North Tersten Ocean to the White Ocean. It is home to countless different humans as well as several alien species including the Tikk'ykezki and the Terstnathi. For much of its history, Saralost has been divided by different powers. Its western edges served as the Pinascimate Penal Authority's furthest extent, while much of its eastern and northern territories were colonial provinces of the early Respublika Rovenya. Throughout the age of the People's Republic of Lordania, Saralost was divided and ruled by a Governor-General, who saw the land as a backwards frontier, fueling major expansion and colonisation. After the collapse of the Tersten State during the Great Revolution, the region of Saralost split into many independent nations, until its near unification in 59 PC, only 16 years ago, under the North Tersten Confederacy.

Regions

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Southern Saralost

Sulima Marshes

The Sulima Marshes lie on the northern coast of the White Ocean, and are home to the capital of the North Tersten Confederacy, Unionsville. The Suoluo River runs through the Marshes, from the Grand Tersten Bayou to its mouth near the city of Saralost. Most of the region's settlements are located along the Suoluo River, including the planned capital of Unionsville, the great city of Sulima, the port city of Saralost, the logging towns of Marbatta and Bucktooth, and the Tikk'ykezki settlements of Sestis and Parka'ak. In the west, the Saraluo River makes up the regions border with the Ainsley Hills.

Horshoe Valley

The Horshoe Valley is a relatively temperate and mountainous region of Saralost, though it stretches down to the White Ocean, where it becomes coastal, site of many sandy beaches. It is home to many settlements, the majority of which are dedicated to mining and logging. The region is controlled by the Horshoe Republic, a part of the North Tersten Confederacy, with its capital located in the Calama Mountains, close to the Federal Province of the Calama Steppe. The region is bordered by the Saratoga Plains in the north, the Calama Mountains to the east, the Great Delta to the south, and the Sulima Marshes to the west. In the middle of Horshoe is the Yellow Lake, which flows down the Iron River through Horshoe and out in the White Ocean. The settlements of Yellow Pines and Iron Valley are notable mining town settled on the banks of the river. One of the more prominent features of Horshoe is Howling Wolf Peninsula, a large peninsula on its southern coast. The Howling Wolf Peninsula takes its name from the fact that when view from above, the peninsula looks a bit like a wolf. A lot of people don't really see it, especially after towns, ports, and resorts were set up along its sheltered shores, but the name has stuck.

Saratoga Plains

The Saratoga Plains are a region of Saralost that lies to the far east of the province. It stretches from the Jacinto Plains of the Federal Province of Suzzara to the Sulima Marshes to the west. Along its northern border lies the Grand Tersten Bayou, and along its southern border lies both the Horshoe Valley and the Calama Republic. The Saratoga Plains are some of the most developed land in the North Tersten Confederacy, and it is home to two states, the República de Saratoga, and the Grotes Republik. Both are sizeable farming states, providing an abundance of food to the surrounding areas thanks to the trade agreements allowed by the Confederacy. The Saratoga Plains are dominated by the Groatsies and the Saratoga Groatsies. The difference is largely political, with Grotes Groatsies and Saratogan Groatsies. The Groatsies are the descendants of early settlers from both the Pinascimate Republic and the Respublika Rovenya, prior to the rise of the Tersten State. They speak multiple languages, and though the two nations have adopted separate 'official' languages, they are able to speak each other's easily.

Ainsley Hills

The Ainsley Hills are a region of Saralost that directly border the Concórdia Hills. This region has strong ties to its neighbouring Concórdia Republic, as well as historical ties to the old Pinascimate Penal Authority, with Fort Ainsley representing the furthest territorial expansion eastwards by the Authority. The Ainsley Hills border the Concordia Hills to the west and north, Arctica to the east, and the Grand Tersten Bayou to the south. Along the hills northern borders lies the Gulf of Arctica. The hills are divided between two states of the North Tersten Confederacy; the Republic of East Courtsend and the Ainsley Republic. The Hills are the second most populous region in Saralost, second only to the Saratoga Plains. As such, Ainsley is home to a significant number of settlements, including Great Pass; the canal-city capital of the Ainsley Republic; and Great Tarnation; the capital of East Courtsend lying at the convergence of the Waotu and the Saraluo River. In the east, the Barracuda River defines the regions border with Courtsend, just as Mount Ainsley and the Ainsley River denotes the border with Quincy. The land around Mount Ainsley is a temperate and fertile land, a relic of the ancient eruption that rendered the mountain a now extinct volcano. Settlements like Manbridge, Cleet, and Prosperity take full advantage of the land, and have grown into sizable towns. The trade routes between Ainsley and Concórdia may prove to be the first steps in the Concórdia Republic joining the North Tersten Confederacy.

Northern Saralost

Arctica

Arctica is a region of Saralost located on the Gulf of Arctica. It is home to two nations, the Kavastad Republic, with its capital Dzialy lying on the border between Arctica and the Grand Tersten Bayou; and the Republic of Arochok, with its capital Artskiy. The border in the south along the Bayou is largely temperate swamps, which become more cold and bog-like further north. In the east, the land is heavily forested, especially along the Arctican Coast, near its border with the Frozen Coast and the Great North Desert. To many people, Arctica is a cold and depressing land sandwiched between swamp and sea. But to the people that actually live there... It's pretty much the same. But that's what community is for. Dzialy is a surprisingly great night out, with lots of bars and places to drink. The city of Ebychok, part of Kavastad is noteworthy as the primary port for cruise ships that travel around the Gulf and towards the ice cap of the extreme Tersten north.

Great North Desert

The Great North Desert is a region of northern Tersten known for its harsh and inhospitable landscape. Like many of Tersten's cold deserts, it lies within a nearby mountain's rain shadow, and thus is exceptionally dry compared to the surrounding regions. It is under the control of the Republic of Arochok, though there are relatively few settlements within the Great North Desert itself. The only major noteworthy settlement is Great Isolation, on its northern coast with the North Tersten Ocean. To the east lies the Five Rivers region, within the Federal Province of Suzzara. South of the Desert lies the Great Tersten Bayou, and to the west lies the Frozen Coast. The Great North Desert was first colonised by Rovenskiy settlers, along with Arctica and the Frozen Coast.

Frozen Coast

The Frozen Coast is a collection of islands that are largely covered in a thick ice sheet. It lies directly blocking most entrances between the North Tersten Ocean and the Gulf of Arctica. Most of the islands are frozen year-round, with the exception of small pockets of land. There are many unmarked settlements and villages located all along the coastline, subsiding on fishing and trading. Talann is the only city on the Frozen Coast, and it is barely considered a city. It is effectively a year-round tourist destination for icebreaker and glacier watching tourism, as well as hiking and climbing. The Glacier Station, located at the far edge of the Frozen Coast, near its western border with the Federal Province of Tersten, is home to a sizeable research community.

Grand Tersten Bayou

The Grand Tersten Bayou is one of North Tersten's most noteworthy features. It draws a massive line across Saralost, dividing the land between the North Tersten Confederacy and independent states. It is a massive low-lying bayou focused around two major rivers, the Suoluo in the east and the Saraluo in the west. The Suoluo starts in the Five Rivers region of Suzzara, where it begins as the Vaan River before flowing into Saratoga Lake. From here, the Suoluo Falls, also known as the city of Cascada Del Souluo, marks the beginning of the Grand Tersten Bayou, where the river becomes a flat and slow body of water, moving through the land and creating many marshes on its way. This patch of the Bayou ends at the city of Sulima, where changes in geography and soil force the Suoluo to flow fast again, down into the Sulima Marshes on towards the White Ocean.
The Saraluo starts in the Pinascimate Mountains, making its way down towards the city of Great Tarnation, where it meets the Waotu and flows north towards the North Tersten Ocean. The land between Great Tarnation and the City of Prope is relatively calm and tranquil, good for boating and transportation. Like the rest of the Bayou, the lowlying flat land, as well as large volumes of mountain runoff from the north create a region of marshy, mangrovey land. As the water travels further north this side of the Bayou is exposed to a far colder climate, connecting to the Gulf of Arctica, where the land becomes incredibly foggy and marshy, and only the hardiest creatures survive. This is Tersnathi County, where the city of New Hrad'stokk is located. Bridging the two Bayous is a mountainous and boggy landscape settled by both Humans and Unathi.

Governments

The Federal Province of Saralost is divided into five independent states.

North Tersten Confederacy

The North Tersten Confederacy is a confederation of 10 political states with its capital at Unionsville. It is the largest nation in Saralost and an upcoming power in Tersten politics. The Confederacy was founded in 59PC, a relatively recent development. The North Tersten Confederacy represents a major shakeup in the balance of power in North Central Tersten. Historically, the region has been dominated by Pinascimate and Rovena, but with faith in the Republic of Tersten collapsing, the North Tersten Confederacy has come together to provide new opportunities for the typically decentralised Saralost area.

Kavastad

Kavastad, or the Kavastad Republic, is a minor nation in Northern Tersten. It is largely focused around the region of Arctica and parts of the Grand Tersten Bayou. Its capital is Dzialy, with the settlements of Ebychok and Kivastuli serving as second and third most populated towns in Kavastad. Kavastad was given the option to join the North Tersten Confederacy, but has remained independent, with ties to the Respublika Rovenya and its neighbor, Arochok.

Arochok

The Republic of Arochok Arochok, is a minor nation in Northern Tersten. Its capital, Artskiy, lies in the region of Arctica. Much of Arochok is uninhabitable, either in the form of the North Tersten Desert or the Frozen Coast. However, the settlement of Jonsgrad lies within the Grand Tersten Bayou and is one of Arochok's most profitable trading towns. Arochok has close economic and cultural ties to Rovenya, which play a key part in their reluctance to join the North Tersten Confederacy. However, as the NTC continues to grow in strength, these ties may prove to be less strong than previously thought.

Tersten Hegemony

The Tersten Hegemony represents all Unathi on Tersten, dubbed the Terstnathi. Here in Saralost, the lands around the mouth of the Saraluo are home to a large population of Hrad'Unathi, so much so that they have established the city of New Hrad'stokk in the area, named after their homelands. While the Hrad are friendly and tolerant of Humans, it is considered a very isolated and inhospitable region. While the Hrad might not want to eat humans, the vicious wildlife, deadly flora, and dangerous bogs definitely do. The Tersten Hegemony is an extremely diverse entity, with each community governed by their own local laws and customs. In the case of New Hrad'stokk, Hrad customs make the land a tolerant and welcoming place, with the Gozi faith having many shrines and temples throughout.

Katcha Republic

The Katcha Republic lies in the north-east of Saralost, largely focused around the eastern Grand Tersten Bayou and the Suoluo. The Republic takes its name from the largest island in the Bayou, the island of Katcha, where the city of Katching is located. The Katcha Republic is fiercely independent, and refused to join the Confederation even as their neighbour and closest ally, the Loving Republic, voted to join the Confederacy in 73 PC. Katcha, like the Loving Republic, is considered to be culturally Tinago. The Tinagos established their communities during the age of the Tersten State, playing their part in the Great Revolution, and remaining strongly independent since then. They, like the few other rebel cultures, are considered by the state to be cranky relics of the past who need to "get with the times". Maybe this attitude is why they don't want to be part of it.