Nalanosa

In the southernmost reaches of The Eye lie a once-fertile land, now covered in ice and snow, where life engages in a constant, unforgiving struggle for survival. Many species that the land used to share with Ristshan while the two continents were still connected have died out here. Those that remain have been hardened by the long winter, be they beasts or men. Nalanosa is controlled by the Nalanosan Federation, a tight-knit group of fishermen, hunters, and builders of an assortment of mortal races. This control is as-yet uncontested due in large part to the disinterest any other potential settlers have in the region's harsh climate. In fact, even the Federation has no hold on the polar south, which they accurately dub The End of the World.

Geography

Nalanosa includes the southern polar ice cap of The Eye, though the habitable expanse of the region is a horn jutting from the landmass of the ice cap at a similar latitude to Ristshan. Even this region is predominantly tundra, with some coniferous forests and rocky beaches around the northern tip. In the wider center of the horn, the polar ice sheet encroaches upon the inland, though miles of inland area on either side is merely caked in snow. Some cold rivers exist, formed by meltwater lakes further inland and reaching the sea in rocky deltas. Remnants of smaller rivers that have frozen over entirely are also present. Icebergs are abundant around the area where the horn meets the polar cap, a phenomenon that is often depicted on maps as if the horn is bursting from the central mass. This is, however, largely an artistic depiction, and no serious effort has been made to map out the distribution of the floating ice. The terrain is predominantly very flat, with the occasional crack in the inland ice sheets forming ravines of sorts, and some coastal cliffs existing. Finally, the temporary meltwater lakes can leave depressions, and wind can create dunes of powdery snow. In these ways, the landscape seems to constantly flow and shift, making navigation difficult.

Fauna & Flora

Natural wildlife in the region is in some ways linked to that of Ristshan - with large white bears, foxes, rodents, and caribou featuring prominently. These camouflage themselves in the snow and sometimes take refuge in the scarce coniferous forests of the region, while the bears sometimes fish on the coasts or rivers. Dogs are also a frequent sight in the region, having been domesticated from the polar wolves for hunting, security, and transportation by the Nalanosan Federation's people. Others, especially those that live or hunt in the water, are more unique to the continent. Seals and penguins are present in the region, frequently spending time on the bordering icebergs rather than the main landmass and living on fish (and, in the case of seals, penguins themselves). Hulking mammoths also roam near the forests, thriving upon the plant life there with limited opposition. Plant life takes the form of scarce shrubs, flowering plants, and the aforementioned conifers, along with mosses that grow tenaciously on riverbanks and coasts. There is little worth farming that will grow in Nalanosa, though the local caribou, mammoths, and rodents alike find them sufficient. Common saltwater fish are present in the surrounding waters, while stranger and lesser-known aquatic life is said to dwell within the frozen lakes. Deeper inland and in the polar south are said to be far greater monsters, which only occasionally move north to feed. Beings sustained by planar magics and unconcerned with the scarcity of food, strange silhouettes in the mist. Some Nalanosans will swear they have seen monstrosities that can carry away a mammoth and spectral figures that lead the lost away to their doom, but little is truly known about what rests at the End of the World, inaccessible as it is by land or sea.

Natural Resources

The primary resources accessible to the Nalanosans are animal fat and blubber, a relatively small amount of usable timber, and an abundance of fish. Meat, furs, ivory, and horn are also regularly sold, as the pure white furs of some native species are considered desirable by many foreigners. Significant reserves of iron, copper, and even gold have been magically located beneath the ice, but only local dwarves see any interest in mining for them. No outside government nor group so far has considered mining on the inhospitable continent to be a worthwhile investment. Barring newer or more effective methods of both wresting the metals from the frozen earth and transporting them across the sea, this seems unlikely to change in the near future.

Type

Continent

Included Organizations