Aphelian Plains

The Aphelian Plains is a stretch of unstable stony land that takes up most of northern Aphelia. The region is characterized by the constantly shifting ground revealing and burying innumerable ruins from before the Nightfall, as well as the constant threat of the Overgrowth.

Geography

The Aphelian Plains take up most of northern Aphelia. They are bordered on the north by the foothills of the Guardians, to the west with the coastline, to the west with the Iperal Basin, and to the southwest by the Blackwater River (there is no 'border' from Lake Hrairo to Constellation City, but as the ground here is stable, it is not considered part of the plains).
The only areas of the Aphelian Plains that are stable enough to serve as permanent markers are the Stoneteeth, a canyon characterized by its numerous stone spikes,  in the northeastern part of the plains and the Spring Crater at its dead center. Because of this stability, they are home to the only settlements in the plains themselves: Kerabaz in the Stoneteeth and Aurora Springs in the crater. Shepherd's Crown, Colossi's Bones, Cavemaw, and Alobal lie on the foothills of the Guardians on the borders of the Plains, while Obsidian City sits on the banks of the Blackwater River, serving as the main entry point to the Aphelian Plains from the south.

Fauna & Flora

Between the lack of light, heat, soil, or even stable ground, there isn't much vegetation on the Aphelian Plains, save for the Overgrowth, a massive plant-like growth that devours any and all biomass it catches, as well as occasionally breaking down minerals when it can't find any other food. Caelmali, a species of flying plants that drift on the winds and open up during lightfall, can also be found above the Plains. A few fungal and lichen growths sprout around the more stable edges. Some ruins provide homes to rare species of fungi and even a few plants, if there's light or the plants are carnivorous or omnivorous.
Animal life on the Aphelian Plains is sparse and usually migratory, including shoveljaws, nightstalkers, phase foxes, tundra hyenas, and vultures. Animals just found in the ruins include diver rats, bats, minerbirds, and numerous species of insects, some of them oversized. However, not all ruins can support animal life. 
The plains are frequented by Elder Beast activity, though only a couple can be found there regularly; others will periodically migrate through the region. There is also debate as to whether the Overgrowth can be classified as an Elder Beast as despite how bizarre it is, it is able to regrow parts of itself, consumes biomass, and has never shown to have a core.

Natural Resources

Salvaging from the ruins when they're forced out into the open provides a wealth of materials to Aphelia, from metal and fabric that can be repurposed to technology that can be rebuilt to pre-Nightfall materials such as wood and paper. While much of the salvaged material is restored or rebuilt, but some is preserved for research and cultural preservation. Some of the plants and animals found in the ruins can be collected for food.
There is some hunting of the animals found on the plains for meat, fur, leather, and bone. The Overgrowth can also be harvested for food, but it's exceedingly dangerous, and hunters run the risk of becoming food for it instead.
Some stone can be quarried from the Plains, but it's usually considered a safer investment to quarry in the more stable Guardians instead.

History

Prior to the Nightfall, the area was a grassland dotted with small clumps of trees. After the Nightfall, there was no attempt to preserve the vegetation of the region, so the cold wiped them out, followed by severe soil erosion that left the area a stony waste.

Type

Plain

Location under

Tevhetra

Owning Organization

Aphelia

Inhabiting Species

• Shoveljaw