Devoj

The Devoj Wilderness is a region located in the far northeast of Kashura. It is one of the most isolated regions of the continent, separated from the rest of Kashura in the west by The Worldspine and in the south by The Emerald Sea. With the exception of naval travel, Devoj is only reachable through a select few mountain-passes which pass through The Worldspine: Higurds pass, The Northwind Pass and The Wounded Pass.
Most of The Devoj Wilderness consists of densely forested land, and it is by most estimates the largest continuous forested area on Kashura.
The Devoj Wilderness is the homeland of The Elven Strain, which has inhabited this part of the world since time immemorial.
Outside Devoj itself and the lands in its immediate vicinity there is generally very little known about this part of the world, though when people do talk about it, they generally differentiate between 4 distinct regions:

The Northern Wilds:

As the name suggests, The Northern Wilds are the northernmost part of The Devoj Wilderness. They stretch from The Auroras and The Icewind Gulf in the west to The Osamar in the east, and are mostly separated from the rest of Devoj by vast mountain chains such as The Sagora Mountains and The Severos Mountains.
These mountains serve as a barrier, keeping the icy cold northern winds from penetrating deeper inland.

Climate:

The Northern Wilds are generally known to be quite cold. Most of the region sports subarctic to arctic climate, with temperatures rarely reaching above 0C (32F) even during the warmest calm seasons. Temperatures can drop as low as -40C (-40F) during the calm seasons and as low as -60C (-72F) during the harsher ones. Blizzards and flash freezes are quite common and avalanches often happen on and near the many mountain chains of this region.

Population:

The Northern Wilds are generally the most sparsely populated region of The Devoj Wilderness, with most of its population being concentrated around The Icewind Gulf as, despite its name, it has some of the mildest climates in the entire region. Somewhat regular rain- snowfall and wind patterns allow for such things as permanent settlements and even agriculture for at least parts of the year, though of course on a relatively small scale.
The people inhabiting this region almost entirely consist of Zoryavela Elves and by most estimates number somewhere around 75.000-125.000.

Polities:

The Only Polities of any note in The Northern Wilds can be found around The Icewind Gulf:
First among these is the city of Karsk, the largest population center in The Northern Wilds. With both access to fresh water and the open sea, protected by The Sagora Mountains on almost all sides and residing over what is most likely the largest stretch of arable land in all of The Northern Wilds, Karsk is well-positioned to be the dominant power of the region.
As of 32 SF it’s population numbers around 9.000 people, almost all of them Zoryavela Elves.
Stegarask is located in a hilly valley on the westernmost parts of The Icewind Gulf, nested between The Auroras, The Worldspine and The Sagora Mountains. It is also located relatively close to The Northwind Pass, and is the main stop for traders, merchants and other travelers that make the treacherous journey through the mountains.
Stegarask is known above all else for its craftsmen, combining western techniques with traditional elven designs to create something wholly unique. As of 32 SF, Stegarask is home to around 3000 people, most of them being Zoryavela Elves, though over time some Hominids from Griselderyn have also settled and intermixed with the local populace.
Zabolot is located between The Sagora Mountains and The Ineyas Highlands on the shores of Samor Lake. While the harsh weather and extreme cold would normally not make this a place suited to permanent settlement, Samor Lake holds great importance as a place of worship to followers of The Rhus. For it was here, according to legend, that Moryana revealed the truth to the first of the Zoryavela.
Besides the priests and mystics which inhabit and maintain the temples of Zabolot all year round, most of its 2000 people, almost all of which are Zoryavela Elves, migrate deeper inland during the harsher seasons to seek shelter from the cold.

The Untamed Wilds:

The Untamed Wilds, also referred to as Central Devoj are almost entirely covered by forest and are located in the center of the region, stretching north to south from The Severos Mountains to The Zecht River and east to west from The Kazovka Range to The Worldspine.
The Untamed Wilds are largely unexplored and unknown to outsiders, and any maps of the place are largely based on guesswork and hearsay.

Climate:

The Untamed WIlds have a generally mild climate all over, though it tends to get warmer and more humid the farther south one moves. Temperatures generally vary from -10C (14F) to 20C (68F) depending on altitude and latitude during the calmer seasons, with spikes in both directions during the harsh seasons.
While there is almost no information on the types of natural disasters that occur in this region, The Untamed Wilds are generally known for being nigh impossible to safely traverse, almost as if nature itself is obfuscating it.

Population:

The Untamed Wilds are home to the Vysovela of The Elven Strain and, with the exception of some Zoryavela enclaves in the far north of the region, are almost exclusively inhabited by them. Any speculations on any exact population numbers would be pure guesswork.

Polities:

The only polity of any note located in The Untamed Wilds, that is known to the outside at least, is Wennbar, a small settlement east of Higurds pass which was founded around 100 years ago by a group of Hominids from Ordinnean. As of 32 SF it has around 200 people living there, almost all of them Hominids.

The Southern Wilds:

The Southern Wilds, as the name suggests, are the region of Devoj farthest to the south. It stretches north to south from The Zecht River to The Emerald Sea and east to west from the eastern coast of the continent to The Worldspine.
Long ago, this region used to be covered entirely by dense forest, though since being settled by The Astarojna Dominion and Velavastok, a large part of the trees have been chopped down to make room for arable land.

Climate:

The Southern Wilds generally sport mild tropical weather, with temperatures varying between 20-35C (59-95F) depending on seasons and latitude. Humidity is generally high and can become almost unbearable during the harsher seasons.
While the northern part of The Southern Wilds is mostly covered by Jungle and experiences tropical storms during the harsh seasons, the south has been turned into arable land over the course of centuries, with floods having become the most common natural disaster.

Population:

Between the people of Velavastok which are overwhelmingly Nayavela Elves, and those who inhabit the jungles to its north which are predominantly Vysovela Elves, The Southern Wilds are presumed to have a population of roughly half a million people.

Polities:

The dominant polity on this part of The Devoj Wilderness is without a doubt Velavastok, a conglomerate of City States which splintered off from The Astarojna Dominion around 14 years ago.

Kazovka:

Namesake of The Kazovka Range, which also marks its borders, Kazovka is a region mired in otherworldly corruption surrounding The Sea of Jezabel. According to ancient elven records, the land here was dramatically reshaped through the death of one of The Tutelars at the hands of The Nayavela, which now inhabit this region.
Kazovka encompasses everything encircled by The Kazovka Range and The Severos Mountains in the north, which together surround The Sea of Jezabel.

Climate:

Kazovka generally sports mild to freezing weather, with temperatures ranging from -20 to 15C (-4 to 59F) in the area north of The Wardens and -5 to 20C (23 to 68F) to their south. The only exception is the island of Bostrova, where temperatures never exceed 0C (32F) and drop as low as -50C (-58F) during the harsh seasons.
While the lands north of The Wardens generally don’t struggle with natural disasters outside of a few blizzards every year, the story is completely different to their south. The islands known as The Stigmata are infused with strange, otherworldly corruption, causing wild instability, earthquakes, floods, storms and all sorts of other natural disasters in the area. These effects generally diminish the farther one moves away from The Stigmata until they eventually dissipate and give way to “regular” weather patterns.

Population:

As of 32 SF, it is estimated that somewhere around 350.000 people inhabit Kazovka, almost all of them members of The Elven Strain, specifically of the Nayavela variety.
Most of that population is concentrated north of The Wardens, in the heartlands of The Astarojna Dominion.

Polities:

The Astarojna Dominion is the dominant polity of Kazovka, claiming dominion over the entire region. Not that many others would be interested in controlling these lands drenched in otherworldly energies.

Landmarks:

Mountains & other Geographical Features:

Bostrova
The Ardis Heights
The Auroras
The Elderblood Hills
The Ineyas Highlands
The Kazovka Range
The Kynes
The Osamar
The Sagora Mountains
The Severos Mountains
The Stigmata
The Stribyrni Heights
The Wardens
The Worldspine

Forests, Swamps etc:

The Crimson Wilds
The Darkwoods
The Staroyka Forest
The Weeping Groves

Bodies of Water:

Lake Almaz
The Delsi River
The Emerald Sea
The Gulf of Kyne
The Gulf of Vos
The Icewind Gulf
The Krev River
The Sea of Jezabel
The Zecht River

Miscellaneous:

Higurds pass
The Northwind Pass
The Wounded Pass