Eridani
This continent connects to the Uthgart Vastness, separated by a line of volcanic mountain ranges where the Uthgart plate is subducting under the Eriadani plate. This long stretch of land between the Minwolli Ocean and the Lettha Sea, and connects to a larger continent in the south arctic South Eridani.
Geography
A land of active volcanoes and earthquakes to the north, and windswept plains to the south with hills and rivers throughout.
The Hand of Zerth mountain range is a new and growing set of mountains being built up over the last 20 million years by continental uplift and volcanism. This area has several active volcanoes, geysers, vents, and open cauldrons. On the west coast there are several island chains which are new mountains poking up above sea level, and these waters are often shook with tsunamis from ocean earthquakes. The Old Bones mountains and Felix Mountains are 100 million years old and have more dormant volcanoes and are more sloped and eroded. In between these two ranges is the root of the Hand of Zerth mountains, a large lava lake 15 miles across. Magma Pit is fed by other active volcanoes and is held in a caldera formed by several mountains.
In the center of the continent are the Windlands and Winding Highlands, broad flat plains of grassland and prairie. The area has storms from the Minwolli Ocean rolling across from east to west in the counter cyclone of the southern hemisphere. On the southeast coast of the Lettha Sea is a massive temperate rain forest and marshland, and one of the large drainage basins for the hills in the south. This area is also a major fault line and the river changes course often (several hundred years) due to powerful earthquakes. The basin liquefies easily so the forests can fall overnight and over the decades a new burst of growth takes place from all of the nutrients returned to the marsh soil.
There is evidence that the southern poles expand and contract frequently (every 10,000 years) and great glaciers can cover this continent creating the highlands during the retreat.
Ecosystem
Most of the continent is in the temperate zone and subject to seasonal changes. The northern part has mild winters and hot summers. The central part has cold winters and hot wet summers, and the most southern reaches are sub-arctic and have long dark winters and long summers with long daylight hours.
North of the Hand of Zerth mountains is thickly forested and a major drainage basin into the Lettha Sea. The mountainous regions of Eridani are alpine and steep. There are many cinder cones, active volcanoes and forests sprout where they can find purchase. This is a complex old growth forest ecosystem with oak and other trees growing to ancient ages.
On the east coast the Burning Hill Country is rife with lava tubes, many inactive, but the soil is rocky with pumice, glasses and other volcanic rocks. these are held together with grasses and sporadic forests. Fires are common here especially when an active lava tube begins to ooze magma. There is life above and below grown here with many large herds of native life and introduced life intermingled.
The central plains are full of herds of mammals and dinosaurs, grazing is the primary food source and large predators are common, lions, raptors, and many kinds of monsters.
Ecosystem Cycles
The central plains are fed by cyclones that well up in the equatorial seas and blow across the continent from east to west. This deposits rain in the fall that will have to last through dry winters with little snowfall, some rains in the spring, and then dry summers. 3 or 4 cyclones and a few tropical storms will bring water that will recharge the aquifers and feed springs for the rest of the year which will keep the grasses growing. Fire is a common from lightning and dry heat in the summer.
Localized Phenomena
The Magma Pit is a huge caldera and may be a super volcano. the surface of the lava lake is 250' above sea level and occasionally spills out through mountain passes and flows into the Gulf of Khosha, making new land. Because a major eruption from neighboring volcanoes could over fill it or if one of the mountains gives way in an earthquake a major disaster could happen causing huge tsunami and explosions and floods in the Lettha Sea region.
If it is a Super Volcano it has the potential to erupt and cover the planet in ash and darkness for decades. This is a remote location with no colonies or settlements of note.
History
This part of the world is still raw and untamed. The Githzerai have their main headquarters, Shra'k'lor, built in to a mountain. This is the only major city in the area and it is inaccessible. There may be other Githzerai colonies around but they are hidden and temporary for collecting resources. Atlanteans, Uthashes, Ayorhah have colonies established for the last few centuries.
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