The region of Nittergard is a fertile (if somewhat cold) land sandwiched between
The Khan Plains to the west and the
Northspire Mountains to the south and east.
Geography
Nittergard is hemmed in to the east and south by the
Northspire Mountains, with light to moderate density forest populating the mountains' roots. Several rivers flow from those slopes, feeding into
Lake Fiskervik near the western border of the region. To the west, the temperate and fertile lands give way to
The Khan Plains.
The lands of Nittergard are some of the coldest in
Astora, with parts of its northern reaches known to go decades without a thaw. Despite this, most of the land is quite fertile, hosting large swaths of farmland and regular precipitation, particularly in areas surrounding its rivers.
Its alpine forests lack the tightly packed, gargantuan trees of
Tir Naomh, generally consisting of light undergrowth and a loose canopy that leaves a sense of openness uncommon amongst most Astoran forests.
The coastlines to the north are largely populated with steep cliffs and fjords that cut deep inland, but also contains numerous protected bays that provide shelter from the icy winds and calm, deep waters ideal for ports. The waters here are cold but relatively calm, though strong, easterly winds are a near constant, leaving eastward travel by sea a difficult and painstakingly slow affair while westbound ships enjoy some of the fairest sailing in all
Magna Oceana.
History
Nittergard was once a part of the ancient elven nation of
Asfetheas, before its fall during
The Crown Wars decimated the population and left the region as an untamed wilderness for millennia. It wasn't until the aftermath of the
The Godswar nearly 5,000 years later that the newly freed Midgardians made their way north and settled this region, claiming it as their own.
On the eastern shores of
Lake Fiskervik the Midgardians founded the domain of
Umbra in 6,411 BCR, which quickly grew to encompass the entire region they so named as Nittergard. Umbra remained the sole nation of Nittergard for nearly 3,000 years, until the combination of
The Orcgate Crisis along with the collapse of
Clan Deephammer to the south led to a crisis within the region. In the aftermath of this crisis, dissatisfaction within the region led to a schism within umbra, with the nations of
South Umbra and
North Umbra forming as a result, followed shortly thereafter by the further separation of
Findalanor from North Umbra.
Unable to provide a unified front, the three nations suffered raiding and territorial losses along its western and southern front at the hands of the
The Dathmere Khanate and Orc tribes in the
Northspire Mountains for centuries, eventually leading to the reconciliation of
North Umbra and
Findalanor (though they remained seperate and independent nations), and the complete collapse of
South Umbra. Much of the eastern lands of
South Umbra were eventually reclaimed by
North Umbra, with the rest remaining a collection of disorganized and fiercely independent clans.
In the mid 1200's ACR, clan Ambrey rose to prominence and began uniting the clans in southwestern Nittergard, forming the nation of
Rashemen. Their rise to power has been swift, going from a fledgeling nation to a regional power in less than 2 centuries, now strong enough to challenge the combined forces of
North Umbra and
Findalanor for supremacy in the region. Ambitious and expansionist, they now look to reclaim their lost lands and establish themselves as the new dominant force of Nittergard.
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