Southern Kotuye
Southern Kotuye is a frozen expanse of land that belongs to the southernmost regions of the Kotuye Continent. It is best known for the soaring mountains that split the region down the middle, its rich mineral resources ripe for extraction, and year-round freezing temperatures.
The northern edge of Southern Kotuye is inhabited by two Fas settlements and a roving Yashelin mining outpost. Here, temperatures still rise above freezing during the day in the spring and summer. Traveling further south is inadvisable to all but the hardiest and most adventurous of travelers because the landscape transforms into an ice sheet covered polar desert.
Climate
Data Collection Difficulties
Consistent, long-term climate data in Southern Kotuye is unavailable. The mining outpost changes its location every five years, limiting it to five-year readings. The Mapek Gens, meanwhile, does not share its data with anyone else, if they record it at all.Midland Valley
Last year, the mining outpost moved to a strategic location in the midland valley region of the central mountain range. They recorded highs of 60°F (15°C) during the summer and -30°F (-34°C) in the winter. Although this region is still habitable with major adjustments to everyday life, the permafrost extends thousands of feet beneath the ground. The transition from winter to spring is considered the most dangerous time of the year in this region of Southern Kotuye. The warming temperatures on the surface layers of snow and ice make the region prone to catastrophic avalanches. From the short-term data taken by the mining outpost, the climate of the Midland Valley and regions further to the north have become more extreme. Temperatures once only associated with the Midland Valley have traveled northward, while the Midland Valley has begun to experience temperatures once associated only with the border of the polar desert.Southern Kotuye Ice Sheet
Traveling further south than the midland plains region of Southern Kotuye is inadvisable to all but the hardiest and most adventurous of travelers because the landscape transforms into an ice sheet covered polar desert. Although some flora and fauna survive along the borderlands of the ice sheet, primarily along the coasts, exceptionally few creatures venture far into this land.Communities
Mapek Gens
The Midland Valley of Southern Kotuye is home to two major Fas settlements belonging to the Mapek Gens. The settlements of Fashot and Mapoz are their community centers, but little is known about them because they are a notoriously insular folk. Due to the unique conditions of Southern Kotuye, the Fas people who live here primarily sustain themselves via hunting, foraging, raising cattle, and trade with the north. Many members of the Mapek Gens have recently evacuated further north after a catastrophic avalanche leveled Fashot and Mapoz, but they plan to return as soon as possible.Yashelin Mining Outpost
The Yashelin mining outpost is occupied year-round by a rotating team of Yashelin miners from the Shushani Flock. The outpost changes location every five years, busily extracting Southern Kotuye's plentiful mineral resources. The miners within the outpost depend upon shipments of food and other resources from home in order to stay alive during the season.North to South and Back
In the north, shipments are packed on trains headed for the southernmost stop on the Chamatoye Public Railway. The delivery method changes according to the outpost's location and the shipment's weight, but it is most often delivered to the miners via snowmobile, specialized truck, or flown.
Incoming Climate Crisis
A similar cooling climate phenomenon has been occurring throughout the entirety of the continent, and many of its inhabitants worry that the whole of Kotuye may one day be covered in the Southern Kotuye Ice Sheet.
It sounds beautiful, though cold. It's interesting that this world is potentially going through a global cooling.
Thank you! Not only is the planet headed into an ice age, their whole continent is probably going to become Antarctica-like someday. The fact that there's a whole continent under the ice of Antarctica that once held life is a major inspiration for thinking through the fate of the region.
Yeah, I love surprising people by telling them that we are technically still in an ice age. That's really cool that you were inspired by Antarctica once having life.