Alsassenland
Alsassenland is the uplands running between the Kingdom of Ramuni and the Eveloth League. The region also act as a border between the two states. The area lacks much in the way of settlements, save a few small ones towards the areas eastern and western edges.
Nearby is the Waterston Monastery and the Stonecare Circle. The settlements Steier, Waterston Mine Gowthrain Mine are the largest in the region.
Geography
Area has a maximum elevation of around 3,500 feet with Mount Reise and Mount Klein being the only two mountains of the region. Rolling hills highest around the two mountains in the east are spread throughout the whole region. The average elevation is about 1500 foot, or 500 meters.
The western tip borders the Tiza Lake and the east reaches the Merchant Coast. The Waterston River flows out of the areas east, being the largest in the region. Smaller streams and rivers find their source in the regions north.
The north of the highlands is mainly bordered by forest and grasslands, while the south has the savannahs of north Eveloth. The region is defined largely by elevation and position. Two main areas are defined, lowland forests and grassland towards the center and edges, while a mixture of upland grassland and woodlands cover the higher elevations.
Ecosystem
The lowland forests are semi-evergreen or evergreen trees and shrubs, having nearly year round tree cover. Many of the plants naturally produce flowers, fruits or vegetables throughout the year, with each type needing certain conditions to be met in order for said growth to occur. This is the main source of food for the herbivorous animals in the region. Most herbivores of the region are either arboreal, or capable of flight due to this. Those that aren't instead eat the lower shrubs on the forest floor, or food that falls upon becoming ripe. Grazing animals flock towards the lower grasslands, or retreat to the upper highlands to escape predators.
Carnivores then take advantage of the habits of prey. Large birds prey upon tree dwellers when they feed, or when they enter sparse woods, while land mammals will either be arboreal themselves, or be confined to the forests floor, hunting animals that live there. Many land-based carnivores are scavengers and hunters, eating the animals that die from falls or hunting those found grazing in the grassland regions.
Access to the Underdark is possible in scattered parts of the region.
Ecosystem Cycles
Spring
Spring is the mating season for many of the herbivores in the region. Many grazers take to the higher summits to breed, letting their young eat the few plants that grow up there. This brings more hunters, wishing to prey upon the young who are born at this time.Summer
Summer brings the heaviest rains to the region and as consequence, migrations of animals looking to feast on the hatching insects of the waterbodies in the region are common. Heavy storms and landslides are not uncommon in summer.Autumn
In autumn, the more central trees lose some of their foilage, causing animals to shift out towards the edges of the region. Those that stay live off the other fruits, flowers and plants that bloom during the autumn.Winter
Through winter the area becomes comparitively colder, with occassional snowfall in the coldest parts of the year. The upper reaches of grassland sprout far less often, pushing any grazers in the region back down to the center or into the forests.Fauna & Flora
Flora
- Evergreen plants
- Semi-evergreen plants
- Some rare plants for use in herbalism
Fauna
- Vultures
- Jackals
- Ibexes
- Antelopes
- Leopards
- Hyenas
- Baboons
- Small arboreal primates
- Jackals
- Spotted wild dogs
- Eagles
- Hawks
- Wolves
- Lions
- Snakes
- Wild boars
- Caracal
- Serval
- Small birds
Monsters
Various different monsters are common through the region. Dragons were once relatively common, but have since been pushed out of the territory.- Griffons nesting along mountain ridges.
- Gricks appearing from out of the Underdark.
- Manticore packs in the western areas.
- Perytons live along mountain ridges.
- Hippogriff families live permanently in the east.
- Stone giants, hill giants and other giantkin have been spotted in the rockier areas.
- Groups of goblinoids have lived here in the past.
- Gnoll packs in the forests.
- Harpies flock around roads.
- Shadowfell creatures appear after certain events.
- Pegasus went extinct in the 13th century DC.
Natural Resources
- Metals and stone from the hills.
- Timber from the forests.
- Rare herbs and alchemical components.
- Fruits, nuts and plants.
History
Alsassenland has seen a few small skirmishes through its history, remaining an informal neutral zone between the two regions. Prior to the Great Migration, it had long stood as a weak natural barrier to the rest of the wider, more dangerous world, helping to shelter humanity from its many threats. To increase this defensive effectiveness, a row of keeps and castles were constructed, some of which remain in use today. Others grew unimportant and had significant portions of their materials repurposed for other means. One notable moment was in the year -1464 AS, when hill giants descended from the region and claimed a portion of territory for their own. The incursion was repelled, but caused significant loss to the humans.
Attempts were made by Chondat kings to build in the region between the period of -1152 and -1140 AS, but all attempts were thwarted. The reason behind this has forever remained a mystery, with locals saying the essence of the hills struck down any attempts. Foundations were broken at their core, causing the the walls to topple down to the ground. The Stonecare Circle maintain that it was the will of the hills to not be tainted by mans hubris.
Settlements were established by the Chondat and Chundans at the edges of the upland region to exploit iron veins discovered during -783 AS. This remains the main source of stone and iron for the Kingdom of Ramuni. These settlements also act as informal border checkpoints for people going to either state. The few communities that do exist in the region are on the established paths, and number in the tens of people.
Around the year 906 DC, smugglers began to use the region to cart illegal goods towards the major settlements of both states. When their activities were discovered, they started using more dangerous paths and created their own passages through the region. Untouched caches of goods can be found in hidden nooks throughout the territory as such.
Tourism
Seldom do people ever purposely visit the region, save for hunters or the odd adventuring party hoping to plunder lost ruins. Most tourists to the region are travelers moving between each state.
Alternative Name(s)
Border Highlands, Alsas Land, Bloody Frontier
Type
Highlands
Location under
Included Locations
Contested By
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