The Northern Reaches
Geography
Surrounded by the Veiled Sea to the west, and the Misty Bay to the east, the icy heart of the North still surges with primal magic from a time before knowing. Said to be the birthplace of humanity, the Reaches are home to some of the oldest human settlements in Eruidór. The elder trees of the forests are large and thick, towering over those who wander beneath their shadowed boughs, and mountains loom over the landscape like ever-watching giants, seeming to have a personality of their own. Just as the locals of the Reach have grown hardy from lives spent living in this land, so too has the local wildlife. It is said that if one can survive a week stranded on their own in the Headlands of the Reach, they can survive anywhere.
The Northern Reaches are surrounded by three seas, the Veiled Sea to the west and southwest, the Great Sea to the south and southeast, and to the extreme north and northwest, the shrouded and treacherous waters of the Sea of Ghosts mark a point of no return for sailors who dare venture too far. Directly east lies the Misty Bay, which opens into the Great Sea. The strait known as the Tålesund runs from the Veiled Sea to the Misty Bay and separates the land mass into two distinct regions.
The Headlands
The northern region of the Reaches features a rugged terrain, mostly thanks to the mountains and expanses of hills. The northern coast, and border, of the continent is marked with a long range of towering mountains, known as the Mistborne Mountains, which serve as an additional barrier to the Sea of Ghosts. The far eastern end of this mountain range is home to the Jøtunn's Teeth, a cluster of gargantuan mountains considered by most to be unpassable. The Ysgarm Peaks are roughly situated in the center of the Headlands and are named for the twin volcanoes nestled in the center of the mountain range. To the east of Ysgarm Peaks stands the lone mountain Sentinel Peak.
The River Glåma winds its way from across the Headlands from east to west and has a number of small tributaries creeks and streams, the largest being the River Ørsin. The Ysgarm River branches off as a distributary river of Glåma running between the Ysgarm Peaks and Sentinel Peak into the Tålesund.
The Southlands
The southern region of the headlands features less rugged terrain. It maintains a wide range of woodlands. The most notable feature of the Southlands is the Eldfjell Mountains, a large range of mountains that runs nearly the length of the region, from the eastern coastline to the western parts of the Southlands. At the center of the range stands the mythical Storm Peak, the tallest mountain in the known world. This mountain range is surrounded by a dense forest known for the most part as the Whispering Forest, while the parts of the forest along the northern edge of the mountain ranges is referred as the Whispering Glades. Three rivers run through the Southlands: Vefsna, Vørma, and Arnir.
The region features a number of lakes and ponds, the most notable of which would be the Shimmering Pond at the southeast edge of the Eldfjell Mountains. The Broken Bay is found to the southeast, and just off the coast of the Broken Bay lies Dagger Isle. Along the western edge of the Southlands is found the Dead Marshes (though it isn't a marsh in the true sense of the word).
Climate
The weather in the Reaches is typically cold throughout most of the year. Even during Suncrest, the temperatures only ever increase to moderately warm temperatures. Snow falls regularly during the cold seasons, and even as far as the Boreas or early Stormwake seasons, it is not unheard of to see light snowfall at times. During Fimbul, snowfall can easily become snowstorms, and harsh blizzards can wrack the region with ice. In the northern areas of the Headlands, especially around the Mistborne Mountains, permafrost is found to varying degrees.
During the warmer seasons of Stormwake and Suncrest, the falling snow is replaced by thunderstorms and rainshowers. The region sees frequent rainfall during Boreas, though the rain does lessen by the time Suncrest begins. This break in the rain typically lasts through to Leafrest, when light showers begin to turn back into snowfall as temperatures begin to drop.
Flora and Fauna
Predominantly and apline tundra, life, both plant and animal, in the Northern Reaches has adapted to the cold and harsh environment around them. Hardy species of cold-resistant plant life can be found throughout the region, such as the Frostcrown plant, known for its alchemical properties, which can only be found naturally in the Headlands. Many of the trees, though not all, retain their green leaves year-round. Spruce, birch, and pine trees are found in abundance. Oak trees are common in the southern regions of the Reaches, where the temperatures are somewhat warmer. Small areas of bogs can be found in the southern regions.
As far as wildlife goes, the region is known for having some of the largest species of elk, reindeer, and deer in the known world. Wild boars are not uncommon in the southern areas of the continent. Large prey means, larger predators, and the bears and wolves of the Northern Reaches are larger than those found elsewhere in the world. The northern regions are the only place in the world, aside from the island of Øyånder that polar bears are found naturally. Foxes, weasels, and lynx are also found through the Reaches.
Otters and beavers can be found wherever there are rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds. Walruses are a common sight along the coastline, as are sea turtles. Whales and dolphins can be observed off the coast, and porpoises can be found not only in the coastal regions, but also in the larger rivers that run through the land.
The Dead Marshes, as the name implies, is the home of a number of undead and other unnatural creatures. Undead forms of the local wildlife can be found in the decaying wetlands, among other creatures and monstrosities.
Society
The humans who hail from the cold northern continent are known as Reachmen, who are renowned across Eruidór as warriors and sailors. They are also known to be the most skilled arcane practitioners behind the Elves. Though whether this skill is a product of primal magic in their native homeland, or innate ancestral knowledge and ability is a subject of debate, none dispute that Reachmen have mastered the arcane beyond any other groups of humans, save for perhaps the peoples of Orthara.Leadership
The Northern Reaches are ruled by the High King/Queen, who rules from the city of Emberstone, which has been the capital of the Northern Reaches since the early Second Era, after the capital was changed from Mistheim. The High King is the head of state for the continent, as well as the supreme commander of the Army of the Reach. Each of the two major regions had a sub-ruler, referred to as Jarls, though the Jarl of the North (Nordspråk: Nordenjarl), based in Valeheim, was the more significant of the two politically, and by the end of the Second Era, the position of Jarl of the South, based also in Emberstone, had been more or less relegated to overseeing the Southlands when the High King is away from the continent. Each city and town in the Reaches has a political ruler, referred to as chieftains, though the name is more ceremonial than in days past, where rulers of towns and villages were determined by who had the most warriors on their side. Despite this, most chieftains will still take up arms in defense of their cities and towns, and a number of the chieftains still plan their settlement's defense in place of a chosen military leader.Religion
Reachmen are a very religious people, honoring both the gods as well as their ancestors. Every city and large town have a temple to the gods, while smaller towns and villages typically venerate one or two gods with a shrine. The Great Temple at Uppsalla is one of the oldest religious sites in the known world. Fjolnir is the most widely worshipped deity among Reachmen, though Sigrid (referred to outside the Reaches as Iomedae) and Frey (referred to outside the Reaches as Erastil) are nearly as worshipped as well. Fjolnir is a deity whose religion originated among Reachmen, who know him as one of their kin who ascended to the ranks of the gods themselves, along with the other heroes he is associated with. Reachmen also honor and revere their ancestors, and personal shrines to gods and dead kin inside of homes are a common occurence. Ancestor Wisps that occur in the Elderwood are a large reason that Upsalla was built on the ancient forest's border. All Reachmen strive to achieve worth, for themselves and their local community, and to bring honor to their ancestors, and a Reachmen who does not do so, or worse, does the opposite and actively harms their community, is shunned, and looked down upon in society.
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