Regions and Ecosystems of the South Pole

South Pole Regions

Geographic Regions of the South Pole

The Stoneblock
Land of enormous boulders and ruined columns of granite jumble this land for a hunderd miles or more, after a while jutting up out of the land in spiking peaks and sprawling scree of enormous proportions. The mountains and land look as though they were repeatedly pounded and smashed by some great force, and now they are blasted and nearly lifeless, but for a few hardy creatures that would live here. There are several small lakes far up, from which the Crystal River originates.

Crystal River and Crystal Forest
These waters may have been named in time out of mind, for fine quatzs sands at the mouth of the River, or for the crystal-clear waters that give them their name. In any case, any traveller to this region will agree that Crystal describes them well. The upper reaches of the river--and the lakes above it--are frozen over most of the year (7 or 8 months), but the rest of the year, once the Sun Moon sees the ice go out, the forest comes alive with creatures wanting to feed and experience a warmer life. Winters are hard, and the Crystal Forest is unihabitable for any people, at least as far as anyone to the north knows.

South Pole Mountains
Snow-clad all year round, with only highest summer to completely melt the tundra around, the South Poles are among the most dangerous of Summer's Tale. Few creatures live there, although their presence in the summer is well-known; there are creatures that come down at that time to graze or feed or wander, or all three. The mountains are high, with jagged peaks, and they can be viewed from very far away, majestic and unassailable, it would seem. There are legends among the elves as to what power may hide there, what titan or demi-god may dwell in these arctic mountains. There are numerous glaciers making their way down from these heights.s

Shattered Plateau
This long, wide stretch of lowlands is mostly flat, stretching out for miles and miles. In the winter, it resembles a plain covered over with snow and ice, with the occasional daggers of stone sticking up. In the summer, these rocks are exposed, sitting monolithic in jumbles. In all seasons, there are openings to the world below, to the Underdark. This latter place has a close relationship with the Plateau.

Shattered Mountains Chaotic sharp spires of granit thrust towards the clear blue sky, glaciers makin their epic way down on the plateau. A frozen wind winds its way through these peaks, carrying with it a sound of threat from the leandscape, a sound of frostbite and hypothermia. A very hard place to survive, but nevertheless there are beings who lurk there.

Brooli Point The most temperate place in the South Pole, its animals and creatures having a lush tundra environment up to six moons of the year. There is also a strong influence of the sea, and the inland breezes are gentle in the thawed months, and brutal when the ice moves in each fall. The milder w trad summers extreme winters, although every decade or so there is an extended thaw, and thus one two or three months of winter weather. The lowland here is spongy tundra, with the majestic, snow-capped Brooli Mountains in the west.

The Clearlakes
A system of lakes strings together here at the bottom of Summer's Tale. They are frozen over 9 ot 10 months a year, and many arctic creatures use this time to cross, or explore the islands in the lake. The other three months, the lake is teeming with life, as are the little streams that run through the forest surrounding. The largest lake, the Teer'a Taer, named for an hero of the Arctic Elves, is breathtaking during Harvest Moon (known as Rustmoon to the Arctice Elves) as the sun wanes, and the tamaracks and tundra change to rusty-gold.

Shores of Kabor/b]

The Kabor shore are rock beaches of rhyolite, grey or blue basalt, and chunks of granite, all knocked together for tens of thousands of yars, shaped into rounded edges--stones from tiny pebbles to a foot across. The beaches, looking out over the grey, stormy Wizard Ocean, turns and rolls with the tide, receiving what the ocean has to offer. Usually the ocean offers driftwoods of an amazing array. There are usually no people here to use them, but travellers will find a plethora of shapes and materials, washed in from some distant forest. Further in from the Shores is a thin strip of lowland tundra, and beyond that a deeper-freezing land of low scrub and bushes, with the occasional Flat-wing fir, tamarack, or Lost Home Aspen.

The Shattered Lands are almost nothing more than piles of huge rubbble and boulders, strewn out across the landscape.  Only upon closer inspection and adventure do they reveal their true intrigue, and a life of their own.