The Tundra

Beyond the already remote and sparsely populated region known as "The North" lies an even more desolate and forbidding expanse: The Tundra. This vast, unforgiving landscape stretches endlessly, a realm where the earth and sky merge in a blur of white and grey. The Tundra represents one of Nehwon's most extreme frontiers, a place where only the hardiest and most resilient forms of life dare to exist.

The Landscape

The Tundra is characterized by its flat, open expanses, where the ground is locked in permafrost for most of the year. During the brief summer, the top layer of soil thaws to form a soggy, treacherous marshland, giving life to hardy mosses, lichens, and low shrubs that cling tenaciously to life. This is a land of stark beauty, where the horizon seems infinite and the sky looms large, often illuminated by the ethereal glow of the aurora borealis, weaving shimmering curtains of light across the night.

Climate

The climate of The Tundra is one of extremes. Winters are long, dark, and brutally cold, with temperatures plummeting far below freezing. Winds sweep across the landscape unimpeded, sculpting the snow into strange, otherworldly formations. Summers, though short, bring a burst of life to The Tundra, with 24-hour daylight thawing the surface and allowing a burst of biodiversity, however small, to flourish.

Inhabitants

Humanoid life in The Tundra is as sparse and rugged as the landscape itself. The few known nomadic tribes that call this icy expanse home have adapted remarkably to their environment. They are masterful hunters and foragers, relying on the migratory patterns of caribou, seals, and the rare tusked behemoths that roam the ice. These nomads live in temporary shelters made from the skins and bones of their catches, moving with the seasons to follow their prey and to trade with the more settled peoples to the south, in "The North" and as far afield as The Great Forest.
Their culture is rich in oral tradition, with stories, myths, and knowledge passed down through generations by the flickering light of campfires. These tales speak of the spirits of the land, the sky, and the ice, reflecting a deep respect for the natural world that sustains them.

Survival and Trade

The nomads of The Tundra have developed a symbiotic relationship with their harsh surroundings. Their survival skills are unparalleled, with knowledge of how to extract water from ice, navigate vast whiteouts, and harness the wind for travel across the snow. In their infrequent but vital trading expeditions to the south, they bring with them the pelts of rare creatures, ivory, and intricately carved bone artifacts, highly prized in the markets of warmer lands for their beauty and rarity.

The Unforgiving Wilderness

For most, The Tundra remains a mystery, a white void on the map filled with legends of ice spirits, hidden valleys where summer never ends, and ancient ruins buried under the snow, remnants of a time when the climate was kinder. It is a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who choose to live in one of Nehwon's most challenging environments, a place where life persists in the face of overwhelming odds.

The Tundra by Chad Watson

Type

Region