Unneyria (Unn-ey-ria)

Summary

Unneyria is the southern polar continent of Veltrona, opposite of Sooneyriak, its northern polar cousin. Of the two, Unneyria is more known for its eminent presence of ice-aspected dragonkind, and is in fact named after the Unn lineage in particular. They've long been the ancestral rulers of the southern polar region, and like all others, live mostly isolated from the rest of the affairs upon Veltrona.
As both polar regions are separated by vast oceans (Olaniad and Vastia, respectively), no real land connections tie them to the heavily populated continents of the world. Divine tempests, sea-borne leviathans, and all sorts of other dangerous obstacles create a natural, isolating barrier around the polar regions. The closest 'viable' routes tend to be from either Varnkof to reach Sooneyriak, or Eylia to reach Unneyria.
In this respect, much of the polar regions tends be mysterious or mythical, as little information travels to or from them. In the case of Unneyria, the Unn lineage is a prominent force that maintains their polar continent. All others who live upon Unneyria are subject to them, in one form or another. These peoples tend to be the likes of the aylier, ruvenek, races of cold-adapted harpies, and even cold wind vampyrs. The polar continents are, contrary to some imaginations, not desolate wastelands, but vibrant biomes full of specially adapted forms of life. This is true not only on the surface, but under water as well.
Great numbers of water-aspected dragonkind, as well as the likes of the shermadi and ekurin make their homes on Unneyria's coastlines. Or, in some cases, directly under the immense glacial ice, occupying the underwater regions surrounding the polar continent. Unneyria itself isn't purely just made of ice, but rather an ice cap that is intersected by various erupting volcanoes. Amusingly, there are even fire-aspected creatures around the various volcanoes both above and below the glacial ice.
Of all things Unneyria may suffer for, metals are the hardest substances to come by. They're either mined deep in the freezing waters, or carefully sieved from molten lava at the volcanoes. It's put an interesting, albeit difficult, pressure on its numerous civilizations. Many naturally turned toward ice and veltron magics to create imitation materials, or even wholly superior ones. In any other place, the usage of ice as building structure would certainly be questionable, but it is quite the norm in Unneyria.
It can be difficult to evaluate where Unneyria stands as a continent, then. Even while under the ever-present shadow of the Unn lineage, the various civilizations and nations present continue their own affairs. Open warfare is rather rare, as the Unn actively intervene, so ritualized forms of combat and honor took over as the martial outlet. For whatever they lack in material science or technologies, their magical innovations and one-of-a-kind usages of ice have them on a completely different development axis.
That said, relatively isolated does not mean 'completely'. The Unn lineage and the shermadi, in particular, have trade routes stretching northward, into the lands of Karg, Fauverngarz, Eylia, and especially Honokom. They often trade their (to everyone else) exotic ice-based creations, esoteric magical arts, priceless jewelries, fantastical stories, art pieces, and more. In return, they normally acquire vast amounts of metals (either as ores or ignots), as well as interesting pieces of technology. Baarham machkinery, in particular, is especially fascinating to many of them.
Something the Unn dragons scoff at, but even their engineering lags behind greatly compared to their peers, let alone other species. To maintain their own prestige, as well as keep connected to the rest of the world, the Unn often lead immense, sea-spanning trade fleets every other decade or so. These multi-national fleets serve to stimulate Unneyria's peoples, economies, and livelihood prospects as they journey out across Veltrona. That and, the occasional visit by Prak's floating islands means Unneyria doesn't want for the rest of Veltrona paying it a visit.

Geography

Unneyria can be largely sliced up into three broad intersections: permanent glacial ice, land mass created by volcanoes emerging, and the varied topography of the underwater regions both in and around it.
The volcano-created land masses forms a sprawling network of tall mountains who've been frozen in their surroundings, as well as eroded away by weather and ocean currents. These lands are usually considered the 'foundation' of Unneyria, as they're rooted in the veltron of the world itself. Some are connected to each other, while others are lone islands. It is on these solid pieces of ground that most civilizations build upon, aggressively defend, and try to expand through extensive veltron engineering.
The immense glacial ice of the polar cap is what serves to bind them all, creating an ice that is ridiculously thick. The nature of this is not ubiquitous, with some areas being thinner to the point of almost becoming ocean water, while others stretch even deeper into the cold depths. Much of these glacial formations have been influenced by Veltrona's weather and its people, creating hybrids of nature and purpose-oriented design. Something even the wildlife of Unneyria has had a hand in, for better or worse.
Finally, the underwater regions carry perhaps the strangest topography of all. Building upon the slopes of the volcanoes, and with the glacial ice as a 'roof', immense valleys have formed 'beneath' Unneyria proper. Magma-spewing vents provide streams of heated water and mineral-rich refuse, attracting opportunistic feeders that, in turn, attract bigger fish. The shermadi and ekurin extensively worked these regions, changing them so much one is never certain where a city begins or ends, necessarily.
However, the sheer size of Unneyria and its underwater regions means quite a lot of it is still a wilderness, and all sorts of troublesome creatures come and go. The topography makes it difficult for leviathans to intrude, but not all of them are hampered by it.

Ecosystem

Unneyria's ecosystems are both vast and vibrant, displaying not only adaptations toward the regularly extreme colds of the continent, but means to thrive alongside it. These adaptations are sources of great intrigue to foreign scholars, who find new ways of intermingled elements and mana once unimaginable to them. It serves to prove that not only is life both incomprehensibly grand, but that it always find a way somehow.
Vast forests of frost-adapted woods grow upon the volcanic grounds, while ice-rooting plants stretch across the glacial plains. Fat-insulated herbivores and crystalline grazers roam the lands, slurping up the flora with little concern. Hidden predators stalk through the snowy dunes, eying delectable prizes while hiding from the fearsome ice-borne megafauna. Migratory birds, insects, and others roam from one volcano region to another. Some even descend from Prak proper, foreigners daring to risk the colds for an easy meal. Stretching forests of ice pillars give safety from skin-shearing winds, nurturing the delicate flowers and berries that sup upon both wind and ice.
Beneath the glacial mass, in the freezing waters below, fiercely competitive fish, crustaceans, and more duel over the resource-rich regions to feed. Their eternal struggles ever interrupted by people fishing upon them, or even larger predators coming by for a quick snack. Huge kelp forests stretch from sea floor to icy ceiling, soaking up nutrients and mana to create bulbous fruits. Ice-spinning arachnids traverse the depths, creating razor-sharp webs that evisercate their meals for them to quickly hide into their burrows. Coral reefs glimmer from sunlight yet overhead, and glowing crysium crystals intermixed within the reefs. Refractive plants wave in hypnotic patterns of color, luring prospective fish in.

Natural Resources

While rich in all kinds of flora and fauna, Unneyria uniquely suffers in terms of its veltron mineral wealth. Having only the volcanic-created land masses to rely upon, whoever controls them is already among the richest of the rich in the continent. It is only through cultivating the ever-erupting magma do they obtain new riches, be it in new veltron material or possible metals. Those without volcanoes often turn toward Olaniad's oceanic waters, hiring shermadi or ekurin, or even just doing the work themselves.
In this respect, for as much as Unneyria offers, it has extreme downsides that need specific solutions toward handling them.
The bounties of Olaniad and the frozen lands do offer much, being rich in foodstuffs, animal products, and diverse types of flora. The associated risks aside, the people of Unneyria have long since grown to utilize these resources in cleverly inventive, civilization-building ways. Magical arts of all kinds are especially fortunate in this regard, as the raw amount of materials conductive to them is ridiculously abundant.

Type

Continent