The Northlands Campaign
Cities and Towns Geography History Races of the North
The Northlands is a rugged, inhospitable, sparsely settled frontier region in the far north of the continent of Erehwon. Humans are recent arrivals in the Northlands, their first permanent settlement, Stormhaven, was established barely forty years ago but from this toehold settlers are slowly expanding outwards. The only other major human town is Talgard which lies even further north, on the edge of the inhospitable tundra. However, a number of smaller villages and towns have been established by settlers eager to push back the frontier and make a home for themselves. Because of the inclement weather and numerous hazards of the interior most villages cling to the coastal fringe or the few major river valleys, such as Kendran Vale, which head into the largely unexplored interior of the continent. Much of the Northlands is covered by large tracts of virgin forest in which numerous orcs, goblins and other monstrous creatures dwell.
Mineral wealth has recently been discovered and this has brought an influx of prospectors and settlers eager to make their fortune in the mining towns that are springing up in the region. There are also seemingly endless stands of timber which are used in the shipbuilding industry as well as for homes, and much of this resource is being exported to the southern kingdoms.
The North is a land of incredible riches, and incredible dangers; it is truly a frontier region where the strong of arm, or heart, can forge a name, or even an empire, for themselves but by the same token it is a dangerous place where death lurks around every corner.
Climate
The Northlands has a predominantly sub-artic climate which dominates the seasons and the flow of life for the inhabitants of the region. A northern current warms the waters of Iceclaw Bay and this exerts a moderating influence of the climate along the coastal fringe and prevents winter temperatures from falling to extreme lows so it is here that most human settlements are to be found.
Winters throughout the North are long and bitter. Snow blanketing the land for several months of the year making land travel dangerous, and often impossible. Blizzards sweep down from the mountains with monotonous regularity during these months and those caught out in these white-outs are in serious danger of dying of hypothermia unless they can quickly find shelter. Snow often blankets the region for several months at a time.
Summers are short with cool temperatures which seldom rising above the low to mid teens (Celsius). The weather makes raising crops difficult at best and as a result mainly grow hardy crops such as barley, potatoes and some wheat are grown. During the summer months the coasts often endure low lying fogs which can last all day and prove to be very hazardous to sailors as they hide the numerous shallows, reefs and rocky shoals that dot the rugged coastline and headlands.
Prevailing winds tend to be from the north/ north-west during the winter months and then from the south east during summer and autumn. Most of the region's precipitation falls in the form of snow during the bitter winter months and the short summer tends to be quite dry, especially in inland regions. Along the coasts fogs are common during this time of year and they make it rather damp and dreary.
This page was last updated on
Tuesday, 18 December 2001