Vydínnja

 The frigid wind bites at you through several layers of wool. An expanse of powdered plains, a long stretch of gray mountains topped with snow that curls and stretches along the Northern end of the continent cradles a flickering aurora that dances through the night sky. An array of Sledge-Chums ahead offers the promise of comfort, food, and good company; safe for a time from the whipping wind and crawling cold. Welcome to Vydínnja.

The Frozen Reach's grasp stretches where the northern caps of Tethe'alla's Whitespine ends, a natural cradle spanning hundreds of miles before smoothing out on Vydínnja's Eastern plains and coasts. The houses of the arctic and tundran people of the Tsardom lie within this cradle. Harsh winters are only a start of the unique challenges that face those in the Tsardom; Comfort requires ingenuity and cooperation, of which the Tsardom has varying success.

The continent knows the Tsardom for its endless pursuit of change and advancement. Its domain is home to some of the brightest minds, explosive entrepreneurs, and hardiest of Shikari, covering around 280,000 square miles with roughly two and a quarter million individuals call themselves Vynja. A large portion of the Reach is a tough place with tougher inhabitant, with much of the terrain being mountain. Only the Vynja have conquered these mountain, managing to carve out tunnels at different points of the Argos Mountain to make way for shipping towns and trade routes.

This harsh winter is not all that falls under the purview of the Tsardom. Past the Drizzle Plains (or, simply, "the Drizzle") is where the more temperate springs and summers lie, as well as where the hub area of the larger merchant cities rest. Most towns here see roiling squalls at least once a season, and occasional rift breaches along the coast line and ocean depths.

Themes:
 * Eldritch Whaling, Technological advancement vs exploitation, increasing monster activity, Theocracy & Technocracy, Smuggling, undersea denizens. Regenerative Ocean Farming (GreenWave). Exploitation of planar materials for experiments.

Arbonesse Forest
This stretch of taiga along the southwestern edge of Vydínnja covers hundreds of miles, roiling with sea of clods that drift from the surrounding Argos mountains. The Arbonesse is one of the few sources of Ironwood trees and the chill is home to a variety of cold tolerating lichen often used to as insulation or smoking material. Still, the snow here is dense and thick, at points reaching knee deep, and the clouds can turn this quiet stretch of wood into a maze.

Very few come to this forest willingly aside from native Stuza and loggers. There are persistent rumors of a beast roaming the depths of the wood and surrounding mountains. The very last thing anyone wants is to lead a hostile leviathan to the capital's doorstep.

Argos Mountains
Perhaps more known for its snaking trail around the majority if Vydínnja, these sprawling peaks and spires are home to some of the rarest materiel in all of Cyllinys from cold-iron, summerstone, Starmetal as well as the very rare Argosian Longcat, hunted for its pelt. Even more hidden is a collection of giant conclaves and their hatchery for wyrms.

Argos
(Vodari; Westara)

Burrowlands
Just a stone's throw west from Vardi is the region known as the Burrowlands, a sprawling plain that acts as a buffer between the frigid north and the more temperate east. Just as its name implies, it's packed to the brim with pockets of burrowed holes that house families of small, sentient and non-sentient creatures.

A mix of hay meadow and prairie, it has become a hub for domesticated monsters and individuals transitioning from an outer-plane to the material. What makes the Burrows more remarkable is that the local puffinkin are what is known as a bit of a postal service. From flying to utilizing tunnel systems beneath the ground, if there is a small package you need to get across the continent quickly, your best bet is to look for a Burrow-Mail sign and hill.

Burrow-mail has become an especially important form of communication and transport since intra-planar communication and exchanging of goods is not yet possible through the World-Wood-Web (The mushroom network).

Crownport
(Vodari; Capital)

Everglaicier
(Griffon)

Frosva
(Vodari)

Haven
(Vodari)

Hyperborea
In the farthest point of the mountainous cradle, the lands shifts upward into whipping winds, jagged peaks and permafrost. Hyperborea is Vydínnja's stalwart resting grounds and well defended bastion. This ice flat is a permanently frozen realm with sparse vegetation, but acts as an important lookout. Very little shelters the body from snaking winds and loose rock, but beyond this bastion lies one of Vydínnja's most active rifts -- where leviathans spill into frigid waters and slowly grow braver, brushing against the shore.

Meri
(city; Vodari)

Midnight Depths
The Midnight Depths lake is a holy grail for cave explores. Historically, the bottom of this lake has never been found, nor has its various caves and caverns been explored fully. Only recently has one such cavern been explored to an extent that revealed an underground cave flood system, that teams have yet to explore further to learn who inhabits it.

More pressing, is the new denizens of the lake and the way they're changing the existing ecosystem surrounding it.

Orca
The Colonies

The Glowing Narrows
This convergence of streams is so named due to the endlessly glowing lichen, moss, and fish that name this tunnel route home. Its glow is brightest during the darkest night of the year when more species of fish (some not native all year round), make their way into the bay of which the Narrows start, all glowing and carrying luminescence to brighten the area.

This display attracts crowds of foreign visitors. Festival sites and markets dot the shore, and the Winter Equinox has become a rare time of communion between native Vynja and visitors coming for the display. To sell to tourists and festival attendees, native fishermen will set up around the bay to catch a fish or two, alongside others such as the Tethe'allan jewelers, or Tenebraen fish breeders make the long journey to this otherwise remote landscape. Ostensibly, the surrounding region is home to nomadic Stuza who patrol the waters often to make sure nothing underhand goes on.

The Pirate Isles

The Skerries
Just off the coast of Tideport exists one of the very few known Voda undersea encampments. While this area of water is difficult to navigate both due to cliff-side bracketing it before breaking off into the low rising rocky reefs that it gets its name from, as well as the long, spiraling kelp forests that catch on everything with a propeller, making prospective gathering and ocean-mapping a difficult endeavor. The Voda and other undersea-folk are the only individuals that are capable of exploring a majority of the wave. Only recently has diplomatic negotiation started with the Voda.

Marine animals of all kind gather within the protective bounds of the Skerries making them a currently untapped fishing and gathering ground. The Voda are known to on occasion harvest urchin, kelp, pearls, and more to trade with smaller Stuza vessels. In addition, the Skerries is used to host a swimming challenge to test their ability to navigate the narrow channels and grasping kelp. A successful navigation is believed to follow a victory.

Vaelance
(Taevara; Vodari; Theocracy based on Erstwhile; fights gainst Tirasil believers) Veraci/Vardi (Second major city; merchant houses)

White Forest
Snow is not an uncommon sight in Vydínnja, but even it stops on occasion in most places. The White Forest is the only place where this is untrue, every day, all-year round, snow blankets and piles the forest that lies on the edge of the Argos Tundra. It is dark here for more than half the year, with more than a few rumors of denizens suddenly disappearing under the blanket of night.

Recently, there are whispers of recently discovered channels and tunnels deep beneath the ice, home to creatures far too accustomed to the chill, and a bellowing noise that cajoles those above to enter, to seek, to find. Xoleni