Post by Serena on Jan 12, 2015 16:25:30 GMT
Hey everyone! I've just finished going through all the lore, information and bestiary etc etc and was just visualizing how each of the Nations would look and how they would be comprised! I in no way mean to take away from what's already up there on the wiki, just merely putting up what I think each of the areas look and feel like. Starting with Dvargbergen!
Weather: Cool rainy summers with bitterly cold winters. Snow melt provides most of the water from the mountains.
Warm Season: Average temperatures range from approximately 55 to 78 °F (13 to 26 °C)
Cold Season: Average daytime winter temperatures are about 5 to 30 °F (−15.0 to −1.1 °C)
Dvargbergen is a land of high snowy peaks, inland Fjords, brief rolling plains and some of the most inaccessible land in all of Rune. It lies to the very North of the continent with some of it's most Northern regions remaining permanently snow covered. The nation's border is near completely surrounded by sheer mountain faces jutting from light hills or gradually protruding steeper and steeper. To the east and west lie gentler slopes, here locals can guide travelers to small passes that wind their way up, down, through and around the mountains however the locals know better than to attempt to navigate these too regularly, rock slides, ice and extreme weather can happen in an instant and the paths funnel the elements through catching whoever is within unawares and without any shelter insight.
Dvargbergen(City)
The Capital City of the nation, and one that shares it's name with it. It is the most populous and one of the only major settlements of the zone home to a large number of dwarves and humans. The city itself straddles a mountain face that acts as a windbreak and protects the town from the worst of the Dvargbergen weather. Extensive mining exhausted the mountains resources but the ingenious population converted many of the mine shafts into rain and snowmelt channels into the city (due to the mountain also casting a rain shadow over the town). The mountain as of yet has had no major avalanches, rock slides or collapses and with a history going back hundreds of years in writing and art going back in the thousands alone that proves enough comfort for the inhabitants. Many buildings and households have large iron or wooden balls somewhere near the entrance or exit to commemorate the alliance forged between the humans and dwarves. As is tradition each year on the first snowfall the children will typically rob the whole city of snow making snowballs for themselves.
The mountain also provides safe(er) travel around the various encampments, mine and lumber sites with tunnels allowing travelers to go as the crow flies through the mountain in every direction on the compass. So popular are the tunnels that one of the nations larger settlements has sprung up entirely underground affectionately known as 'The Crossroads'. Filled with Merchants, Entertainers and all manner of people it proves a quirky first stop for anyone looking for a more hospitable place to put down their heads after a long journey.
The city also boasts the only Ice-free port year round, again thanks to the mountain's protection, and is the preferred method of transport for all who can afford it. Though the sailors in these parts have existed for hundreds of years, their seafaring ability is limited and easy surpassed by most other nations though this is due to having the only merchant AND naval fleet that is slender and strong enough to navigate through the icebergs that build up year round. Many of the settlements on it's neighbours boarders have ports that ferry seafarers from their own boats, into Dvargbergen then back to port to sail on their way.
reoite Scrín
Dvargbergen
Weather: Cool rainy summers with bitterly cold winters. Snow melt provides most of the water from the mountains.
Warm Season: Average temperatures range from approximately 55 to 78 °F (13 to 26 °C)
Cold Season: Average daytime winter temperatures are about 5 to 30 °F (−15.0 to −1.1 °C)
Dvargbergen is a land of high snowy peaks, inland Fjords, brief rolling plains and some of the most inaccessible land in all of Rune. It lies to the very North of the continent with some of it's most Northern regions remaining permanently snow covered. The nation's border is near completely surrounded by sheer mountain faces jutting from light hills or gradually protruding steeper and steeper. To the east and west lie gentler slopes, here locals can guide travelers to small passes that wind their way up, down, through and around the mountains however the locals know better than to attempt to navigate these too regularly, rock slides, ice and extreme weather can happen in an instant and the paths funnel the elements through catching whoever is within unawares and without any shelter insight.
Once passed the mountains the landscaped begins to slop downwards into wide open fields with many lakes and rivers which remain a good source of fish in both seasons. Navigation is often difficult, not only because of snow and ice but also Fjords. The landscape is littered with Fjords some as large as cities, others small enough to eat a man if he's not watching his footing. One of these Fjords known as 'Uisce' is famed for it's beauty as in the Warmer seasons it boasts one of the largest waterfalls on Rune, carrying a river all the way to the ocean and then dropping it off approximately three thousand feet. It's still a mystery how the rivers haven't eroded down to sea level and any attempts at excavation in the surrounding rock prove impossible, much to the agitation of the excavator's tools. In the cold season the entire river and waterfall freeze solid, legend has it that if the fingers of the frozen waterfall touch the ocean the whole sea will freeze over.
Dvargbergen(City)
The mountain also provides safe(er) travel around the various encampments, mine and lumber sites with tunnels allowing travelers to go as the crow flies through the mountain in every direction on the compass. So popular are the tunnels that one of the nations larger settlements has sprung up entirely underground affectionately known as 'The Crossroads'. Filled with Merchants, Entertainers and all manner of people it proves a quirky first stop for anyone looking for a more hospitable place to put down their heads after a long journey.
The city also boasts the only Ice-free port year round, again thanks to the mountain's protection, and is the preferred method of transport for all who can afford it. Though the sailors in these parts have existed for hundreds of years, their seafaring ability is limited and easy surpassed by most other nations though this is due to having the only merchant AND naval fleet that is slender and strong enough to navigate through the icebergs that build up year round. Many of the settlements on it's neighbours boarders have ports that ferry seafarers from their own boats, into Dvargbergen then back to port to sail on their way.
Other Settlements
reoite Scrín
"reoite Scrín" or "Frozen Shrine" has a constantly shifting population of Snow elves that make the journey yearly on the anniversary of their birth. There's an unspoken rule to never risk a conflict with a Winterbourne Snow Elf as they're likely to be the hardiest and strongest of their race making the yearly journey in the worst of the Dvargbergen winters. It is these Snow Elves that become the leaders and nobility of the shrine with prejudice's against those born closer and closer to the warm season, often through know fault of their own given the lowest ranking jobs or positions known as the "Summerbourne".
Orc Settlements
Orc Settlements
Orc settlements dot the the landscape often seen on cliff overhangs, jutting out of the mountain or even spanning chasms. Special Pyre towers keep fires blazing all the time, especially useful in the long dark winters when the fires grow large enough to see with the naked eye from miles away when smoke isn't visible. Each settlement can be vastly different from the next. Some will tolerate other races for a time, those however are few compared to those hostile to any outsider venturing in their lands that are not Orcish. If an unfamiliar group of Orcs seek shelter or venture into another camp the strongest must duel the holder of the camp in order to be accepted.
Cleverer communities that allow the other races or merchants to travel through often benefit from access to rare materials, goods and weapons whereas the others are so set in their mindset of strength over all that they live in isolated groups with a fierce reputation for attacking and raiding the few who pass along their routes.
Shamans and Warchiefs may venture outside of their areas to meet with others if dire matters concerning the region need attended to but no such event has happened in living memory.
Cleverer communities that allow the other races or merchants to travel through often benefit from access to rare materials, goods and weapons whereas the others are so set in their mindset of strength over all that they live in isolated groups with a fierce reputation for attacking and raiding the few who pass along their routes.
Shamans and Warchiefs may venture outside of their areas to meet with others if dire matters concerning the region need attended to but no such event has happened in living memory.
