Anga-Volka - The Frontier Winterlands

ANGA-VOLKA

The northern region of Vangolia is known as the Anga-Volka, a frigid cold region of steeped mountain valleys, near permanent winter and running glaciers - with snow-capped pine forests and rocky hills. Once there was a land-bridge that connected to the mainland continent to the west - but this has since crumbled and been destroyed, no longer the 'Arm of the West'. Now it's reserved as the Cripples Stretch and the Isles of Lame. The only province of established and ancient civilisation that has endured since the Arcanum Era, the home of the 'true Vangolians' - a deeply zealous theocratic-totalitarian society of Aasimar, Human and Goliathruled by the imperial Tsarina and the Dauntless Church.

DEOGRACIAS

  It's central capital known as Deogracias, a winter city formed from the ruin of an old arcane-city (Venatorus) that has since been transformed into a pious society of numerous churches and shrines. Worshipping the Prime Deities, forming public worship and forcing all members of society to contribute to the community in order to survive the terrible regions - sacrificing freedom and liberty to ensure prosperity for the people as a whole; working in worship of a heroic angelic being known as the Dauntless Angel that sealed the hordes of Abyssal demons long ago in Vangolia and stopping the tide that nearly destroyed the world. Any that deny the command of the Tsarina or the Dauntless Church and excommunicated and exiled to the south, where they may face the barbarians that call it home and flee from the terrors that haunt the night. It was believed, that during its inception, Anga-Volka was the place in which angels would come visit the world and bless the old lands of northern Vangolia - believing that its waters were sacred and pure. Carving life from the eternal glaciers that resided within its regions. The people there were humans that had migrated from the northern lands in search of a new home, and travelled across the sea as a great and proud people - they were led on their way by the guide that would come to shape their history, Vandrael. Though these peoples had a deeply spiritual tradition to respect their ancestors spirits, and thus, it is noteworthy that their past heralded the coming of great monoliths and dolmens, harnessing the power of the Dreamscape and the spirit realm. Though they were fleeing the fights of the Giants, those that resided in the Frozen North - to which they followed their lost slaves and did great battle against them. The ancient Anga-Volkan were once druidic in nature, and believed in a duality of things - the Pure White of the World, and the Tainted Dark, believing in the Two Riders, one representing life, the other representing darkness and death. One could not exist without the other, and their lives were hard. What was known was that upon Vandrael's return, they conquered the giants and submitted them back into the Mor'Goron Mountains around the land of Vangolia, and their offspring gave rise to the Goliaths and Stone Giants. Vandrael introduced them to the faith of his kind, and birthed many children, and guided them in their lives - interrupting the natural order of things... sacrificing portions of his divinity, and gave rise to the dynasty that would rise from the Winter Palace and reign as the Tsarina. Their people faced harsh winters in this realm, an oddity at best - and faced off many threats... but faith returned in the dark time when demons unleashed through the Arcanum Age. They rivalled against the more advanced civilisation of Venatorus, the magocratic city of Vangolia... their hubris cast them down into ruin and devastated the surrounding lands, unleashing a great evil and the gate to the abyss. Giving rise to the Demons, the demonic tribes that would rave as barbarians across the land that did not take up the arms of the angel. Thus the powerful Demon Princes, Yeenoghu and Baphomet were unleashed and did battle across the land - facing against the angels of Promethea, Lorkhan the god of the Orcs, and the other divinities, aided by the Primordial Green. This great battle devastated and sealed the land around it.

GEOGRAPHY

WEATHER AND SEASONS

The weather and seasons of northern Vangolia act differently to the other parts of the continent, something that has perplexed scholars even before the Calamity. The North is known to have longer days in the summer and longer nights in the winter, being closer to the northern Pole - being naturally colder and home to many glaciers that naturally cool the land from the Mor'Goron Mountains.

Seasons

Still following the typical four seasons: summer, autumn, winter and spring. However, the key difference is that winter lasts much longer in this region than most areas in the world. There are long cold winters that last 5-6 months, with short springs lasting 1-2 months (6 to 7 weeks), and short summers lasting 2-3 months (7-12 weeks), and a short autumn lasting 1-2 months (6-8 weeks). The winter days are usually very dark, with only a few hours of sunlight. Conversely, the summer days are full of sunlight, and only a few hours of night. The growing season for plants, when they come out and grow, occur for 15 weeks on average in the year.

Temperature

Temperatures are known to reach between -6 Degrees Celsius to -50 Degrees Celsius during the Winter period in its coldest periods, and dropping to -50 Degrees Celsius at night. During spring or autumn, it still remains cool, the temperatures drop to between 1-2 degrees and -20 Degrees Celsius. During the summer, it is warm and wet, rising to temperatures above 10 Degrees to 14 Degrees Celsius.

Weather

But this region is dominated by a series of weather fronts, where the weather turns fine at one point - manifesting thick decks of fog, low clouds and unceasing drizzles - or none at all. Spring and Autumn come with cold weather fronts, and Summer and Winter come with warm weather fronts. With prevailing winds being westerly, moving from west to east. Frequently changing to cold and warm fronts, where cooler air comes behind and warmer air in front. As fronts pass, they tend to leave clear skies dotted by clouds that can grow into a storm almost instantly. Thus, the winds begin to weaken and change direction as these fronts pass. The ground all year long is perpetually filled with permafrost (containing silt, soil, gravel, clay, rock particles and bound together by frozen water). During winter, permafrost remains frozen beneath the earth at 15cm (6 inches) - whereas in the summertime, it is several metres deep before you reach the permafrost. Making agriculture and cultivation difficult. Except for summertime, the lands are perpetually covered in snow between 6-8 months at most. During summer, it is common to find that fires occur commonly in the taiga and boreal forests, helping biomes regenerate by consuming the dead wood and biomass, clearing out tree canopies and making room for the new growth of budding and sprouting trees and plants, where sunlight can invigorate the forest floor.

Daylight

The most fascinating aspect is that in this region is the daylight extremes. During Summer, daylight hours increase dramatically, culminating in 24 hours of daylight at summer solstice. At this time, the sun, instead of rising and setting, slightly appears to move in more of a circle. Conversely, there is endless night at the winter solstice, where the sun seems more diametrically opposite to the arctic regions. In the winter, the winds become more cooled and accelerated - resulting in greater snow storms and blizzards across the lands here. Despite this, this region always remains cold - as the sea-breeze in summer brings cool air and thick frosting fog from the west.