Northern Flanaess

The Northern Flanaess is geographically diverse but uniformly hostile to the unprepared:

• The Land of Black Ice lies at the northernmost extreme, a desolate realm of alien glaciers and black-glinting frost, home to strange beasts and lost civilizations sealed in ice.
• The Burneal and Barren Wastes dominate the tundra-like interior, home to roving bands of Flan nomads and occasional ruins from forgotten ages.
• The Tigers, Lopers, and Rovers of the Barrens—indigenous horse-riding nations—traverse vast plains and forests, often skirmishing with each other or with southern invaders.
• The Cold Marshes, Forlorn Forest, and Vesve Forest create dense woodlands filled with fey, beasts, and ancient spirits, as well as humanoid tribes and hidden elven enclaves.
• The Griff Mountains, Corusk Mountains, and Troll Fens are rugged and isolated, sheltering giants, dragons, trolls, and worse.
• To the far northeast, the Ice Barbarians, Snow Barbarians, and Frost Barbarians—collectively known as the Schnai, Cruskii, and Fruztii—dominate the coasts of the Thillonrian Peninsula, living as raiders, traders, and warriors in fiercely independent tribal societies.

Notable Locations

• Tostenhca (ruins) – Once a Suel colony, now a monster-infested ruin of tragic legend.
• Duchy of Tenh – Once prosperous, now ravaged by war, humanoid invaders, and political betrayal.
• Stonehold – Harsh and militaristic, home of the Fury Barbarians, constantly at war with their neighbors.
• Vesve Forest – The largest woodland in the Flanaess, a battleground between elves, Iuz’s forces, and defenders of the wild.
• Wintershiven and Gnome Vale – Hidden communities of gnomes and dwarves nestled in the Yatils and Corusks.

The climate is predominantly cold and often brutal. Long winters, unpredictable blizzards, and short, fleeting summers define life in the North. Farming is rare, trade routes are dangerous, and even established settlements depend on careful preparation and resilience.

The wilderness dominates, and survival often depends on one’s knowledge of the land. Travelers are wise to ally with local guides or native tribes if they wish to cross safely through the region. Food, warmth, and shelter are more valuable than gold in many of these places.

The human cultures of the North are among the oldest and most traditional in the Flanaess:

• The Flan remain strong and proud in the North, often living in harmony with nature and passing down oral traditions and druidic beliefs.
• The Suloise-descended barbarians of the Thillonrian Peninsula live by the sword and sail, honoring ancient gods of battle, storm, and winter.
• Scattered Oeridian and Suel settlers live in frontier outposts or holdfasts, often clashing with native populations or relying on their protection.
• Nonhuman populations, including elves in the Vesve, dwarves in the Yatils and Griffs, and various monstrous tribes, all claim parts of the land as their own.
• Nomadic cultures thrive across the Barrens, including the Rovers, known for their horsemanship, and the Tiger Nomads, whose fierce warriors are among the finest light cavalry in the Flanaess.

Dangers and Dominions

• Dragons—especially white, blue, and red—are prevalent throughout the North, sometimes ruling entire valleys or ranges as tyrants. Their presence has shaped the cultures of the region, with many tribes revering or fearing them as gods.
• Giants, trolls, and ice demons inhabit the mountains and deep forests.
• The Iuzite threat looms to the southwest, where the demigod’s forces encroach into the Vesve and threaten the northern defenders.
• Mysteries of the Black Ice—some say an alien intelligence or magical catastrophe lies frozen beneath that land, influencing events even in faraway places.