Novaya

Novaya lies in the northern heartlands of Orienta, stretching from the fertile Wheat Bowl and to the marshy Birodrov Delta in the north, to the bank of the Artis river in the south. It is bordered by The Frontier in the west and the Bebaki Heights in the east. The land is defined by rolling plains, long rivers, and cold winters that shape both agriculture and warfare. While the open grasslands provide some of the best farmland on the continent, the lack of permanent water bodies outside the major rivers means irrigation and seasonal cycles dictate settlement patterns.

Novaya has a harsh continental climate, marked by hot summers and long, bitter winters. The wide plains of the Wheat Bowl are prone to scorching heat in summer, tempered by seasonal storms that sweep in from the Frontier, while the Birodrov Delta remains cooler and humid due to its wetlands. Spring brings wildflower blooms and swollen rivers, making it the season of sowing and horse fairs, while autumn is devoted to harvest festivals and the preservation of food through salting, smoking, and fermenting. Winters dominate Novayan life, with snow and ice cutting off villages, livestock requiring constant care, and wolves prowling the frozen edges of forests. These extremes of weather dictate not only agriculture but also warfare and culture. Military campaigns often halt in winter, and Novayan resilience is rooted in the need to endure the cold season rather than overcome it.

Prior to settlement, the wheatbowl was known to be rich grazing land for lyme grass and rye grasses, allowing the local Novayan clans to convene during spring and summer to graze their horses and fish for trout and eel. Hunting of gazelle, the wild Tarpan (a relative of the domesticated horse), and deer was also common during this period. It is assumed that the domestication of the horse actually came from early Human settlers to this region with some art depicting the earliest Novayan lords riding similarly striped horses.   The ever-decreasing population now means that the hunting of the “Kazarak Horse” is often limited to Nobility and poaching has become punishable by death. Spring and summer also welcome wild-flower blooms, with large masses of daisies, irises and tulips. Many of these plants are annuals which set seed and die back over the cooler autumn and winter months, while tubers like irises and tulips remain in the soil. It is during these warmer periods when flax is occasionally grown for linen production for luxury bedding and cooler summer clothes. Many find it a useful crop that requires little attention in the way of fallowing and irrigation that allows Novayans to return to other duties faster.   As the Novayans began to settle into permanent holdings, they have begun to irrigat wheat fields using the river which has vastly increased export into Grunga and The Frontier. Further north-west towards the Birodrov delta, the Caspian lotus also blooms during the warmer summers, and lotus bean dumplings are served at the annual lotus festival in Birodrov. Fish species of the river frequently include trout, carp and eels due to its soft water properties. In rare events when the northern regions are all but frozen over well into summer, salmon have been known to spawn. These consistent species mean that river-dwelling Novayan populations have consistent access to fertile water for their wheat. Interested methods of fish preservation include salting, smoking, pickling, and fermenting fish for storage and trade in leaner times. River tributaries of the Kul’Tura and its deltas also denotes an interesting sub-species of Rusalka wherein the hair appear a muddier green to better camouflage from larger predators whereas more urban ponds seem to be evolving more sapient qualities in order to be more attractive to prey. Wherein permanent bogs to the south have this similar wild-type evolutionary form of alienness, it will be increasingly interesting to observe as an untouched patch population in order to determine the pattern of Rusalka morphology in urban areas.   Flora of the open plains is an open grassland to open heath basis, with feather grasses dominating most of the space. Small edible shrubs include juniper, cyprus, sage, and thyme, though prickweed is more common. The more recent introduction of potatoes from the mountain region of Lorintha has led to some escaping domestication and being found in fields. During the cooler months, mosses and lichen dominate over the dried out tussock grasses. The lack of permanent bodies of water make irrigating crops more difficult, but the hunting of gazelle, horses, rabbits and cattle farming is still common practice. Similarly, linen is still produced in these regions due to its tougher nature.   The capture of eagle hatchlings in mountainous areas, and subsequent training for hunting rabbits on the plains is an important cultural tradition for the Novayan hunter class. Wolves are still relatively common, but largely inhabit the forests of Birodrov. Reptiles such as snakes and lizards, and insects often occur in the warmer months, with mosquitos being painfully common. The Pzyar moth is present year round due to their fluffy exoskeleton and fat stores from their lichen based diet. During famines, the Novayans consider these a delicacy and they are the frequent subject of blankets and other art.

Wheat Potatoes Furs Horses