Ikarell
The picturesque Ikarell transforms wildly between seasons. Entire forests, rivers, and landscapes can appear and vanish between summer and winter. Nearly anyone will tell you to visit in autumn - the colors of the leaves and landscape are unmatched, and the region is at its most welcoming.
The Timus, Noctera, and Varnote originate here, and still make up the majority of its population.
Little Towns
Ikarell is the original homeland of three of the smallest folk walking the World - the Varnote, Noctera, and Timus (who also call Adressia home). For hundreds of years, they lived in villages built for their kind by their kind, and sized only for their kind. When neighboring Minotaurs began arriving for trade and settlement, they found their size fully incompatible with the lifestyle of the region. No minotaur (or any other foreign species for that matter) could fit in a shop or tavern built by the locals. This became a noticeable problem as Ikarell was ignored in World-wide commerce due to the inconvenience of resting a crew, docking a ship, or storing goods. In modern times, old neighborhoods built by noctera families or varnote clan-halls stand the size they originally were, just next door to a home or business built for a species over four feet tall. It creates a peculiar style of architecture unique to the region. Three stories of timus housing can fit alongside one floor built for Ursinin or Loxodon. Inns in major cities simply added on new rooms to the already existing ones, creating huge changes in ceiling height a few feet apart. Shipyards can now fit great caravels from Erenthill or Colladia, but they'll be moored next to a tiny pier that fits three varnote canoes.Seasonal Changes
Seaons change Ikarell more profoundly than any other place on the World. Autumn is considered the "standard" landscape of the region. The trees are bathed in red and orange hues, the wild grasses a bright yellow. Rivers flow a steady, predicable rate, and lakes are at their natural boundaries. Crops are ready to be harvested, and a warm fire in the evening is all you need for comfort. This is the Ikarell most tourists and traders see, and the one the locals like to pretend is the status quo. It's the time when the region is at its most beautiful and hospitable, and it seems that living here must be like being in a painting. When winter arrives it brings snow - and tremendous amounts of it. Landscapes are buried, forcing people to take new paths as old ones are swallowed under four feet or more of powder. Lakes and rivers freeze almost overnight. The painterly plants are suddenly stark and dead, and food is hard to come by. The locals know where the wild beasts still live, and where rare winter berries can be found. Temperatures plummet, and you struggle to stay warm. Spring warms the region rapidly, suddenly melting the massive snowdrifts and causing flash floods that sweep through valleys and washes. Plants burst back to life, overgrowing roads and turning meadows into thickets. Rains come hard and fast, turning farms into standing water and forcing people to seek higher ground. Lightning storms that come with the spring rains make air travel incredibly dangerous. Summer dries the region to the bone, making the roaring washes cracked and dusty and shrinking the shores of lakes so much that new hills and forgotten ruins can be found completely above water. Wildfires rip through old, dried forests. The heat beats down on the locals, making days in the field unbearable. The end of summer brings a needed reprieve with cool winds and scattered rains, allowing life to return to a comfortable pace and signaling the return of autumn.Notable Places:
- Ikwindla
- Lato
- Talvi
Travel Tips:
Ikarell was the first land aside from my own home of Adressia that I ventured to, and one I still have much fondness for. Prepare for weather, regardless of when you arrive in the region. Snowshoes and warm clothing are essential for winter, lest you get stuck in a snow drift. When dealing with the summer heat, a cooling stone can be a lifesaver, and likewise a waterproof tent for spring. The view of the great bay from Ikwindla is a majestic sight no matter what season - I personally prefer the view in winter, as the snow only adds to the sparkling of the waters. -Rodanté
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