Aurelia Steppes

South of the Galen Grasslands, where the land grows warmer and the light lingers longer, lie the Aurelia Steppes—a vast, sun-soaked expanse of golden plains dappled with wildflowers and stitched together by a web of meandering rivers and streams. Here, the air is drier, the wind stronger, and the rhythm of life slower, shaped by sunrises, migrations, and the distant, thunderous calls of unseen beasts.   The shift from Galen’s temperate green into Aurelia’s golden heart is gradual but unmistakable. Grasses fade from bright emerald to a sun-burnished ochre, and the floral palette shifts from cool pastels to blazing reds, oranges, and yellows. In this open land, time is kept by the movement of striped steeds, herds of golden antelope, and the haunting roar of the Plainswalker Lion as dawn or dusk begins.   Towns and villages adapt to the land’s temperament. Near the mountain edge to the west, mining communities dig for valuable minerals, trading ore and stone with coastal settlements in exchange for seafood, tools, and grain. To the east, where the land flattens, agriculture flourishes along the fertile banks of countless streams that descend from the highlands. Here, irrigation is more art than infrastructure, and each community manages its own careful balance of water and crop.   The striped steeds of Aurelia, marked by their zebra-like patterns, are central to life across the region. Though domesticated in many places as mounts or labor animals, they are still hunted in some areas—both for food and for ceremonial purposes. Their meat is lean, and their patterned hides are often displayed with pride by local families.   To the south, where the human footprint thins out and the land lies within reach of the Elven territories, the steppes return to their wild nature. Great herds of golden antelope graze freely. The Steppe Hopper, a nimble, rabbit-like creature, vanishes and reappears in bursts through tall grass. And overhead, birds fill the endless sky. Warblefinches, with their metallic plumage and sweet songs, flit among wildflowers, while Steppe Eagles and Twilight Falcons circle far above, ever watchful.   Life on the Aurelia Steppes is not without its challenges. The openness offers little protection from the elements. Storms come without warning, and winds can carve new paths in a single night. To meet this, many homes are built partially underground, using the earth for insulation against the extremes of heat and cold. These low, domed dwellings blend into the land itself, shaped by necessity and generations of quiet ingenuity.   Aurelia is a land of contrast—between wild and cultivated, old and emerging, predator and herder. It is a place where survival is an art, and where every sunrise promises beauty, risk, and the long, warm breath of the open world