The Northlands

North of the Keller Lands, across the story expanse of the Hillayet Sea, lie the "Northlands". This vast, mostly unpopulated wilderness is a mix of polar icecaps, frozen tundra, and dense woodlands. The region is actually a huge peninsula, separated by a mountain range called Frostwall running across the narrow Isthmus of Hillas. Beyond the Frostwall, the land is little known, regarded as trackless empty wastelands by the civilized lands to the south. In fact, there are many inhabitants - some human, some not. In general, the Northlands are split in half by a series of mountain ranges running east to west. North of these mountains, the land is generally either polar icecap, glaciers, or flat and frozen tundra. South of the mountain ranges, the terrain is hilly and covered with thick coniferous forests. Indeed, the forested areas are a primary source of furs and timber for the Keller Lands to the south. The mountains tend to be moderately sized, with few spectacular peaks, due to glacial erosion. In a few places, active volcanoes make the terrain and life around them more varied than the rest of the surrounding terrain. The human population of the Northlands is mixed between several groups. Most of the population is ethnically Noladen. These people tend to live in small settlements organized by clan or tribe, and are generally considered "barbarians" by the Keller. In the far western areas, coastal regions are inhabited by people related to the barbarian tribes to the west of the Pershamon Empire. These people eke out a harsh living as hunters and fishermen, occasionally trading with neighbors. To the far east, a few clans of Yanoshi, mostly those on the losing side of clan wars, have established fortified settlements and are slowly expanding into the wilderness. The southern coastal regions are largely dominated by a chain of small ethnic Keller states. The non-human population includes a larger number of orcs and ogres than the civilized parts of the world - they tend to thrive in the wilderness, competing with the Noladen tribes. Goblinoids of various sorts, most commonly bugbears, can also be found in somewhat smaller numbers here. A few small Dwarven kingdoms exist where mountains run near a coastline, but they tend to be smaller in number than those in the FarSpar Range to the south.

The following geographical features of the Northlands bear further elaboration:

Hillayet Sea - A thousand miles wide, and two thousand miles long, the Hillayet Sea is a major barrier to travel from the Northland to the Keller Lands. The western end is a bit shallower and more sheltered, but coastal settlements of all sorts are frequently raided by seaborne bandits from Frostwall and Jotun March. Likewise, the militant Nonadir Heirate has been known to make slave raids along the coasts. Towards the east, the waters are deeper and more open, leading to rougher weather. The straits to both sides of Kathros Isle are generally regarded as the boundary of the Hillayet Sea.