Estaar: The Wild Lands

Estaar is the continent to the north of the Sorquos Region and is proper wilderness, with no civilized settlement yet established on it. Not even the ancient Vanae civilization built anything substantial here. It is definitely subarctic (whereas Sorqueland is temperate to subarctic) and the forests are mostly pine. In the winter snow always falls, usually with several months below freezing, while the summers are mild, never hot. There are humanoid settlements, including Northmen, wood elves and other races, while other tribes are nomadic (centaurs and orcs rarely settle down for long) Trade is difficult but possible, and there are lots of resources on Estaar, though it is not easy to safely extract them. Furs, ivory, timber and minerals can all be found. Traders and merchants from the city-states (particularly Ironport and Quarll) will sail across the Blacktuna Channel and trade with the more reasonable natives who tend to gather the resources themselves.

There have been a number of attempts to establish settlements on Estaar from both the Irryllian Empire and the City-states - none have lasted for more than two years. A combination of harsh climate, food shortages, rampaging monsters, raiding native tribes of humans and humanoids and the occasional outbreak of disease all have resulted in the abandonment or complete destruction of the new colony. Estaar remains defiantly wild despite the efforts of civilization. The closest things to civilization to survive on Estaar are the villages of humans known as Northmen, wood elves and less pleasant humanoids.

The map above shows the known areas of Estaar - it is believed to extend considerably further north and further east, based on accounts of traders and fishermen who got lost. The further north they went, the icier and more hostile the climate became.

Notable geographic features include:

• Dallarn Islands: This cluster of four main islands and numerous smaller rocky outcrops is generally considered part of Estaar as they sit off the coast. There are a variety of creatures that have found their way over to these islands including populations of deer, wild auroch and giant goats that are food for various predators including a flock of griffons. The islands do not have many trees but have lots of moorlands with gorse, heather and bracken. No humans stay here though there are some tribes of hardy goblins who viciously attack any intruders.
• Melliforn Grasses: Less fertile and colder than the Southshore Plain, the Melliforn Grasses nonetheless provide sustenance for even larger animals including mammoths, woolly rhinos and giant horses. These enormous herbivores support a range of very big and dangerous carnivores including cave bears and sabretooths.
• Pathless Forest: This large woodland is on the western side of the explored part of Estaar. The forest is mostly coniferous (fir and pine), with a number of different humanoid tribes, including Northmen, wood elves, gnolls, orcs and bugbears as well as a wide range of wild animals.
• Rellvak Mountains: These are among the highest peaks known to the people of the City States, and they can reach 14,000ft above sea level. Due to their northern latitude, much of the Rellvak Mountains are covered in snow and glaciers, and the range is home to both mountain-dwelling and arctic-dwelling monsters, including white and red dragons, frost, cloud and stone giants and the legendary Remorhaz.
  
• Southshore Plain: This stretch of grassland is bordered by the Pathless Forest to the west, the Zerdenn Swamp to the east and the Rellvak Mountains to the north. It is quite fertile, and can support numerous herds of bison and giant elk. These in turn feed dire wolves, sabretooth tigers and tribes of orcs, ogres, centaurs and Northmen.
• Zerdenn Swamp: This rarely-explored coastal marsh is approximately north of Quarll, separating the Melliforn Grasses from Southshore Plain. In winter it freezes over, so its cold-blooded inhabitants will hibernate. Warm-blooded and non-living creatures (such as the Will-o-Wisp) are active all year round.