| Information | Selection |
|---|---|
| Conditions | Buildings: Well maintained but a bit rustic Roads: Exceedingly well cared for and maintained due the dangerous terrain Architecture Style: Rustic |
| Defensive Capacity | Large, reinforced stone & Ice wall Dorms & hostels for visitors |
| Population | Trade: Trade is largely conducted between the locals though there is a small market for the unique meats, furs and minerals found the Arctic Expanse typically though not exclusively dealt to the Empire directly. Celebrations: The Despairgery are a semi nomadic race and have several celebrations through the year with usually coincide with the approach or actual changing of seasons. Many include great community feasts as the changing season typically indicates that their location or hunting quarry is about to change and is their way to insure nothing goes to waste while also coming together as a community. |
| History | Nestled betwixt the two great peeks within the Arctic Expanse you'll find a city unlike any other within our world by the name of Snowbourne. Aside from the challenging local and the fearsome beasts that call it home the area ,even in the height of summer stays at or below freezing making any that could survive here a special breed. No peoples in their right mind might of chosen this place to call home intentionally but then these aren't an average people and they didn't choose it exactly. Their arrival to these lands was semi tragic happenstance but this adventurous bunch took it as a challenge. After their arrival on the icy shores and they had founded their first settlement there they struck out and cast deeper within the unforgiving Arctic plains. Ever the adventurers they had set out from their settlement and found their ways into the heights of the great peeks. There they discovered the many things that the mountains could provide. In the first days the city was barely more than a well organized tent city as the searched the mountains for minerals, hunted the birds that called the heights home discovering all the cliffs and mountains had to offer. Months passed of them living in this fashion constantly telling themselves that this was a temporary stop and there was no point in putting down roots. For every drop of adventure in there blood there were two drops of stubborn but eventually that stubbornness gave way to common sense and they did what they do best, survive and do it in style. The city was forged into the very stone of these mountain their homes and resource rooms quite literally be carved and cut into the mountain hollowing out bits so that the mountain seemed to be comprised of stone towers with soft glowing lights coming from small carved window openings. They opted not to build to high into mountain to keep from interfering with the natural breeding behavior of the mountain dwelling birds. When hunting the birds was off the table due to such things the instead hunting through the many caves primarily a kind of large rodent roughly the size of an adult goat. These were dangerous to hunt with powerful teeth and jaws capable of taking a hand and so the choice to hunt them was always argued over. The city homes and buildings were connect by a series of rope bridges and ladders to make travel easier. At the base of the mountain where the ground started to level was what some cities might of called their business district but considering how few outsiders they got coming to these parts it was more often used as well organized way to trade with one another. Not the visitors and selling was unheard of to them but frankly how many traveled into the ice trap on purposed and stayed alive long enough to buy something. After all these trading stations were mere steps from the dangers of the Expanse separated only by wall of ice and stone. While excavating the stone from the mountain to carve out their homes they had been left with plenty of rumble causing then to come up with an interesting use. First melting ice and snow the cooled water was poured in snow molds packed with rubble and left to freeze to for to form a kind of ice brick that they then used to build their wall. At the base of the mountains was a beautifully constructed stable or barn of sorts though it the most luxurious barn one is ever likely to find. It containing their greatest asset, a mount that was entirely unique to the people that called the Arctic Expanse home. These creatures called Aurorix very much looked like foxes but with nearly the size of horses they had long silky fur that ranged from snowy white to icy blue and upon their heads the wielded thin branched antlers like deadly spikes and though they look frail the are stronger than iron. Their body temperature ran unnaturally high keeping not only themselves warm but anything near to them as well. These creatures are highly intelligent enough so that these animal managed a rudimentary form of communication with the people of the city and an arrangement was struck. The Aurorix would help them traverse the Arctic Expanse on their travels and help bring down the large dangerous animals that stalk the Expanse. The people in exchange would provide those of them that aid them in this way with a warm home, ample food and protection should it be necessary. These details however are a closely guarded secret and only known by the citizens that call the Arctic Expanse home. |