Nuln
From Reydala
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[[image:Nuln.jpg|thumb|470px|Many find Nuln to be a peaceful haven from pursecution.]] | [[image:Nuln.jpg|thumb|470px|Many find Nuln to be a peaceful haven from pursecution.]] | ||
== Environment and Geography == | == Environment and Geography == | ||
| + | In terms of geography, Nuln can be split into two distinct areas: the mainland and the peninsula. The peninsula is heavily forested, and contains many hills and cliffs (Though no point so high as to be properly called a mountain). The mainland is in contrast mostly flat, with few proper forests and a few rivers that cross it's span. | ||
| + | Temperatures on the peninsula usually range from lows of 30 degrees in the winter to highs of 110 in the summer, often with very humid conditions. Rain and storms are frequent, but perhaps the biggest danger are the hurricanes that frequently sweep over the Nuln Peninsula during the summer months. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Temperatures on the mainland are much drier and somewhat cooler, usually ranging from 20 lows in winter and 100 highs in summer. During the peak of the rainy season, the rivers flowing through the mainland can rise considerably due to overflow in the channel, causing a danger to towns located nearby. | ||
=== Location === | === Location === | ||
| - | + | Nuln is loated on Reydala's far western peninsula. It shares a border with [[Riscana]] to the north and [[Banato]] to the northeast, with [[Walstad]] immediately to the south. | |
=== Important Terrain Features === | === Important Terrain Features === | ||
| - | *'''The Lost | + | *'''The Lost Ocean''': An expanse of ocean that stretches from Nuln and Riscana all the way to the other side of the globe to Kaltia. It's name originally came from the dwarves living in [[Tyren]]. While many pilgrims in the past chose to try to venture across the ocean to see what they can find, few of these pilgrims ever returned, and those that did usually were returned with the smashed remnants of their vessel to their starting point, the sharp currents pushing them back toward Tyren. |
| + | |||
| + | Maritime technology has advanced considerably since those early days however, and travel on the lost ocean is as freqent as it is lucrative. Large ships routinely brave the waters between [[Kaltia]] and Nuln to make extreme profits on goods both nations need from each other. However, the ocean is still not to be underestimated, especially during summer near the Nuln Peninsula. Heavy storms have been known to swallow ships, and should a vessel be stuck in the path of a hurricane, its chances of survival are practically nil. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The shallows of the lost Ocean teem with underwater life, fishing is a common past time and occupation among those close to the waters edge. As a result, the average diet on the waterfronts includes a large percentage of fish, sometimes eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The deeper waters far from shore are still somewhat of a mystery, but there are many fish tales and horror stories of massive creatures that can capsize even the largest boat living below the murky depths. | ||
*'''The Shimmering Gulf''': | *'''The Shimmering Gulf''': | ||
| + | The shimmering gulf is a large inlet shielded from the rest of the ocean by the Nuln peninsula. The gulf is fed through the Votuvian channel and the waters continue to flow out into the Lost Ocean. Waters here are typically much calmer compared to the lost ocean and during the summer months most ships will take the time to detour into the gulf rather than risk crew and cargo to the storms. Ports on the shores of the gulf typically accumulate a full eighty percent of their profit during the summer months, when dock prices skyrocket and the gulf becomes positively jammed with vessels from all over the world. | ||
| + | Outside of Summer, the gulf is usually fairly quiet, mostly populated by fishing boats. The water seems to reflect an unusual amount of sun and moonlight, leading to beautiful views framed by the hills of Walstad and Nuln. The coasts of the gulf also make popular resort spots, being some of the most beautiful beaches in Reydala. | ||
*'''The Freehaven Sea''': | *'''The Freehaven Sea''': | ||
| + | A large bay located near the city of Freehaven, ringed by an array of small islands. Waters here are frequently choppy because the sea receives currents from multiple opposite directions. Coupled with the relatively shallow depth and a boat has a high risk of running aground on one of the rocky outcroppings that fill the sea. Many less experienced captains opt to travel around the islands instead, though veteran sea farers benefit from the sea by delivering goods quicker with the shortcut and even trading at the freehaven docks themselves. The sea is sometimes used as a testing ground by corporations seeking a new captain for their vessels. | ||
*'''The Votuvian Channel''': | *'''The Votuvian Channel''': | ||
| + | Named after the original elven explorer who first made contact with humans in Riscana, the Votuvian channel is a large span of water that forms the border between Walstad and Nuln. Fast currents make travel on the channel speedy and frequent, but the waters are not particularly deep and in places the channel becomes quite narrow. Many bridges have been built spanning the channel, most by Nuln, as a symbol of the friendship between the two nations. Nuln in particular uses the channel as a way to test new bridge building architecture. | ||
*'''Kasser Lake''': | *'''Kasser Lake''': | ||
| + | Actually a duo of two freshwater lakes that surround the fortress of Kasser, one of the premier institutions of hydrodynamic research on the planet. Each of the lakes are fed by different branches of the Fune river and flow back into the Nashira. The north lake has a higher elevation than the south, a large waterfall accompanying it's exit into the Nashira. The two lakes and their rivers have been dammed and freed on more than one occaision. | ||
| + | The lakes themselves are fairly still due to their size, but the rivers before and after them quickly speed up to rapid-like conditions. Because of this, not many fish reside within the lakes, and those that do have lived there their entire lives (or introduced to the environment by humans). Of the life present, shellfish and mollusks are the most numerous. | ||
| + | |||
*'''The Nashira River''': | *'''The Nashira River''': | ||
| + | A large river that flows westward from the Votuvian channel and forms a natural boundary between Riscana and Nuln. The Nashira is relatively slow moving and murky in the middle of the continent, but faster and cleaner around the ocean, channels, and especially after the rejoining beyond Kasser lake. The Nashira splits in many places, the largest offshoot being the Fune river. Darrug's River is one of the most recent of these rivulets, brough into life due to increased flow resulting from the destruction of one of the Kasser dams. It was named after the engineer who performed the demolition. | ||
*'''The Fune River''': | *'''The Fune River''': | ||
| - | + | The fune is the largest offshoot of the Nashira river, running much cleaner and faster than the majority of its parent. Like the Nashira it has many splits, the largest of which feed into the Kasser lakes and back into the Nashira. It also has an arm which travels all the way south to Alliend and eventually rejoins with the Votuvian channel. | |
Revision as of 22:48, 18 April 2008
Contents |
Environment and Geography
In terms of geography, Nuln can be split into two distinct areas: the mainland and the peninsula. The peninsula is heavily forested, and contains many hills and cliffs (Though no point so high as to be properly called a mountain). The mainland is in contrast mostly flat, with few proper forests and a few rivers that cross it's span.
Temperatures on the peninsula usually range from lows of 30 degrees in the winter to highs of 110 in the summer, often with very humid conditions. Rain and storms are frequent, but perhaps the biggest danger are the hurricanes that frequently sweep over the Nuln Peninsula during the summer months.
Temperatures on the mainland are much drier and somewhat cooler, usually ranging from 20 lows in winter and 100 highs in summer. During the peak of the rainy season, the rivers flowing through the mainland can rise considerably due to overflow in the channel, causing a danger to towns located nearby.
Location
Nuln is loated on Reydala's far western peninsula. It shares a border with Riscana to the north and Banato to the northeast, with Walstad immediately to the south.
Important Terrain Features
- The Lost Ocean: An expanse of ocean that stretches from Nuln and Riscana all the way to the other side of the globe to Kaltia. It's name originally came from the dwarves living in Tyren. While many pilgrims in the past chose to try to venture across the ocean to see what they can find, few of these pilgrims ever returned, and those that did usually were returned with the smashed remnants of their vessel to their starting point, the sharp currents pushing them back toward Tyren.
Maritime technology has advanced considerably since those early days however, and travel on the lost ocean is as freqent as it is lucrative. Large ships routinely brave the waters between Kaltia and Nuln to make extreme profits on goods both nations need from each other. However, the ocean is still not to be underestimated, especially during summer near the Nuln Peninsula. Heavy storms have been known to swallow ships, and should a vessel be stuck in the path of a hurricane, its chances of survival are practically nil.
The shallows of the lost Ocean teem with underwater life, fishing is a common past time and occupation among those close to the waters edge. As a result, the average diet on the waterfronts includes a large percentage of fish, sometimes eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The deeper waters far from shore are still somewhat of a mystery, but there are many fish tales and horror stories of massive creatures that can capsize even the largest boat living below the murky depths.
- The Shimmering Gulf:
The shimmering gulf is a large inlet shielded from the rest of the ocean by the Nuln peninsula. The gulf is fed through the Votuvian channel and the waters continue to flow out into the Lost Ocean. Waters here are typically much calmer compared to the lost ocean and during the summer months most ships will take the time to detour into the gulf rather than risk crew and cargo to the storms. Ports on the shores of the gulf typically accumulate a full eighty percent of their profit during the summer months, when dock prices skyrocket and the gulf becomes positively jammed with vessels from all over the world.
Outside of Summer, the gulf is usually fairly quiet, mostly populated by fishing boats. The water seems to reflect an unusual amount of sun and moonlight, leading to beautiful views framed by the hills of Walstad and Nuln. The coasts of the gulf also make popular resort spots, being some of the most beautiful beaches in Reydala.
- The Freehaven Sea:
A large bay located near the city of Freehaven, ringed by an array of small islands. Waters here are frequently choppy because the sea receives currents from multiple opposite directions. Coupled with the relatively shallow depth and a boat has a high risk of running aground on one of the rocky outcroppings that fill the sea. Many less experienced captains opt to travel around the islands instead, though veteran sea farers benefit from the sea by delivering goods quicker with the shortcut and even trading at the freehaven docks themselves. The sea is sometimes used as a testing ground by corporations seeking a new captain for their vessels.
- The Votuvian Channel:
Named after the original elven explorer who first made contact with humans in Riscana, the Votuvian channel is a large span of water that forms the border between Walstad and Nuln. Fast currents make travel on the channel speedy and frequent, but the waters are not particularly deep and in places the channel becomes quite narrow. Many bridges have been built spanning the channel, most by Nuln, as a symbol of the friendship between the two nations. Nuln in particular uses the channel as a way to test new bridge building architecture.
- Kasser Lake:
Actually a duo of two freshwater lakes that surround the fortress of Kasser, one of the premier institutions of hydrodynamic research on the planet. Each of the lakes are fed by different branches of the Fune river and flow back into the Nashira. The north lake has a higher elevation than the south, a large waterfall accompanying it's exit into the Nashira. The two lakes and their rivers have been dammed and freed on more than one occaision.
The lakes themselves are fairly still due to their size, but the rivers before and after them quickly speed up to rapid-like conditions. Because of this, not many fish reside within the lakes, and those that do have lived there their entire lives (or introduced to the environment by humans). Of the life present, shellfish and mollusks are the most numerous.
- The Nashira River:
A large river that flows westward from the Votuvian channel and forms a natural boundary between Riscana and Nuln. The Nashira is relatively slow moving and murky in the middle of the continent, but faster and cleaner around the ocean, channels, and especially after the rejoining beyond Kasser lake. The Nashira splits in many places, the largest offshoot being the Fune river. Darrug's River is one of the most recent of these rivulets, brough into life due to increased flow resulting from the destruction of one of the Kasser dams. It was named after the engineer who performed the demolition.
- The Fune River:
The fune is the largest offshoot of the Nashira river, running much cleaner and faster than the majority of its parent. Like the Nashira it has many splits, the largest of which feed into the Kasser lakes and back into the Nashira. It also has an arm which travels all the way south to Alliend and eventually rejoins with the Votuvian channel.
Unique Flora & Fauna
Residents and Culture
Major Cities
- Freehaven:
- The Freehaven Academy Library: Skills: Knowledge(History, Architecture and Engineering, Dungeoneering) Modifier: +15
- Kora:
- Yorad:
- Shavale:
- Drei:
- Todare :
- Elshing:
- Crossamar:
- Pailah:
- Battolia:
- Stillfre:
- Kasser:
- Sahere:
- Neith:
- Sarfune:
- Alliend:
- Suda
