Alesund

Alesund is an island far to the north of the Island-Nation Confederation, in the chilly grip of the northern reaches of the Great Ocean. For the most part, the island is completely devoid of permanent settlements, with the exception of the city-state of Bergen, in the south, the Palace of the Ice Maiden in the north, and the Duergar city of Grundleslack beneath the ground.
The climate across all of Alesund is arctic, oftentimes with harsh, unforgiving winds that sweep across the island. The interior of the island was once heavily forested with pine, but the density of these forests has thinned recently, with the wars between the Duergar and the residents of the island, and the ongoing conflict between the Ice Maiden and the residents of the island. In the seas around the island, seals, walruses, whales, and various fish can be found, as can large icebergs that make sea travel dangerous.
Because of the harsh natural conditions, the native people of Alesund, the Ruskiyan, are a very hardy people. Years of warfare with the Duergar and the Ice Maiden have made them even tougher. The Duergar of Grundleslack have traditionally been isolated, save a few forays to the surface. Within the ranks of the servitors of the Ice Maiden are various ice creatures, but the bulk of her army is made up of Goblins.