Coldstone Plateau

== History ==
The Coldstone Plateau, also commonly referred to as the Coldstone Heights, had never even been considered as an area for people to live in. Historically, only brave explorers with an appetite for beautiful landscapes frequented the area, though all that changed when prospectors discovered several sizable deposits of Arcane Essence. 
Suddenly, the area became of interest to military strategists and groups like the Arcane Society, eventually leading to the construction of the White Citadel.
== Description ==
The Coldstone Plateau spans an expansive area of flat highlands, surrounded by some of the tallest peaks in the entire Bastion mountain range. Being so high up in the mountains, the climate ranges from cool in Full Bloom to extremely cold and unforgiving in Deep Cold. The soil is too thin to grow anything but grass and moss.
Fresh water exists in the form of small lakes that dot the landscape, though one often has to break through a thin layer of ice to gain access to it. During the height of the Full Bloom, a number of rare herbs that cannot be found anywhere else flourish for a short time before the cold sets in again.
== Importance ==
Towns are few and far between in the region, given the only reason to settle the inhospitable wastelands are a few ore veins and rumors of arcane essence just waiting to be found under the barren surface. Towns typically consist of only a few houses, and are usually built near or against rocky outcrops that provide some additional protection from the frigid winds. Even then, most towns don’t last very long, usually until the town’s mine is depleted.
By far the largest settlement on the Coldstone Plateau is the White Citadel, an impressive fortress that serves as Stoneshaw’s county capital. Opportunistic traders frequently make runs to the Citadel, providing basic supplies like firewood that are notoriously hard to come by up in the mountains, in exchange for goods like ores and Arcane Essence. Dairy products and textiles brought in from outlying villages are often traded as well.Category:Regions
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Category:The Holy Empire of Alenthyl