Littlestep

**Littlestep** is one of the five continents in the world of Giantstep. Littlestep connects to Eastern Giantstep through the Faarowt Isthmus, and surrounded by the Sea of the Lamb, the Sea of Wraiths, the Platinum Strait, the Okhelian Ocean, the Sea of Innocence, the Labyrinth Bay and the Grënndell’s Sea. Littlestep is the third biggest continent in the step, ahead of Zemyland and Wanaidheain, and behind Scimitarian and Giantstep.

## Geography of Littlestep

The geography of Littlestep can be divided into three areas, each considerably different. At the westernmost part, we can find the shores of the Orange Marquissates, between the Sea of the Lamb and the Great Peaks. The climate in the area consist of mild summers and cold (but not too cold) winters with frequent rains all year round, concentrated during autumn and winter. The proximity of the Great Peaks means that there is easy access to rivers, allowing for fertile soil in most areas but the swamps southeast of the Sea of Silver Foam. The plants in the area are used to the cold humidity, with the most famous examples being the northern citrus. The southern areas, near the Faarowt Isthmus, are covered in forests, perfect for the many druids in the area. East of the Great Peaks and west of the Red Lake lies the massive Green Oak forest, an expansive forest covering more than 1/3rd of the continent, surrounding the Blue Mountains and the Blue Lakes within. Most of these area is uninhabited, safe from woodcutters and hunters living in the woods. The cities are near the coast, in the form of the many independent Woodcutter Cities. East of the Red Lake, the humidity and cold weather creates many cold swamps, occupying most of the land between the Red Lake and the shores, with mangrove forests in the Iebrum Estuaries. The harsh weather and dangers have caused it to be very sparsely populated, though the presence of dark sorcery by Avangar has created some inhabitable areas where agriculture is possible. East of the Great Swamps, the Clean Fields are occupied by grasslands, mostly used by the local populations for hunting and agricultural purposes.

East of Littlestep proper, one can find the Sitrai Martöflu Archipelago, which includes Stór Kartöflu, Zeresh, Devon, Rukan, Nerega and Ils Muslík. These islands are covered in lush forests, with a milder climate due to the less continental nature of the islands, but keeping the frequent rains. Stór Kartöflu in particular has a low volcanic activity, with frequent eruptions that bring little lava but many volcanic cinders.

## Demographics of Littlestep

Out of all continents, Littlestep is the most demographically uniform of them all. Humans are the absolute majority, with very few minorities of fey and ogres east of the Red Lake, no non-human minority of note west of the Red Lake. Mostly located in the Princedom of Platinum and the Avangar Empire, these groups are limited to very small elven populations, as well as some ogre tribes in the swamps. The only area with a considerable amount of non-humans is Stór Kartöflu, where the horned ogres ruled until the Avangar Empire took them over, and elyrian colonization has been steadily increasing ever since. The human cultures are quite different from each other, from the peoples from the Orange Marquissates, the peoples from the Woodcutter Cities, the many cultures from the Great Swamps (with the elyrians as the most powerful) and the peoples of Greater Elanxan descent.

## Regions and nations of Littlestep

* Avangar Empire
* Black Prison Island
* Dreaded Wharf
* Green Oak Forest and Woodcutter Cities
* Kingdom of Poker
* Kingdom of Tarot
* Künt
* Orange Marquissates
* Pondlings
* Princedom of the Platinum Strait
* Republic of Vilga
* The Fyrd
* Zeresh