Highfall Tundra

### **Geography**

Highfall Tundra is a region of mostly rugged highlands, and flat tundra, sparsely populated by trees, the grass here is a strange shade of light brown. Snow is present but not as much as The Frozen Bite and Faehrcyle. A large lake is in the center of the regon, which flows out to sea in a river that wraps around Highfall Island.

Regions that border Highfall Tundra include:

* The Frozen Bite

* Spearhead Forest

* Veruhkt Plateau

**Notable Locations**

* The city of Highfall

### **In the Lore**

*The Highfall tundra is an extensive, rocky, icy plain covered in brown grasses and lichen. The southernmost regions feature mountains and rocky cliffs while the further north you go, the flatter and snowier it gets. Along the coast is an inlet with a large island, which the city of Highfall is built upon. The city used to be the trading capital of the east, functioning as a checkpoint for ships travelling around Faehrcyle to get to the east and back. After the Frostfang Catastrophe froze the north in Av2, passage around Faehrcyle became impossible due to all of the ice. Now, Highfall sits in one of the most remote places in the realm, a rich trading city fallen from grace. They do still receive a small amount of income because of a few trading posts at the edges of the tundra, but it is nothing compared to what they used to have. They are constantly trying to expand their borders to warmer, more livable regions, but their neighbors are far stronger than them, so expansion is very difficult. In the modern day, they are focused on fishing and hunting. Many still claim Highfall to be a beautiful, rich city as a ploy to attract visitors, but those who do travel there are sorely disappointed.*

#### **History**

##### Under the Empire of Vir

Before and after the end of the Deity war in Av2 1000, Highfall was a part of the Empire of Vir, an ancient empire which little is known about. It was an important trade hub, conducting commerce with the rest of the Empire and elsewhere, including the island of Sahd (evident in the Sahdi tree in Highfall’s central square). Highfall effectively skipped the tribal period of other regions, although did not end up more advanced than the central plains society.

##### Majesty

When the Empire of Vir shattered in Av2 1359, Highfall mostly avoided the squabbling of the states in the Spearhead forest, and instead increased its economic power. Due to its unique location in a trade choke-point, the city-state held a monopoly on trade to and from Eastern Faercyle. It was also a popular checkpoint for traders traveling north of Faercyle, connecting the Western regions to the east. Along with controlling all of the Highfall region, the city-state held the Verukht Plateau and likely either owned or heavily influenced trading posts in Faercyle. Due to its strength, Highfall was able to rebuke Avsohmic advances and preserve its independence.

##### Downfall

In Av2 1646, the Frostfang Catastrophe scarred the realm. The Highfall City-State was one of the nations worst affected by the Frostfang catastrophe. Highfall was already a tundra, on-par with pre-Frostfang Faercyle, however the catastrophe made Highfall even colder, freezing the trade routes it once monopolized. Without their primary source of income, Highfall quickly fell from grace. In a matter of a few years they had to give up control of the Verukht Plateau, and various other territories they held due to a significant loss of resources. For centuries they remained as an unimportant worthless piece of land, lacking international importance. Much of the city fell to ruin, and remains that way today. The fall of Avsohm had little effect on Highfall, and the next time they would be seen on the world stage would be during the Order of Insohm.

##### Under the Order of Insohm

At some point between Av3 560 and Av3 596, Highfall joined the Order of Insohm. Like most other participating states, Highfall likely joined in order to regain their power. Despite willingly joining the order, the mindset of Highfall’s government was still haughty, and resistant to the Order, an organization more powerful than themselves. When a civil war broke out within the Order, Highfall would join the separatists.

During the civil war, Highfall likely provided troops to the front lines, but would not have provided resources. This is because of the fact that Highfall lacked resources, and could not afford to waste them. Despite their best efforts, Highfall was besieged in Av3 609. Highfall fell in Av3 610, and the civil war would end the next year in 611.

##### Present Day

From the end of the civil war to the present day, Highfall was not involved in many events. The fall of Insohm in Av3 847 had little effect on Highfall, an already struggling region. After the Order’s fall, Highfall was free to attempt expansion into warmer regions to the south, however they failed against the much stronger states they fought against (most likely the Dukedom of Thrasuhnd and the Province of Vir at Virsuhl.) Ever since Virtuo went dormant, her worship, the official religion of Highfall, has become less popular. Tethlaen worship has made a resurgence due to this, although the government hashes out brutal punishments against those who dare worship Tethlaen. Highfall remains a secluded, proud, and discriminatory nation at the edge of civilization, eking it out as a hostile society in a hostile environment.