Ulmera
Ulmera is a land of rolling hills, dark pine forests, and great nations. Mighty rivers flowing down from the Torvern Range cut through the landscape, feeding the countless emerald lakes that dot the region. It is here, among there dark woods, steep hills, and fridged lakes that two of the continent’s four great nations are found: the theocratic Zaranta, the Silver Empire; and the confederacy of the Free Cities of Ulmera. The cities and towns of these two powers, as well as a handful of other settlements who owe their allegiance to only themselves, are bastions of safety and civilization in there inherently dangerous, yet beautiful lands.
This is not to say that the nations of Ulmera have tamed the forests, lakes, and crags of the land, because even they cannot civilize the wilds of this land. Many animals and monsters stalk the dense woods and deep lakes, hunting and preying on those poor souls who get lost among the mazes of trees or who capsize while traversing seemingly calm waters. It is recommend to stick to the roads, and to travel in groups, or else you too could go missing.
Settlements, Towns, and Cities
For information on the cities and towns within the nation of Zaranta, the Silver Empire, see the section here.
For information on the cities and towns within the nation the Free Cities of Ulmera, see the section here.
Tombrise
Population : ~500
Sitting along the northern coast of Silverwood Lake is the small town of Tombrise. Most of the town’s inhabitants are in the service of maintaining the Silverwood Memorial Park, and they take that job quite seriously. While not part of Zaranta officially, most of the townsfolk consider themselves part of the empire, especially since the Memorial Park is dedicated to enshrining the elite of empire.
Vlamond
Population : ~250,000
Nestled in the Vlamoth bay along the eastern coast of Ulmera is the large port city of Vlamond. The city takes great pride in their independence from all the nations of Ediacara, instead choosing to focus on their connections and relationships with the nations across the sea.
Life in the Forests and Foothills
Many towns, villages, and hamlets are scattered about the forests and foothills of Ulmera, existing outside of the safety of the nations of Zaranta and the Free Cities. Logging, farming, ranching, and mining are a few of the occupations that sustain those living out in the wilds of this region. Travelling traders and snake-oil salesmen are also common throughout Ulmera, with the most successful traders making quite the fortune for themselves.
The farms grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. Large fields of crops, orchards of fruit trees, and more than a couple of vineyards making wine loved the continent over are nestled away in the foothills. The ranches of Ulmera are home to many species of horned dinosaurs and hadrosaurs being raised for their meat, hide, and to be trained as beasts of burden. A few of the ranches also specialize in Utahraptors to be trained as mounts, and as places to board raptors as well.
The high quality of the region’s trees has led to a thriving lumber industry. Most of the forestry industry is owned and operated by large corporations out of the regions two rival nations, with sabotage being a common occurrence. This makes logging one of the more dangerous jobs in Ulmera, coming only second to mining.
The high-quality ore that is found out in the Torvern mountains can also found in the foothills of Ulmera, as well as large deposits of coal. Just like forestry, most of the large mining operations are owned and operated by the companies out of Zaranta and the Free Cities. Most of the farmers also have small claims of their own, for when the cooler weather of winter rolls in, and makes growing most of their cash crops not a viable option. While one would think these personal mines are the more dangerous option of the two, but it’s in the large corporate ones where the real danger is; sabotage is just as common underground as it is out in the forests, with more than a few poor souls being lost to ‘freak’ accidents.
Landmarks & Points of Interest
The Black Hills
While the hills themselves are not actually black, it is the extensive coal deposits running through the hills that give them their name. Home to dozens of mines, ranging from small personal claims to large company owned operations, the black hills are one of the continent’s economic engines. Situated between the nations of Zaranta and the Free Cities, the Black Hills are a hot bed of espionage and corporate warfare, with both nations trying to increase their hold over the Hills.
Silverwood Memorial Park
Sprawling for well over a hundred acres, the Silverwood Memorial Park is the graveyard for the elite of Zaranta. The park is equal parts cemetery and well-kept botanical garden, and it sits along the shore of Silverwood Lake, from which the park gets its name. Ornate statues of the gods, of heroes, and of past rulers are scattered about, looking over tombs as large as manors and just as ostentatious.
A veritable army of workers look after the tombs, and maintain the gardens day and night. All of them live in the small village of Tombrise, which is located a few miles up the coast of Silverwood lake.
Lake Ulmera
More of an inland sea than a lake, Lake Ulmera this is the largest body of fresh water anywhere on the continent, rivaled only by Uralia’s Lake Rasano halfway across the world. The lake plunges over a thousand feet in spots, hiding much within its dark and murky depths. Due to the mineral rich run off from the Torverns, the lake is a deeply rich of hue teal year round.
The Free Cities of Ulmera are centred around the lake, and controlling the massive body of water was one of the driving forces in the establishment of the confederacy. The empires to the south and west of the Free Cities have made no secret about their ambitions, and most experts agree that is just a matter of time until the confederacy will be tested by their neighbours.
Ulmera Crater
This blasted out hole in the earth is a giant scar upon the otherwise lush landscape. It is a result of a meteor falling from the sky a few thousand years ago, devastating the surrounding forest, and forever scaring the foothills. The trees have never grown back, and the wildlife (both beast and monster) avoid wandering too close.
Most residents of the region say to avoid the crater, because odd things seem to happen in and around the hole: things like ghost lights floating out of the depths; strange noises and cries echoing across the area, seeming to slip out of the blast zone; and aberrations not of this world are said to fold in and out of reality, using the crater as a nexus into the our realm.
The Hills of the Dead
Eons ago, these hills were the site of a grand battle between two great armies. Legends say that both armies fought to the last man, taking no prisoners, and resorting to more and more cruel and destructive acts of war as the battle wore on.
The amount of blood spilled on these grounds cursed the land, and now the undead roam the hills day and night, aching to spread their eternal suffering to the land of the living.
Ecology
This is only a list of a few of the more impressive beasts who stalk the forests and ply the depths of the regions many lakes.
Wyvern
Due to the large amount of game animals who live in the endless woods of Ulmera, it is little wonder that a healthy population of wyverns also call this region home.
With such a bounty ripe for the picking, the usually solitary wyverns hunt and live in family groups of up to a dozen individuals, making them more of a threat here than anywhere else.
Treant
These lone wanderers of the wood slowly march across the vastness of Ulmera, tending to the forests they call home.
By-in-large they stick to themselves and avoid any signs of civilization as they saunter about the rolling landscape. Encounters with the treefolk are a rare occurrence, and usually not too dangerous.
Unicorn
Sightings of the majestic and beautiful unicorn are a common occurrence throughout Ulmera. Countless stories tell of travelers and hunters who got lost in the woods and hills far from any trail or village, desperate, afraid, and alone, only to be led to safety by following the pure white horse that seems to appear from nowhere.
Lake Hydra
Many of lakes that spread across the rolling hills of Ulmera are home to a vicious, and very territorial species of hydra creatively know as Lake Hydra. Unlike their cousins who plod about on four stout legs through the swamps and mires they are found, Lake Hydras glide through the lakes they call home on four paddle like flippers.
Like all hydra, they have the multiple writhing heads that have a nasty habit of growing back when removed. It also may just be a coincidence, but almost all the lakes these hydra inhabit have the ruins of a mysterious civilization hidden beneath their waves, as if they were charged with guarding their secrets.
Water Spirits & Elementals
The fast flowing and rapid cut waters that rush off the Torverns give rise to energetic and violent spirits and water elementals. These beings of water range in size from small droplets to ragging torrents, and all of them are ready and willing to drag wayward travelers down into the hungry, and fast flowing mountain rivers.
It is advised to make peace with these spirits when you travel through the wilds of Ulmera. This means stopping and making offerings at the many shrines and idols scattered about the woods and along the roads to ensure your safe passage through the wilds.