Lapidem Information

The Tundra has two main seasons, Winter and Summer as Spring and Fall are only short intervals between the two seasons. The sun shines almost constantly during the Summer and, during Winter, there is next to no visibility. A very dry climate, what moisture it gets comes from the annual snowfall of about ten to twelve inches per year. The animals that do manage to survive in this wilderness consist of slightly modified shrews, hares, rodents, wolves, foxes, bears, caribou, and deer. Very few people can live in this barren climate, but the nomadic Elves, known as the Tamalek Clan, that call the Tundra home have been living here for generations. These people live in temporary structures and rarely stay in the same place for longer than a week, preferring to constantly be on the move rather than settle down. Their clothing is crafted largely from animal skins and they hunt with bows and spears. Children are taught to fight and hunt starting at the age of six and acceptance into the community and warrior status is generally given at around fourteen or fifteen.

The Forest of Lapidem is nameless, those that inhabiting the region simply calling it 'The Forest' for there is no other. The winters are long and fierce, with only the wolves and lynxes venturing out to hunt larger game. Temperatures fall far below freezing and the harsh winds only make it colder. Frequent blizzards sweep the forest, sometimes piling feet of snow with each storm. Spruce trees primarily dominate the forest and the dryads seldom show their faces. During the summers, life is abundant and thousands of birds migrate there to breed and fatten up on the abundance of insects that make their reappearance in early spring. Several different Clans of Elves live here and are most noticeable in the summer months; during winter they move to underground caves and live off of stores of food collected in the summer. The Maltic, Shushone, and Apcal Clans all live in the forest and seldom meet. Having come to an understanding long ago, these run-ins are usually friendly unless one group is purposefully trespassing on another's territory. If that happens, either the party is told to leave or they are forced to. The Clans do not bother travelers as long as they do no harm to the wood that they consider themselves guardians of.

The Sol Mountains are the steepest mountains in all of the five realms. The peaks of several simply seem to vanish into the sky and avalanches are not unheard of. Small rivers feed into the Spirit Lake (shown in the picture) and it is said that those that can drink from the mystic lake's waters will grow to be a powerful individual... if they can find it, for the lake lies in the heart of the mountain range and few can scale the cliffs or are brave enough to try. Due to the high altitudes, the mountains are covered in snow year-round. Tufts of grasses sometimes find a place to call home and the occasional fir tree manages to take root, but few animals can survive here and those that have adapted are extremely specialized. Ibex, chamois, woodchuck, snow grouse, snow mouse, deer, fox, many species birds are able to live in the mountains and survive, but none of the Elves that inhabit the region make their homes here; the terrain being too much for large groups to cope with.

The shore is rarely accessible due to the fact that the forest clings to life along a good stretch of it and it also borders the western edge of the Sol Mountains. Only from the tundra and farther south can one reach it and even then the waters are usually slushy with ice and too cold to stand in. Shore birds scavenge for scraps of food left behind by bears or sometimes follow the Elves back to their villages for food during the winter. The Neriduh and Kaydezoe Elf Clans live in fishing villages along different and separate stretches of the shoreline and it is rare for them to encounter each other unless going on a trading expedition or to exchange news. They are a peaceful and open to travelers or those seeking refuge, but are skilled warriors and are not to be underestimated.