Climate:

Description:

In the western sweeps of Tartok, just off the coast of the mainland, is a large island called Aluwahae-gandji, or more commonly, Auroras Hideaway. In the center is a vast caldera crowned by a hollow, long dormant volcano. With the bottom of the Caldera being so close to sea level, what kept it from becoming an atoll is unknown. A number of smaller volcanoes are still active deep beneath the earth. The deeper a traveler ventures into the caldera, the more likely they are to encounter hot springs and geysers.
The bustling city of True North rests on the eastern side of the massive caldera. True North grows and shrinks seasonally; in the summer, many tribe members return here and set up temporary tents on the edges of town. They bring their herds of reindeer and other stock animals, as well as a truly wild variety of tokotas. For centuries, Spirits of the Aurora tribe members have considered this caldera the heart of their homeland.

Landmarks:

• The Elder Grove -At the very center of the caldera is a grove of hundreds of cherry blossom trees, able to survive the frigid northern temperatures thanks to the geothermal heat beneath their roots. The trees bloom year round and rather than the pink flowers common in other climates, the trees here are washed in shades of teal, purple, and blue. It's said that Angakkuq visited the first residents of this caldera, the ancestors of the Spirits of Aurora tribe, and turned them into trees to save them from a long and particularly hard winter. The deity’s breath heated the ground and washed the leaves in the shades of the aurora. Many tribe members consider this a profoundly sacred place and visit the forest as a shrine to those who have gone before.

• True North -The city on the eastern side of the caldera that is powered by deep thermal vents is the main hub of the island. Scientists, travelers, and wonder-seekers all enjoy visiting this place. The bustling tourism trade is thanks to the omnipresent aurora lights overhead and the wide variety of hot springs and bathhouses that have sprung up here. While many of the tribe members live nomadic lives or have settled in far-flung places across the world, many live here for at least part of the year. Multiple generations of families often build temple-like homes and add on to them as the family grows, opening extra rooms to visitors or fellow tribemates alike. Using steam power, many homes have built greenhouses and gardens to support the community. True North is known for its spirited generosity and humble hospitality.

• Boreal Harbor -At the eastern edge of the island is a village with a carefully guarded harbor that provides safe passage for ships and serves as a crucial connection point to the outside world. Residents of the harbor keep the ice sheets surrounding the island at bay in this area, keeping a safe route carved into the ice to and from the mainland year round. Dark, sheer cliffs topped in pine trees surround the harbor, protecting it from the harsh winds that sweep over the islands flats. The upper parts of the cliffs are decorated in large colorful bands of cloth that billow in the near constant wind. The harbor and it’s waters can be tricky to navigate, but the lighthouse at the harbor’s mouth, built on a little island, is constantly staffed to assist would be visitors.

• The Western Approach -A well traveled and maintained road that runs westward, connecting the Boreal Harbor to the Caldera and the rest of the island. The road splits a ways past the harbor, one path leading northwest toward the Caldera and the other heading southwest, toward the open plains that cover the southern part of the island. The climate on the island outside the safety of the Caldera is often incredibly unpredictable and dangerous during all seasons but the fleeting summer months. Hikers huts and way stones built by Sotan's over the generations dot the roads of the Western Approach. Youngsters native to the island are expected to help maintain the huts and way stations along the road as well as learn how to be of help in cases of emergencies or search and rescues. Fueled by the many geothermal vents called 'Spit Fires', towering stone cairns built over them along the route, burn all day and all night, perpetually showing the way to safety and civilization.

• The Southern Flats -The majority of the island is taken up by the expansive grassy flatlands to the south. The flats are usually very windy and is notorious for it's unpredictable and harsh weather. During the short summer when the weather is usually more tame, the grass grows tall and serves as prime grazing grounds for the herders that call the island home. All over the flatlands, there are clusters of tall smooth stones the locals call the 'Singing Stones'. Holes bored into the stones produce a variety of tones from high pitched whistles to low droning hums when wind rushes through them. Many of the Singing Stone clusters are decorated with paints, carvings, and weathered strips of colorful cloth. On the far west end of the flats, far from the Aurora Caldera, a large lake dubbed the 'Red Lake' due to the particularly red grass that grows on it's shores, rests in a basin at the foot of the dormant volcano. Grazing animals wont eat the red grass but frequent the lake as it's one of the only fresh water sources in the area and it's lower elevation offers some relief from the winds that sweep over the open land.

Lore:

Festival of the Aurora - In the summer, a massive celebration of the stars and skies takes place (somewhat ironically) over the shortest nights of the year. It's an opportunity for traders and travelers to come and experience the aurora. Competitions abound and storytelling events are a highlight. Oftentimes tribe members choose this time to get married or celebrate other life milestones.

Original location inspiration by the7eventhrider & Mizie-Wolf