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Ardlas

Ardlas is a region in the highlands of Greater Sembara. Originally settled by Zimka migrants, it straddles the upper Semb and has closer cultural ties to the Sembaran lowlands than the Zimkovan highlands.

Geography and Climate

Ardlas is a land of highland forests and river valleys. It is defined by the three river systems: the Semb, in the north, and the Bollin, in central Ardlas, and the Cambril in the south.

The Semb flows beneath the rough hills that form the southern edge of the Lavnoch Plateau, and is navigable all the way from the Western Gulf to Lake Derwent. Much of the population of northern Ardlas lives along the banks of the Semb and its tributaries. South of the Semb the land rises from around 1000’ in the Semb valley to over 2000’ and grows more forested. The land descends again towards the Bollin river valley, a broad and gentle valley through which the shallow and rocky Bollin River flows.

After the confluence with the Vardell the Bollin turns more easterly, and the land south of the Bollin begins to rise. The Cambril cuts through the high ground, often in forming gorges or rocky cascades as it runs swiftly towards the Bollin. This is the southern limits of Ardlas, and south of the Cambril the land rises even higher towards the great peaks of the Sentinels.

In general this is a place of cold winters and short but mild summers. Winter air is often dry and clear, but cold pools in the valleys create long-lasting frost and frequent morning fogs. Summer brings most of the rainfall, with the monsoon winds from the Green Sea. The result is a landscape of mossy forests, green ridges, and fast-running rivers that remain cool even at midsummer.

The people of Ardlas grow hardy crops like barley, oats, rye, and root vegetables, which thrive in the short cool growing season. Small terraced fields and valley-bottom clearings support patches of cabbage, beans, and other cold-tolerant greens. Livestock—especially sheep, goats, and upland cattle—provides much of the region’s calories through dairy, meat, and cheese, as do pigs in the forested uplands.

Borders

To the west, the Sentinels rise from the foothills and form an impassible barrier. To the north, a spur of the Sentinels divides the upper Bollin from the rest of Ardlas, and then the sharp hills that form the southern border of the Lavnoch Plateau form a natural border. These hills formed the northern border of Drankor in the region, and still form a clear cultural divide. To the south, the Cambril is difficult to cross and forms a natural boundary to migration.

The eastern borders of Ardlas, however, are not well defined. Although the Braebein are high and not populated, the Aine Hills are rolling and dotted with shepherds and pastoral villages, and the Semb acts like a highway through the region. These lands to the south and east are a mixing place between Ardlas and Sembara.