Valkyrja
Valkyrja (pronounced val-KEER-jah) is a coastal region on the continent of Dwilight. It has a rich and noble history. The land is home to a moderate coastal climate, and the peasants of the land are productive and loyal to the realm. The soldiers hailing from this region are highly trained and used to being under constant threat from Dwilight Monsters. Though life on the frontier can be difficult, the region does have considerable natural resources, and a great deal of truly beautiful land, especially on the coast.
Climate
Valkyrja is a vast area of stark landscape - overall, Valkyrja has a mild, but changeable, oceanic climate with few extremes. The warmest recorded air temperature was roughly 94 °F at The Great Spire of Valkyrja, while the lowest temperature known was −5 °F in the same location. The climate is typically insular, and as a result of the moderating moist winds which ordinarily prevail from the north-western great sea, it is temperate, avoiding the extremes in temperature of many other global areas sharing similar latitudes.
Precipitation falls throughout the year, but is light overall, particularly in the east. The west, however, tends to be wetter on average and prone to the full force of northern-oceanic storms, more especially in the late autumn and winter months, which occasionally bring destructive winds and high rainfall totals to these areas, as well as snow and hail. Valkyrja has a higher incidence of lightning than many of the northern regions of Dwilight. For all its moderate climate, Valkyrja does experience a large amount of snow, though the accompanying temperatures are typically tolerable.
Inland areas of Valkyrja are warmer in summer, and colder in winter than the coast - there are usually around 40 days of below freezing temperatures, but only 10 days at the coast. Valkyrja is sometimes affected by heat waves as well.
Native Plants and Animals
The biodiversity of the coastal region of Valkyrja is quite high, with well over 2000 species of vascular plants and only hundreds of land mammals able to be found. Additionally, there are literally thousands of insects, and a large numbers of birds as well, many of whom migrate to more southern locations in Dwilight during the winter months.
Outside the city of Valkyrja itself, there is a wooded area, populated by many conifer trees and associated plant life. Here you will find many unique animals including caribou, hares, foxes, snowy owl, lemmings, and bears. As the area surrounding Valkyrja is still a developing region, there has yet to be a large scale depopulation of animals - some predators even periodically make their way into the city itself and scare the local population.
The most diverse and rich area of Valkyrja in terms of biodiversity however, are the areas on the coast which are home to many unique plants and animals not typically found in northern Dwilight. Especially notable are the great varieties of fish that can be found in the coastal ocean waters. Many other species of animal can be found here as well, all flocking to the more temperate and resource rich coastal lands.
As Everguard expands its empire, and the city of Valkyrja itself, it seems likely that the plant and animal life of the region will significantly change in the future. Humans have already started to hunt some of the animals outside the city to the point where they are migrating to the outlining areas of the region. Only time will tell if the animal life here will continue to be strong, or be driven out.
Politics
The people of Valkyrja were very loyal to Everguard. This is rooted in the fact that the region was the original plot of land captured by the Founders of Everguard who led the delegation to create the realm. Even after the capital of Everguard was moved to Gelene, the stronghold remained a important part of the realm.
The Duke of Valkyrja maintained his estate on a sprawling parcel of land overlooking the ocean on the coast just outside the city limits. He was well known amongst the peasantry of the region as a fair minded, just lord who cared about his people.
Following a long series of monster and undead attacks upon the northern regions of Everguard, the regions were eventually driven rogue. The Stronghold demonstrated their devotion to Everguard by holding out longer than any other region, despite being cut off from the rest of the realm by many intervening rogue regions. In the end, the constant attacks and lack of food caused the commoners to revolt and declare themselves independent of Everguard.
A few years later the stronghold was colonized by a small party of nobles from Morek to form the new realm of Averoth, making Valkyrja its capital.
Influence of the City
Valkyrja is in a strategic position unique among all the regions on the continent of Dwilight. Together with its suburban region, Yggdramir, Valkyrja is the only land and city on the continent that directly connects the east and west landmasses that constitute Dwilight together. As such, for all trade, and foot traffic that must go from one side to the other, there is no choice but to travel through Yggdramir, with a likely stop at the city of Valkyrja. This makes Valkyrja a hugely important city to continental trade, and something of a melting pot renaissance city. Culture, religion, merchant trade - all these things are synonymous with the city of Valkyrja. This makes it (along with the grand city of Gelene and the coastal port of Eidulb one of the crowning jewels of Dwilight.
