Upper Tell
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Upper Tell is a northern coastal region of the realm of Minas Leon on the continent of Atamara. The region's nature is one which makes quick work of those who would seek to tame her- Snow Wolves and Yetis prowl the snowy wastes of the interior, preying upon hapless travelers who might lose their way between the sparse settlements across the land. Meanwhile, freezing waves of water and ice crash against the craggy coastline, breaking apart any feeble manmade attempts to make a safe harborage.
The region has seen many realms attempt to civilize it, yet none have ever truly tamed the wild lands. One of the more recent had been Lazlo Lemont II, who brought the region to heel under Minas Leon. After his successor, Baron Spade Seraphen, assumed the throne, the region became under attack and eventually frozen under a massive glacier from the North. Much of the following information comes from records and descriptions gathered under Lazlo Lemont's reign.
Weather and Climate
Most of Upper Tell lies at the southern reaches of Polar tundra, punctuated by the existence of yearlong snow and ice in every portion of the region outside its Southern belt. At variance with most other Polar climates, the day/night cycle seems largely unaffected (perhaps by magicks of some sort?), though some of the coastal peasants speak of the "Night Months," a time in their folk tales which usually signifies a dissolution between the barriers of the faery world and our own, often bringing about great heroes and magical beings. In terms of weather, the central wastes are often under assault by steady snowstorms, while precipitation is relatively "normal" along the Southern belt.
Native Predators and Fauna
Upper Tell is home to many vicious and dangerous beasts. First and foremost are the sleek and deadly Arctic Wolves, some of whom have been rumored to be well double the size of the standard forest wolves further south. The Arctic Wolves hunt in packs, and have been known to successfully attack both man and Yeti. Prior to Upper Tell's recent spat of troubles (October, 2013), the Arctic Wolves had been largely driven to the center of the region by zealous peasants keen on establishing themselves as mighty hunters. Following the breakup of the Upper Tell Militia and the peasants turning their eyes towards more pressing concerns, the Arctic Wolves have rebounded with a ferocity unheard of. The interior has quickly become a veritable no-man's land, as Arctic Wolves successfully took over the territory, and some packs have been seen as distant as near the Yule border.
The other principal predator of Upper Tell is the Yeti, a creature known far and wide to those who live in the Northern regions of Atamara. The Upper Tell variant of Yeti have been recorded as large as 10 feet, with large fists which they use to club their prey. Although certainly not unique to Upper Tell, the Tellian peasants have made the Yeti an integral part of their cultural rituals. Yeti fur coats are standard among the hunters of the Western and Eastern wastes, while even the rural farm peasants of the Southern plains have developed a complex coming-of-age ritual based around hunting Yeti during their 18th Winter. The culture of the hunt might suggest that the Yeti are often on the verge of extinction, but very few nests or breeding grounds have been discovered by interested nobles. In fact, there is considerable debate over whether the Upper Tell Yeti are native to the region or whether they are the result of migrations from the neighboring regions of Icegate and Yule.
Being a land of primarily ice, snow, and wind, Upper Tell has little to no fauna to speak of. A thin rim of plains along the Southernmost reaches of the region are capable of agriculture, leading to a dense network of grain farms capable of raising the crops required to support the region during a short farming season. Lumber, thatch, and other important building supplies were imported from other regions, which has led to a variant building style in Upper Tell in those regions which could not afford the tariffs and taxes involved.
Politics and Recent History
The Reign of Baron Lazlo Lemont II
Note: This segment has been written by Poterick von Dussel, squire of Baron Lazlo Lemont II, and refers to events currently in progress. The history of Upper Tell is one shrouded in the snowstorms of the central wastes. What we do know is that it was once a region under the control of the Barony of Makar, and that a previous lord settled one of its first villages in the Northwest, just under the shadow of Icegate. Minas Leon later decimated the Barony's armies and assimilated much of its Eastern lands, including Upper Tell. Charles Elegant was appointed Baron of Upper Tell on August 9th, 2013, but soon fell victim to an injury in a skirmish between Barony and Rieleston troops. This injury may have contributed to his abdication, which then led to Sir Lazlo Lemont II ascending the Baron position.
Baron Lazlo Lemont II had been a knight in Yule, the neighboring region of Upper Tell, and was thus familiar with Upper Tell's status as a provincial backwater in Minas Leon's northern reaches. He first oversaw the rebuilding and regarrisoning Fort Iceborough, located on the threshold of the Southern farm belt and the central wastes. Once he'd managed to gain a modicum of order in the central wastes, Baron Lemont brought in a retinue of Yule carpenters and architects to begin building a larger village in the Northeast, hoping to take advantage of the proximity to Yule and Jerkel as well as sever ties to Upper Tell's Makarian past. Part of this process included the forced migration of many administrative and well-to-do villagers from the western village to the eastern village, now named Windport. The consequences of this migration took some time to manifest.
Places to See!
Major Estates
- Coldkeep Hall - One of the last standing manor houses in Western Upper Tell, Coldkeep Hall sits in the former major village of Upper Tell. Upper Tellian Scouts have set up a training camp around the Hall, and a small economy of sorts has sprung up around them.
- Fort Iceborough - An ancient Viking fort, Baron Lazlo had the stone walls rebuilt as one of his first orders upon taking up position as Lord over Upper Tell. The Fort operates as a base of operations for the Upper Tell Militia, as well as a staging point for various hunting expeditions within the interior.
- Windport - A small village overlooking the calmest portion of the Eastern shoreline, Windport is the major trading hub of Upper Tell and seat of what were Baron Lazlo's estate. Windport is a uniquely Leonian village, having been established by moving many of the craftsmen and burghers (as such as Upper Tell offers) from the Western parts of the region.
