Steppe (range)

Steppeland, also prairie, refers to a broad type of temperate grassland found in regions where the climate is too dry to sustain a full woodland, yet not arid enough to be classified as barrens or desert. These open plains are largely treeless, though scattered groves and vegetation do occur along rivers, lakes, or shallow water tables. The appearance of a steppe varies by season and latitude, shifting between dry expanses of short grass and greener areas dotted with low shrubs or herbaceous plants. Where ground moisture allows for isolated growths of trees, the region is called "mixed steppe." In warmer, subtropical or tropical zones, this same landscape is known as savanna.

The steppe climate is defined by extremes: hot, dry summers followed by cold, often harsh winters. Most rainfall comes in the spring, nourishing seasonal growth before the onset of summer heat. Snowfall in winter ranges from a thin frost to accumulations of several feet, depending on local conditions. In areas where agriculture becomes widespread, large-scale evaporation from worked ground can subtly affect local weather. The soils of the steppeland are often rich and dark, making them highly favourable for cultivation. However, transforming the land for sustained agriculture requires many years of effort, with the first decade marked by soil exhaustion, unpredictable yields, and difficulty in securing long-term settlement.

Steppelands have long supported migratory and semi-nomadic cultures, whose economies depend on herding, seasonal movement, and knowledge of rainfall patterns. These groups often form loose tribal confederations, adept at covering vast distances and managing large flocks of sheep, goats, cattle, or horses. The openness of the terrain favours cavalry and mobile warfare, giving rise to martial traditions and tactics unlike those of forested or mountainous regions.

Wind is a dominant force across the steppe, shaping the landscape and influencing the construction of dwellings, often in the form of low, circular tents or earth-set shelters. Fire is a seasonal threat, with vast sections of grassland sometimes swept by flame during dry spells—either through natural lightning or deliberate burning to renew grazing grounds. Despite the challenges, the steppe remains a vital ecological zone, acting as a corridor between biomes and supporting a wide variety of plant and animal life adapted to its extremes.

Settlement

The natural grass of the steppe grows in dense, interwoven mats, making the land initially difficult to work. Beneath the surface, the roots form a thick barrier that resists both the plough and the spade. Above ground, the near-total absence of natural windbreaks leaves the region exposed to sudden gusts, sweeping storms, and driving snow or dust, which together render travel arduous and shelter difficult to establish. To mitigate this, early settlers commonly introduce rows of fast-growing brushwood to act as temporary windbreaks, while also planting hardier coniferous trees—such as pine or spruce—that, though slow to mature, eventually offer lasting protection. These tree lines must be carefully managed, taking anywhere from six to ten years to form a stable barrier against the wind.

Farms tend to be scattered, each relying on its own hand-dug or deep-bored well, with no guarantee that neighbouring land will have access to the same water table. Where aquifers or artesian sources are found, clustered settlements grow up, forming loose-knit farming communities centred around water availability. These communities must be resilient. Periodic plagues of insects — locusts, burrowing grubs, or leaf blight — can ruin entire harvests in a season, while droughts, sometimes lasting years, can turn once-fertile prairie into desolate plains, forcing depopulation or collapse.

Yet in years of favourable rain and balanced weather, the steppe becomes immensely productive. The rich black soil, once tamed and properly rotated, can yield extraordinary quantities of staple grains — wheat, barley, millet—that feed distant cities and armies alike. This volatility makes steppelands both a gamble and a prize: a place where fortunes rise and fall with the weather. Over time, such regions are often transformed into vital breadbaskets, forming the agricultural heartlands of wider realms and empires, even as their isolation and scale keep them culturally distinct.

Conditions

Living on the steppe is a continual negotiation with extremes, where each season brings its own distinct set of hardships and demands. In winter, the land becomes an exposed, wind-swept expanse under heavy skies or blinding white. With no mountains or forest to break the force of the wind, storms sweep unimpeded across the plains, creating whiteout conditions that can last for days. During such times, visibility collapses, direction becomes meaningless, and even well-established paths disappear beneath drifting snow. On clear nights, the lack of heat retention in the open soil drives temperatures to arctic depths, and in the coldest zones, these polar-level freezes can stretch on for more than a month. Survival depends on deep insulation, subterranean shelters, and careful rationing of fuel and food.

In contrast, summer on the steppe is a riot of colour and motion. The endless grasslands erupt in a sea of green, fed by spring rains and long hours of sunlight. Wildflowers bloom in sudden profusion, and the air becomes thick with the hum of life—clouds of butterflies, pollinators, and insects drawn to the short but fertile season. Though beautiful, the heat is unrelenting. The sun blazes down across the open land, and without cover, it can be physically exhausting to travel or work. The dry wind leeches moisture from the soil and body alike, giving the ground a brittle, sun-baked quality even as it supports rapid plant growth.

The extreme seasonality shapes the region's ecology. Few reptiles larger than garter snakes survive the winter, and the cold discourages most other cold-blooded life. In summer, however, flying insects—including oversized and sometimes threatening varieties—emerge in bursts, though the openness of the terrain makes it possible to spot and avoid them with care. The true wealth of the steppe lies in its capacity to sustain large grazers. The grass, resilient and fast-growing, supports herds of mammoths, elk, wild horses and wild cattle, making the region a vital corridor for both natural migration and the rise of pastoralist cultures.

Major Steppelands

Below is a list of the most extensive steppelands in the world:

Cappadocia - central Anatolia

Castilian Plain - a small area of northwest Spain

Great Dala - northern Jagatai Empire's open grassland

Manchuria - central plateau north of the Yellow Sea

Mediterranean Macchie - from south Spain along the sea's north fringes

Pampas - south and west of Buenos Aires

Pannonian Steppe - the Hungarian Plain, or "Puszta"

Russian Steppe - stretches from Bulgaria to the Ural Mountains

Steppe Features

Below is a list of elements and features that are common to steppeland ranges:

Steppeland Creatures

The following monsters are common to steppeland ranges; many aren't found there today, but were once more common when the steppe was less populated:

See List of Ranges

Steppe (range)

Contents

Settlement

Conditions

Major Steppelands

Steppe Features

Steppeland Creatures

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