Tundra (range)
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Tundra is a vast, treeless biome characterised by permafrost, low temperatures and a short growing season. Found in polar and subpolar regions, as well as at high elevations where conditions prevent tree growth, tundra landscapes are dominated by hardy vegetation such as mosses, lichens, sedges and dwarf shrubs. These ecosystems experience extreme seasonal contrasts, with brief, intense summers that bring a burst of life before the land is once again locked in ice and darkness for the long winter.
Despite its barren appearance, the tundra supports a resilient web of life. During the summer thaw, the surface becomes saturated with water, forming countless lakes, bogs and marshes due to the impermeable permafrost below. These wetlands provide breeding grounds for vast flocks of migratory birds that arrive to nest and feed before the return of winter. Grazing animals, such as caribou and musk oxen, roam in search of lichen and tough grasses, enduring the constant threat of predators like wolves and massive hunting birds adapted to the open expanse. Winter in the tundra is harsh and unrelenting. Blizzards and windstorms scour the landscape, temperatures plummet far below freezing and darkness dominates for months at a time. Most creatures survive by burrowing, hibernating or migrating south. For those that remain, adaptations such as thick fur, fat reserves and the ability to navigate the snow-covered expanse with ease determine survival.
Humans who inhabit the tundra are few, with most being nomadic hunters and herders who follow the great migrations of animals, living in portable shelters that can withstand the bitter cold. Permanent settlements are rare, confined to coastal areas where fishing, whaling and trade provide a stable means of survival. Wood is scarce, so dwellings are often built from animal hides, bones or blocks of ice.
Travelling across the tundra is treacherous. Sudden storms can erase all landmarks, reducing visibility to nothing and leaving even the most experienced guide disoriented. Frozen rivers and lakes may appear solid but can conceal hidden pockets of thin ice, plunging the unwary into frigid waters. The cold itself is a relentless enemy, sapping strength and freezing exposed flesh in minutes. Despite these dangers, the tundra remains a place of great mystery, home to isolated ruins, hidden relics of lost civilisations and creatures of legend said to stalk the endless white expanse.
Major Tundra Lands
Tundra exists primarily around the Arctic polar region, north of the tree land. This can be divided into the following distinct wildernesses:
- Iceland - making up most of the island of the same name
- Kerevik - tundra lands from the Verkhoyansk Mountains in Siberia to eastern Alaska
- Nuvakholm Waste - vast area topping North America
- Samoyadia - coastlands stretching along coast from Yak-Margug to Sakha
- Vargstrond - shorelands of the northern Atlantic, from Scotland to Finnemar
Common Features
The following is a list of elements and features common to barren ranges:
Tundra Creatures
The following monsters are common to barrens ranges:
See also,
Blightlander (sage study)
List of Ranges
