Varixyies is a highly mountainous and forested region centrally located in Northern Altis. Sheltered on three sides by dense mountain ranges, the area experiences a stable warm climate. Gentle rains are common, carried in by seasonal winds while two rivers feed the region with fresh water. The smaller of the two rivers, the Yutal feeds into the rger river, Vulkira, where they intersect near the town of Arcs.
Arcs is by far the rgest of the towns in the region, the local capital and commercial center. Fishing and farming are common activities along the banks of the river and many roads link to Arcs. While the rivers themselves are also a major source of trade, as small ships regurly transport goods between the other cities along the river, including Kamisoli City located far to the West in the region of Ukova on the banks of the Altean Sea. This river trade network brings much wealth into the region and has pyed a long-standing role in the long history of the Kingdom of Kamisoli
As a whole the Varixyies region is generally poor for farming, the soil is rocky and the dense forest makes clearing nd expensive. As a result most of the local farming communities stick to the narrow belts of the river. Most settlements in the area, including Voros, engage heavily in forestry and leatherworking to make a living. Hunting is a highly respected profession in the region and rge game is plentiful. Local leather and ironwood are both in high demand.
In addition, several mining settlements exist throughout the territory, producing rge quantities of valuable metals like iron, mithril, and orichalum, with the rgest producers located in vilges found along the Drakian Mountain range to the east.
Mined ore is shipped along the river to smithies in towns like Arcs, where its refined into various products. Among these refined products is magesteel, a highly sought-after alloy used in the production of magical tools and weapons.
The rge numbers of ironwood trees in the Varixyies region has fuelled a logging industry that specializes in the production of ironwood, but ironwood isn’t the only kind of tree in the region. Other trees in the area include Cooperwood trees, Mystic Oak, Rustwood, Silverwood, and Greywood.
All of them are in some degree of demand with different uses. Ironwood is highly prized due to its impressive structural strength. Mystic Oak isn’t much stronger than ordinary oak, but its real value is its ability to hold enchantments. Copperwood has a lovely red-orange sheen like metallic copper and is naturally resistant to rot. The wood is also very conducive to lightning magic.
Rustwood is so named for its look, but it's found to be quite useful in bows. As such it is highly prized by archers, but is also used in the creation of certain rge weapons. Meanwhile Greywood is noted for its stone-like grey coloring. Highly durable, greywood has a structural strength almost comparable to ironwood.
Finally Silverwood is the rarest tree in Varixyies but also the most prized. Noted for silver sheen like pure silver in wood form, its conductivity for magic is top notch, and the wood also has incredible structural strength
The region is also noted for a diverse ecology of natural predators and prey species. There are several notable species to discuss. Ryrks are one of the notable ones, these avian predators are particurly common across Altis and are most common in warm regions like Varixyies. Cssified as monsters, the Ryrk is a rather despised, if prolific bird. They are noted to be cowardly and rarely attack unless they have a significant numerical advantage.
As birds go they are fairly rge. Wingspans of around two meters are typical for the species. They are noted for being covered with hard feather shaped scales known as scale feathers. Shades of red and bck are common for the species. The Ryrk has a distinctive tail that is long and supple and ends with a barbed stinger, this tail is usually about twice as long as their body length and is often used to deliver their famous venom. Ryrk venom is potent but nonlethal instead it renders the victim extremely susceptible to mind magic. These properties make it quite valuable to mind mages, most particurly those who engage in less-than-honorable practices.
The hunting strategy of the Ryrk is quite well known. Male Ryrks act as scouts, looking for prey with a preference for young girls. When they find a suitable victim, they start to sing. The voice of a male Ryrk is described as incredibly beautiful and soothing, often disarming the unaware long before the danger becomes apparent. The song attracts any female Ryrk nearby and they will gather near the singer, once they have sufficient numbers they will attack.
Female Ryrk will swoop down in front of the victim in a dazzling aerial dance as the male continues his song, the goal of this is to distract from the one female not dancing as she moves behind the intended victim. Once she is in position she will strike with her stinger, the moment the victim has been stung, all of the Ryrks will strike with mind magic, brainwashing the victim. After this, the victim will be taken back to their nest.
Another common predator of the region is the Lyzardi, a wolf-like reptile species that prowls the woods in packs. They are protected by an armor of sturdy scales and possess a venomous bite. Rarely members of the species mutate into the more fearsome Vork, which is rger, stronger and just as agile as their smaller cousins. Vorks are typically solo predators, but they may also be found leading packs of their cousins. Lyzardi and Vork venom are noted for being highly potent paralytics.
However as deadly as the Lzyardi are there is one predator far deadlier, the dreaded Drava. A bipedal monster lizard species, noted for being incredibly agile with a hide resistant to magic and natural camoufge for the forest making them hard to spot. They can spit a potent magical acid that melts armor but leaves flesh unburned, if so much as a drop touches your skin you will be left paralyzed for days. If this wasn’t bad enough, the Drava are pack hunters with a typical pack consisting of nearly a dozen of these deadly lizards. Thankfully they are only found in Northern Varixyies among the foothills of the Acuie Mountains.
The Acuie mountains are also noted for being the home of Frost Dragons and their lesser cousins, making them dangerous and nearly impassible. Speaking of Dragons, one notable species found throughout Varixyies is the gentle Spineback, a massive lumbering beast noted for its diet of trees, rocks and metal ores. These huge creatures typically grow to be nearly ten meters long and can weigh several tones when fully grown. They are natural siege weapons, easily able to knock down town walls, their thick armored hides repel most weapons both mundane and magical.
They are so named due to the thick long spines that grow along their armored backside. These represent their chief defense against their primary predator, the Dragon. Young Dragons regurly hunt these rge beasts and without these spines they could easily be taken from the air. Their thick hides also protect them from a dragon’s deadly breath, forcing the Dragons to engage them on the ground where they have a chance.
The Syra Mountains to the South and the Drakian Mountains to the East are well noted for the many dragons and dragon subspecies that call them home. As a result of these dragons in the mountains, the few passes through these mountain ranges are zealously avoided. Dragons are not to be trifled with and passing through their territory is a fool's errand, but as noted before there are vilges along the Drakian range. These vilges have long-standing retionships with the local dragons and have learned to coexist, most of the time.
