Arabatica

Arabatica is the large, second most southerly provice of Azendé's Mainland. It borders Sol to the north and The Fens join the land to the south, the pinnacle of the mainland. Despite its location, due to the worlds' pole reversal, is actually becoming increasingly cold while the notherly wastelands become arid deserts. It is controlled by The Ministry of Power from the only city within the province, Sirens' Cove. Arabatica also contains the Boreal Coldarra Battleground, which is thought to be nestled somwhere inbetween Tarrow's Pinnacle.

Geography
Arabatica is a mountainous region and mostly comprised of snow drifts and frozen lakes. It neighbours the provinces of Sol and The Fens. Much of the reigion is uninabited, and is littered with ruins of the fallen Glaciax Imperium. The mountains that pass through the frozen land are home to the preserved mines of the Imperium which are now inhabited by renegades, lawless merchants and foul beats. Foolhardy adventurers seek riches from the expansive mines. Statistically, Arabatica has the largest selection of mines and mining locations, and the lowest supply of wood and forests. Although Arabatica has the large Spiritual Arbour, the trees are formed of ice and magical residue and are not actually living organisms.

Mountains
The Ripplespines are the principle mountains that run from the ocean through to Tarrow's Pinnacle, forming a natural border along the Western land of Arabatica, making a natural border between The Fens and Arabatica.

To the north lies Tarrow's Pinnacle, a large naturally formed basalt mountain that splits in two seperate directions making the end of Arabatica. South of this point are the ancient Imperial Mountains mostly formed of Obsidian from early-age primordial volcanic activity and to the very North, seperating Dead Man's Cove from Sol are the nefarious Black Heart Mountains, notable for the foul sulphuric fumes that billow through its dangerous chambers and poor visibility for miners.



Geographical Features
Arabatica is largley an uninhabitable wasteland of hard rock and gravel, and outside of the mountains only one flat land area exists, populated by the dense Spiritual Arbour, named as the tree's there are formed of Ice and magical residue and have no visable purpose. They have been, in times, a site of worship for their mystery, but now are left as part of a lost past.

The province faces out toward the Anthazoan Ocean, named so as it is inhabitied by the Anthozoans from their watery throne in the depths of the sea. Only one sighting of an Anthozoan has ever been recorded however, and so their whereabouts still remains shrouded in much debate, but their existance is no longer disputed as the shores of Sirens' Cove and Dead Man's Bay sometimes play host to alien artefacts from the Anthozoans that appear to make their way to the surface and wash up on shore.

Settlement
Sirens' Cove is the ruling City of The Ministry of Power and the only major settlement within Arabatica. Several renegade and fugative camps exist in the ruins of the Imperium, and only one small town, that of Dead Man's Cove holds any accountable residents.

The Mines
Arabatica has the largest concentration of expansive mines and provides the largest array of minerals in Azendé, but not the most accessable. Around the province serveral main entrances to each ancient mining town still exist from the fallen Imperium all of which lead to the Lower Halls.

Sandstone Heights
To the west of the spiritual arbour lies Sandstone Heights, aptly named for the natural sink hole of sand that pours into the Ripplespines. Not far into the mines is large concentrations of sandstone encased in natural rock. Sandstone Heights also contains the safest passage into the Lower Halls.

Tarrow Mines
Underneath Tarrow's pinnacle are the Tarrow Mines. The Tarrow mines contain traces of iron ore and toward the deeper ends, several gold veins. The mines are named after the exhausted mass supplies of "Tarronite " they once contained, which has long since dissapeared from circulation. Toward the rear of the mines, the entrance to the Vault of Lights can be found, resting place of the final King of Sol.

Imperial Mines
The Imperial Mines were the main mining shafts of the Glaciax Imperium, and lead directly to the Lower Halls. There are still several active lava rifts, and so a small supply of Obsidian is still availible for extraction here. The main supply of the mines is now gravel, until one ventures deeper into the Lower Halls.

Blackheart Mines
The Blackheart mines are nefariously dangerous for their thick volanic activity, poor visibility, death holes and winding chasms. The Blackheart Mines contain masses of coal and several diamond veins deeper from the older coal being subject to extreme pressure. The diamond veins are very dangerous and inaccessable, making them near impossible to mine.

The Lower Halls
The lower halls are the ancient crafted chambers of exquisite work from the early days of the Glaciax Imperium. Their uncharted corridors and rooms extend endlessly under Arabitica with hidden riches and puzzles. The true extent of the size of the Lower Halls is unknown. The Octagonal Chamber located somwhere in the depths of the Lower Halls contains a large Rift that provides entrance into the plane known as "The Archonite's Library "

History
Arabatica once served as the principal municipality of the Glaciax Imperium, before falling to the hands of the Five Thanes. The Thanes however chose not to inhabit the 'tainted' land and left it for reclaim by the poles' reversal. To their folly however, the returning Ministry of Power has since reclaimed Arabatica. Previously the land was in posession of the Glaciax Imperium for several hundred years, and prior to that had been uninhabited primordial Jungle Land, which has since vastly changed.

Presence of the Ministry.
The Ministry of Power is the only faction that holds knowledge of all the mining locations and their passages within the Consularis' vaults and has never distributed this knowledge to the public. Therefore the Ministry has a strong advantage being able to quickly cross over to Sol and The Fens, giving the faction a large presence in these regions and the ability to move around faster than opposing armies by braving the tretcharous depths of the Imperium's Mines.

Speculation
It has been suggested by many that a large supply of a very rare ore known as "Gargonite " is located within the mines that expand far below Arabatica, but no traces of it have yet been found and recorded. Gargonite is rumoured to be the only ore than can be magically enchanted and forged without using any heat.

Some rumours also suggest that The Ministry of Power may be concealing a hidden army in the ancient halls, ready to deploy them into the neighbouring provinces in a suprise attack, but again, there is no evidence to support this. The mines today simply serve as a forlorn reminder of a once great nation, and as a rich target for exploitment.