“The Jarldoms situated on the eastern side of Ur-Teros are amongst the harshest of the inhabited lands of the continent, yet it was there, amidst that hardship, that the spirit of cooperation and survival bloomed between the various people that called the icy tundras their home. In some ways, it was an ideal model of society that put many more prosperous regions to shame, even.” - Saying attributed to the Silver Maiden.

From the Assadun Emirate, Aideen brought the rest of her group towards the south-east, skirting around the north-eastern region of the Emirate where the war against the Vusila Empire was still ongoing. Fortunately, the Emirate’s good internal order meant that it was easy enough to take such a route, and it was not like their destination was an unfamiliar one to the locals.

The Vinjaun Jarldom to the east of Assadun – and to the south-east of Vusila – was the north-westernmost of the regions claimed by the many Jarldoms of the east. Aideen had actually never been to this particular Jarldom, as she had mostly traveled the southern and eastern regions back when she traveled there.

As it was so far to the north-west, Vinjaun was warmer than most of the other Jarldoms, which were known for their icy tundras and year-long cold climate. However, the region was actually rather sparsely populated for several reasons. One of those reasons was the large number of rather dangerous wild beasts that called the area their home, which made the region a challenge to live on.

Another of said reasons was how Vinjaun was nearly isolated from the rest of the Jarldoms due to a relatively short yet dense mountain range that ringed the eastern and southern side of the territory. In fact, a good half or more of the region’s inhabitants were immigrants from the northern region instead of the eastern region, as it was far easier for them to access the area. Those from the north were far less prepared for the difficult living conditions found there compared to the hardy pioneers from the east, however, which led to the current balance of the population.

The mountain range that ringed the Jarldom had only a few passes that were traversable, with the majority of them in the south-east, and a couple to the south-west. The eastern side of the Jarldom was practically walled off by said mountain range, and the only way for the locals to trade with the other Jarldoms was through the sometimes precarious and treacherous mountain passes or through the waters on the north.

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Both methods had their own challenges, however. The shorelines of Vinjaun were mostly composed of rocky cliffs, which made them unsuitable for the construction of a port. Only a couple small ports were built in the few areas where it was suitable to do so, and the Jarldom lacked the ability to handle large ships properly, which limited them to small-scale trade through the sea.

On the other hand, those who braved the mountain passes not only had to contend with the terrain, but also the often dangerous beasts that inhabit the mountain range. As if that wasn’t enough, the region was also prone to earthquakes, which often led to avalanches in the mountains, a fatal threat for anyone using the mountain passes when it happened.

Fortunately, the settlers and pioneers that braved the dangerous land also found unexpected allies who already lived in the harsh lands prior to their arrival. Tribes of Snow Elves, Orcs, and Goblins inhabited the foot of the mountain range that ringed half the land’s perimeter, and contrary to expectations, they proved welcoming to the settlers and pioneers.

They were all too aware that in the harsh land they called home, they needed every advantage and help they could get, no matter the source, which was one reason why the tribes from the different races already coexisted in an alliance of sorts even before the arrivals of pioneers from elsewhere. They simply extended their hand to the newcomers as well.

Since then, the inhabitants of Vinjaun had formed a sort of symbiosis between them. The later settlers settled down in towns and villages in areas close to the foot of the mountain range, where they planted crops and made a living out of the fertile soil, while the tribes and clans remained on the mountains around them.

Those who stayed in the mountains would warn those on the plains of avalanches and beast waves, both of which were relatively frequent occurrences. They also tend to have more warriors and hunters and thus would aid those living in the plains in fending off the wild beasts of the region, be they from the occasional beast waves or otherwise.

In return, those who lived in the plains helped supply those living in the mountains with food – something those in the mountain sometimes lacked when their hunters failed to find enough prey – and equipment. The more stable settlements in the plains allowed for more developed smithies and manufacture, and those that they could not produce on their own, they would acquire through trade. In such a way, the disparate communities of the region worked together for their mutual survival.

Naturally, the merchant who agreed to bring Aideen and her group to Vinjaun warned them of the dangers that the trip would likely run into. The merchant was a Vinjaun local who was returning home after trading in Assadun, and he was accompanied by a good two dozen guards, which was more than the norm for a caravan of only two wagons. Once Aideen showed them that she was a healer, though, they were all too happy to have her on board.

Everybody knew that having a healer on board a convoy was a surefire way to reduce the number of casualties they might take on such a journey, so healers were always welcome in such places. The fact that the three siblings were elves also made the convoy welcome them more, as they apparently had a close friendship with a tribe of snow elves near their town.