Isle of the Rolling Hills
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| Isle of the Rolling Hills | |
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| Primary Race | Halfling |
| Population | Est. Several Hundred |
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| Small Citizen's Milita | |
History
The isle of the Halflings (called Rolling Hill lands by the inhibitants) is one of the youngest islands that we know of. It was discovered by the first Halfling around 100 years ago. They think that the island itself is around 150 years old.
The isle of the Halflings is mostly inhabited by farmers. They start moving to this Isle 100 years ago, because of the quality of the land. The ground was most suitable for farming and animal husbandery.
The land that was at first damp and humid, but because of the farming it became slowly dryer. At this moment people can find places with natural irrigation and places suitable for farming. The Island was at first a bit smaller.
But because of the growing interest in farming (and number growing of Halflings) people started reclaim some of the lands from underneath the sea.
Looking at the landscape much of the ground is not suitable for arable farming. The rolling hills that this country is rich in, are used to keep animals on.
There are no large cities on this land. The Halflings enjoy their peace and their space. Large farmsteads can be found and belong to several known families. There are a few hundred Halflings that live there.
Halflings are attracted to this place because of the peace, the amount of people and the use of this land. No strange folks and not much of excitement to disturb their farmer life. Like they always say: “There ain’t no place like home”
Climate
Temperate climate. Tends to get somewhat humid in the summers. Rain and thunderstorms are common in the summer and fall months. There is a moderate amount of snowfall during the winter. Higher elevations in the hills have more snow and are colder than the valleys. The coastal areas are sometimes prone to violent storms.
Flora and Fauna
The Rolling hills are home to many types of plants and animals. The coastal areas are inhabited by seabirds of all kinds that feed on the numerous crustaceans and insects. Plants in these areas include many types of marsh grasses and hardy shrubs that can thrive in the salty environment. The inland areas are home to grazing animals both domestic and wild that roam the wide open plains such as sheep, cattle, goats, and horses. The forested areas near the central-most portions of the island contain creatures such as bears, deer, wolves, badgers, and other woodland wildlife. The forest is not very ancient, so the trees aren’t extremely tall, but they grow very densely.
General Geography
The island, despite being new, is very large – partially thanks to reclaimed coastal areas that had previously been underwater. Much of the island’s coastal areas are rocky and jagged, stone still rough from not existing long enough to be eroded much. Sea cliffs are very common especially along the northern shore areas. The beaches that do exist there are usually narrow and rocky. Boat travel is quite dangerous in these areas due to the presence of so many rocks.
The southern shore, however, is much more tame than the rest of the island. Here there are less cliffs and rocky beaches. The remaining marshes are usually found here. Fishing and boat travel are much less treacherous.
More inland, the terrain is open but very rarely flat. Large hills and slopes shape the landscape. The hills are mostly covered in grasses, sparse trees, and flowers, but occasionally there are great boulders jutting out. Many streams, rivers, and creeks run like veins through the landscape. Small forest areas tend to exist near the water.
Going deeper towards the center, the trees gradually become thicker as they condense into a vast central forest. Getting here can be tough, as it involves crossing the elevated hills to get there. The central forest is in a slightly depressed bowl-shaped valley area. There are many caverns in the forest, and even rumors of an underground river. At the center of the thick forest there is a large lake that connects to a river and has a waterfall. Few people have seen this lake in person, as the rivers provide plenty of fresh water and the lake is very hard to get to.
