Eastern Mountain Range - the highest of these mountains are over 40,000 feet high and are nearly always obscured by cloud cover. It is nearly impossible for a human to scale them due to the extremely cold temperature and the thin air. There are a number of passes through which travel is possible - the coastline, though rocky, tends to offer good fishing because of the warm currents, and the sun setting over the ocean in the evening can be a remarkable sight indeed. Dragon sightings have occurred in the range, but most believe now that they are unfounded; though, the mountains are so full of caves and crevices that it would be a difficult task indeed to completely refute their existence. Mountain goats and tahr can be found in the higher reaches of the peaks, and musk deer in the lower foothills. Wild musk oxen and reindeer can be found in the northernmost part of the range. The southern end has a few active volcanoes, but the majority of the range is dormant or dead - those volcanoes that do exist tend to spew only occasional clouds of ash and very little lava.

Furoede Islands - because of the unusual warm currents in the Massao Ocean, this chain of large islands and scattered cays is frequented by large schools of fish. They are prime spots for fishermen, even though the journey can be dangerous because of the numerous shoals and hidden rocks and reefs. Even the colder, icy regions sport great quantities of arctic fish. There is little else of interest on the islands for they are hardly even habitable - most are largely rocky or glacial, so plants are sparse, and while the water is quite warm on around some of the more southward isles, the weather tends to be difficult at best.

Hidoi Plains - a vast expanse of grassland and rolling plains, they can seem a hostile environment at first. Through most of the year, however, the temperature is pleasant (except for the northernmost reaches) and the sun is eased by mild winds. The ground, though difficult at first to farm because the surface can be dry and hard, sports very rich soil and is prime for harvesting grains such as wheat, barley, and oats. The northeastern areas are often wet enough to grow rice crops (most other areas are tolerably dry), and settlements in the western areas find the open, grassy areas good for livestock such as horses and cattle. A few locations in the northern reaches offer scattered hot springs. Deer species such as the fallow deer and the muntjack populate the southern half where it borders the forest.

Houseki Forest - scattered trees turn slowly into dense forest as one journeys eastward from the plains. The trees, both evergreen and deciduous in roughly equal amount (though evergreens are slightly more common in the westernmost areas, as are deciduous in the east), provide a sort of strategic defense against war methods that would be effective in an open area. Farming, of course, is difficult, but hunting wild game animals and fishing from the many shallow but fast-moving waterways is just as profitable. The forests are home to a great variety of animals, including thousands of different birds, several species of browsing deer, numerous rodents, bears, and mustelids. The very southern reaches of the forest have been known to support panthers and leopards, and the sparse forest in the north provides for moose and large birds of prey such as harpey eagles and condors.

Massao Ocean - large, still, and calm, this great body of water is unusual in several ways. First of all, the coastline drops away from the Eastern Mountain Range at a constant, steep angle, as though the roots of these peaks are really buried beneath miles of water; hence, the ocean is deeper than any body of water on Earth, and thus takes on a very deep blue color in the right light. Second, a strong current of warm water flows upwards, along the coastline, to curl eastward as it passes the Furoede Islands where it cools in the arctic waters. The water brings with it plentiful microscopic life, so sea life thrives along the coastline. The air tends to be very still towards the southern end of the coast, where whales breed during the winter months, but it is thought that storms of great power rage beyond the curve of the planet's surface.

Miboujin Sea - unlike the Massao, this ocean is very shallow. Although the coastline is high cliffs that reach nearly all the way down the continent, the body of water itself is remarkably level and flat. Fishing is seldom profitable, but sailing and shipping is - the water may be still, but the winds are brisk and dependable. Dolphins are a common sight, swimming alongside ships and leaping into the wind. Sharks have been known to take advantage of careless sailors and shipwrecks, and large whales have been sighted several miles off-shore where the water is deeper.

Northern Tundra - icy and forbidding, the northern reaches of the continent are home mostly to certain migrating bird species and some kinds of arctic mammals. Musk oxen, though rare, are able to eke out a living, and migrating herds of reindeer can be found. Giant mammoths are said to roam the northernmost areas where human survival is nearly impossible. Walruses, sea lions, and many species of whales can be found in the coastal waters. The land is flat for the most part, though glaciers line the coast and coat the north pole. Bird and animal migrations can be a spectacular sight, especially during the summer when the sun is circumpolar, and during the winter months, the aurora borealis is frequently seen. However, much of the land is inhospitable.

Sheita Desert - the tall Eastern Mountains, by blocking moist ocean air, allowed the formation of a large and for the most part, inhospitable, desert. Trade routes with the Elves sometimes cross it, but such a journey requires great fortitude and careful planning. Oases are few, and permanent settlements can only be found around the edges where the temperature is less extreme.

Southern Rainforest - dense plant life allows a huge variety of unusual animals to make their homes in these forests. Heavy rainfall, however, makes human habitation difficult at times. It is thought that Elves may occupy some parts of these forests, and legends tell of faeries also dwelling there, but very little else is known about the dark and mysterious tropics. Travelers have reported seeing strange animals such as giant predatory felines and insects of unusual size.

Western Cliffs - the northwest coast of Toisian is almost entirely made up of cliffs, except for a few inlets and fjords where bustling port cities have been established. Many of these cliffs are hundreds of feet high, with nearly 90-degree drops to the water, and made of harsh sedimentary rock. Winds buffet the coastline, especially the chilly northern areas, where sleet and snow are frequent and ice can create a hazard. These cliffs, however, are the only place one can find the rare flower called the Grave Lilly, a delicate white blossom that is said to have grown from the tears of a goddess mourning her mortal lover. Because they are so difficult to collect and will not grow anywhere else, the flowers are prized. In addition to these flowers, the cliffs are home to a great many seabirds and a few species of hardy reptiles.

Index