Chigan, which occupies a tropical latitude, is a region of steep
mountains and deep valleys connected by narrow, precarious, or seasonally
closed passes. The region is about 800 miles east to west and 300 north to south at its widest point. It is surrounded by high-altitude steppes to the north, desert to the east and west, and tropical lowlands to the south.
The region internally can be divided into an endless series of highland peaks and lowland valleys. During the hot lowland summers, rivers flow swiftly with runoff from the mountains above. Winter temperatures are mild (in the lowlands, at least), but frequent storms drop heavy snow on the mountains and rain on the lowlands. However, the mountaintops are high enough to be permanently covered in snow, with the only difference between seasons being the extent of the snowpack and the ferocity of winter snowstorms.
The region internally can be divided into an endless series of highland peaks and lowland valleys. During the hot lowland summers, rivers flow swiftly with runoff from the mountains above. Winter temperatures are mild (in the lowlands, at least), but frequent storms drop heavy snow on the mountains and rain on the lowlands. However, the mountaintops are high enough to be permanently covered in snow, with the only difference between seasons being the extent of the snowpack and the ferocity of winter snowstorms.
The lowlands are rich with vegetation and fertile soil. Where
land has not been cleared for settlements and agriculture, the valley floors
are downright jungle-like. Rice, grown in terraced paddies designed to take
advantage of periodic flooding, is the primary staple, but the valleys also
grow sizable quantities of fruits (with wine-making a significant industry),
sugar cane, and spices. Some water buffalo are kept communally for plowing and
milk, most families own a few poultry, and aquaculture provides a surprising
quantity of fish for an inland region. A transitional zone between the lowlands
and mountain tops is windy, with thin, rocky soil and few trees. Most of the
land there is used to raise sheep and goats who feed on the scrubby vegetation,
but small, sheltered vales provide space for tiny agricultural settlements
(rarely more than eight or nine households), small monasteries, and hideouts
for bandits. Many small streams provide ample water and short-range transport,
but the many rapids, waterfalls, and rocky areas imposed by the terrain make
long-distance water transport exceedingly difficult.
The rugged terrain and the difficulty of travel across the region
divide Chigan into a large number of small realms, each occupying its own
valley. The smallest realms are hardly more than a modest network of farming
villages and hill-roving hunters and herdsmen, with a total population of at
little as 2,000. Most are somewhat larger, with a population around 8,000-10,000,
while the largest top out around 25,000. A small percentage of the population
of any given realm includes bandits and high-altitude herdsmen, who may move
from one jurisdiction to another depending on circumstances.
Comments