Such patrols, however vigilant, offered no assurances of safety, passage, or even recognition along the Snowtrail. Often branching into multiple alternative routes, the trail was shaped by steep gradients, icy surfaces, and thick layers of snow. While the northern side of the mountains, where Midnight had initially entered from the Northlands desert, endured the relentless plateau storms and scorching heat that shaped its characteristic bleached, salt-encrusted appearance, the Midland side was buried beneath impenetrable sheets of ice and everlasting snow. The peaks rose so high that they pierced through the clouds, forming a natural barrier between the contrasting climate zones of the Northlands and Midlands.
To the east, the mountains ran all the way to the north-eastern coast of the Northlandic Ocean. Descending sharply just before reaching the ocean’s edge, the mountains gave rise to the Barnstream villages. Water cascading down from the heights carved deep furrows into the rock and gathered to form the Barnstream, which flowed seaward through multiple branching channels, its journey marked by the creation of diverse lakes along its path. These lakes served as lifelines for the sparse tribes of Bormen and Tairan descendants who had established settlements in these rugged lands.
To the west, the mountain range extended unbroken towards Mortosta, the western sea, naturally dividing the continent into the Northlands and Midlands. Along the western base of the mountains, Mortosta’s waters grew denser and darker, gradually blending into the expansive Sastomian Swamplands. These swamplands were a realm dominated by wild mudland flora, a stark contrast to the icy peaks and rocky cliffs that defined the surrounding landscape.
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