Uhldranya

Comprising two opposing continents, the twin bitopia of Uhdranya is a paradise . . . if you love ice and snow.

“Twins” is also a bit of a misnomer, since the two continents are quite different from one another. Though they are both draped in never-ending Winter, that is where the similarities end.

Despite that, and including the fact that their two homelands are literally a world apart, they share a language that is remarkably congruent, only differing in minor occurrences of dialect and word preferences.

A Closer Look

No one’s really quite sure how exactly the people inhabiting the literal polar opposite continents of Uhldranya share so many commonalities. Language, general body structure, cultural idiosyncrasies and so on.

Scholars of the past suggest that the original Uhldranyans drifted to opposite ends of the world, perhaps when the continents were but one large landmass and such travel was possible by foot, and the rest was a byproduct of convergent evolution.

However the more popular, and quite unsubstantiated explanation, is that the Uhldranyas were actually always separate from the original supercontinent and instead shared their own impossibly long land-bridge on the opposite side of the planet, which was known and only ever used by them.

Which seems a bit ridiculous. But, then again, so is the fact that these two continents are on opposite sides of the globe, yet share so much of the same culture, if not the same geography.

The People and Their Culture

To survive their Winter Eternal (Uhldranyans insist this name is much too ominous sounding, but yet it remains), the peoples of both continents are generally built with just a bit more flesh on their bones. “Beefy” and “shaped like a bear” are each phrases particularly reserved for these folk. And, as you likely have already guessed, there is plenty of body hair, too, as well as pudge.

Those hailing from either the North or South have brightly warm hair, with Northerners having the more vibrant hues, with Southerners a bit more muted in color. To the far west of South Uhldranya, many people also share some similar features with Xyrians from Remtaldi, who settled there long ago.

Overall, the Uhldranyans value bravery, survival, and communion with their land, which culminates in a cultural right of passage for soon-to-be adults: Taming a polar bear. Such a long process, though a bit less common these days, requires a development of kinship that begins while both participants are still cubs. And, yes, Uhldranyan people do indeed refer to their young children as cubs.

Just as well, after her centuries long conflict with Kaedia, Leradil (annexed to South Uhldranya centuries ago), adds a little extra diversity to this southern continent, often with the individuals from here being a bit thinner and paler than their bearish counterparts.

Local Phrase: “It wouldn’t be so bad, if it weren’t for the wind.”

North Uhldranya

Dominated by mountains and dotted with ornery horned-seals, the northern continent of Uhldranya is a land of snowy adventure and warm people. Though it is quite possible to find areas of warmth in the lower reaches of the coast, locals will tell you it’s “much too hot.”

South Uhldranya

With strong Xyrian influences in the west, the annexation of old Leradil on the north peninsula, and the vast plains of centrally frozen grasslands, the Uhdranyans reflect their homeland with the same broad-ranging diversity.