Shadelands

The Shadelands is the name given to the regions of the world not illuminated by the Sun. They are a dark and frigid expanse of land that extends to an unknown distance. The extreme climate and danger of the Shadelands make them inhospitable to humans.

Geography

Extent

The true scale of the Shadelands is unknown. Of the few expeditions that have been documented to return from the Shadelands, the furthest reportedly travelled for 30 days distally from the sunset point with no end in sight. The only continent whose shaded regions have been entirely mapped is [TBA]. Regions located within [?] km of the sunset point are known as the near Shadelands or umbral lands, where the light of the Sun still faintly illuminates the sky, causing a permanent twilight.

Overland traversal of the Shadelands is made difficult by the harsh climate and geography, particularly in the case of Apantos and [continent], where mountains seem to only get taller with increasing distance from the Sun. Traversal by sea on the other hand is nigh impossible, as harsh currents pull vessels sunward and sea ice becomes more prominent.

Human presence

Population

The only permanent population entirely within the Shadelands is in Sunset Isles, an archipelago located in the near Shadelands. The Arikiosi city of Apiktoros, located at the end of the Sun's End Sea, lies at the very edge of the Shadelands. Another notable example is Twilight Isle, a small, remote island at the edge of the Shadelands about 4.5 days' sail distally from Astach, which has a population of a few hundred.