Atla is the dominate power behind, and leader of the known world’s economy, ideology and (Magi-)Technology. It is the largest known landmass on Velwythe and is home to the greatest single population for a city, province and continent. Atla has a population of approximately 500,000,000.
Atla covers nearly 20,000,000 square kilometers (18,982,400) on a world that is nearly 41,000 kilometers in circumference. Though Atla is large, nearly 15 percent of that land is uninhabitable due to extremes in the climate (the southern region or Kahn desert and the northern lands of FrostRight and the unattached province). Because it is so large, Atla also has the most diverse landscapes and climate of any other known land.
It is the only continent to have a fully developed and operational rail system. By railline travelers can reach nearly 70% of the populated regions of Atla, with new lines stretching farther across the nation daily. As for the name railline, that too was created in Atla. While standard linguistic conventions would split the two words, Magi-Tech based transportation has created a new rule in the Modern Atlan language. These are now known as transport nouns. These nouns include names such as railline, railcart and the various names of motorcarts. Should a flying machine ever be invented, it too will fall under the transport noun conventions. The reason for this unique naming device was given by the current Grand Provincial Councilor, stating that the creation and spread of raillines and motorcarts was unifying Atla, that unification should be represented in the way people discuss the creations. And thus, the transport noun was put into effect in 230EM. It’s not clear if other nations will adopt this naming system for their own. Regardless, the transport noun is now an integral part of Atlan writing.
Atla, starting in the north: The continually changing landscape near the North Pole is nothing more than icebergs and ice sheets carried about by the fierce currents of the Arctic Ocean or the intense driving winds. This Arctic Ocean is covered sporadically with ice sheets and icebergs which shift constantly over the turbulent seas. Charting any northern passage by ship or foot has always been impossible. To put it in perspective, three of the four seas and oceans around Atla are impossible to travel on or across due to mysterious and catastrophic storms that haven’t stopped in recorded history–and this arctic sea has been explored less than the two others (partially due to the fact that there is nothing there worth exploring).
Down slightly from the arctic sea at the northern shores of the unattached and FrostRight provinces the landscape changes only in elevation. It is almost impossible to tell where water ends and land begins. The only indication (aside from a bit more stability underfoot) that the sea has ended are the mountain peaks near FrostRight (and those don’t even begin for at least 100 kilometers inland). Few living creatures inhabit the northern parts of Atla, but those that do are efficient and hearty (including the people). In the unattached province at the northern most end of the land is the largest salt water lake on Atla, the Dead Lake. Not long ago this lake was connected to the arctic sea. But after many earthquakes and avalanches it has since been sealed away. And in more recent years, snow and sediment has piled up after a few wet seasons, further isolating the massive lake. With no outlet and near freezing temperatures even in summer, it’s doubtful the lake will ever be anything more than a salty oddity below a nearly endless sheet of ice.
Atla, south of the ice sheets: The land spreads out quite quickly below the Dead Lake. To the east is the land of FrostRight, the end of the world as it is called because it is the northernmost city on the continent. This area is known for its countless twisting canyons amongst the sharp and sheared mountains, roaming glaciers and a few pockets of hospitable land where hearty flora and fauna live. Also living here, counted amongst the fauna are unique animals said to be relatives of the once believed extinct mammoths (woolly specifically). They are known by the locals as Mey-Kook.
To the west (and slightly south of FrostRight) you will find the first real forests, able to survive only by the moderating (yet still freezing) effects of the ocean. It is here that you can find the last and greatest castles from the hundreds of years during which monarchy was the primary government. These castles have written on their walls the tales of countless wars and battles fought by the people since the province of Bedrin was first inhabited thousands of years ago.
Atla, below the snow: Below the mountains of FrostRight the climate changes quickly, and warms up almost immediately. On the Western end of Atla the Morrid Sound cuts deep into the continent. Morrid, one of Atla’s three major ports and a bustling city, sits at the water’s edge at the end of the great Gulf of Morrid. The U-shaped valley was carved by glacial erosion many years ago, and created a narrow fjord that extends several kilometers before opening up to the sound. Though the trip inland through the sound is quite long (nearly 1000Km to Morrid from the open sea) the city has more than made up for its remote location within the past decade. It has done so directly because of the raillines. Unlike FreePort, the primary and competing trade city, Morrid is covered by more raillines than any other city except for Alpine. Even though most of the raillines are used by the military, a huge quantity of imports and exports cross the province by rail every day. And with so many goods now reaching the port, larger and larger transport ships have been built to make the trip to and from the archipelago worthwhile.
Now, a greater quantity of goods from within Atla can be transported by rail to Morrid. Ships making the 1-2000 kilometer voyage from the nearest port of the archipelago are becoming more and more legitimized. Because FreePort, the largest port on Atla, has yet to be accessible by railline it is quickly handing over the title of primary port to Morrid as more and more exports are route there instead.
Atla, the heartlands: South, below Bedrin and FrostRight the landscape opens up to rolling hills and endless plains. In the center of the continent you can find the province of Arodil. Even at the foot of the mountains to the north, profitable farms and fields produce a number of specialty crops in the cool climate. The spine of Atla, The Alpine Mountain Range, divides the heartland of the continent in half. On both the west and east sides of the range are the two Great Plains. On the east side of the mountains are the provinces of Arodil, Sed and Floran–Atla’s breadbasket. The area receives plenty of precipitation and has a mild climate which offers perfect conditions for growing nearly any crop imaginable.
On the west side of the mountains, the higher plains of the FreePort province stretch for countless kilometers to the west, sloping down gradually until the land meets the sea. This area is home to the world’s best grapes which are turned into the world’s best wines. The warm and dry climate is perfect for pleasing the palettes of any wine lover and has been pleasing them for centuries.