Planet:Koldenwelt/Old/Christmas



Christmas is an island located in the Polar Lands of ; although often considered part of the Northern Region, it is isolated from the mainland and ecologically distinct. It is home to the eponymous Christmas Elves, who settled the island in the late 21st century BNA.

Geography
Most of Christmas is covered in ice or tundra, where the Christmas Elves herd reindeer, but patches of taiga exist towards the south. In the north are large deposits of coal and metals, and nearby is an underground factory that was constructed in the 1660s BNA, whose presence is only made visible on the surface by the existence of an obelisk which serves as a magical portal to the interior. Ever since then, the factory has factory has produced children's toys which are traded in the south during midwinter religious festivals for alcoholic drinks, baked goods and root vegetables, as these cannot be procured on Christmas. The factory is used as a workhouse for young elves until they reach an age where they are deemed old and capable enough to join their pastoralist families. A consequence of this is the common misconception that Christmas Elves are actually a variety of Dwarf, as most people only see them during their youth.

Wildlife
The arctic climate of Christmas means that very few species are capable of surviving year-round, with the winter night lasting for upwards of four months and temperatures regularly falling to -40°C. The majority of plant life consists of lichens, mosses and grasses, although one species of conifer, the Christmas tree, is endemic to the island. Christmas trees are related to the spruces of the mainland, but grow only two to three metres in height due to the short duration and cold weather of the summer growing period. The Christmas tree relies on reindeer, the only animal species native to Christmas, to spread its seeds during the winter, so its cones are bioluminescent and edible so as to be noticed and eaten by them. This bioluminesence is achieved by means of fairy dust, hence the cones are commonly known as "fairy lights", which when consumed by reindeer grants them the ability of magical flight. The fairy dust degrades over time, causing the cones to lose their light and swell into larger, spherical structures known as "baubles". These are still edible but are sour; reindeer will only eat them if no other food is available, and will not gain flying powers in the process.

The reindeer of Christmas do not appear to have any natural predators, although it has been speculated that they used to be hunted by Frost Drakes that inhabited the island before the arrival of the Elves. Little is also known about the fae that produce the Christmas trees' fairy dust, except for reports by explorers to the island, who have have claimed to see them take the form of stars or winged humanoids perched atop particular trees. Meanwhile, rumours of snow-based golems stalking the tundra are widely considered to be unsubstantiated.