The Island of Welmarch

Island of Welmarch
The Island of Welmarch is a large continental island located in the northern hemisphere of Yeltiva. The population is primarily made up of humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves with some other races mixed in from off the continent. Welmarch has a long history of war and tribulations that lead to the eventual collapse of the Republic during the 65th Year of the Fourth Age.

The continent is divided into four sections: the Lowlands, Midlands, Highlands, and Outerlands. For many centuries, the Lowlands and Highlands have had the best positions due to the Highland's ability to defend itself in a single, narrow pass and the Lowland's abundance of food from rivers running down the Midcliffs.

At present, the Island of Welmarch is home to just north of 20.5 million inhabitants divided up into five nations. Of these nations, four are labeled as monarchies and one as a republic. The monarchies occupy the Midlands while the republic sits on the north most parts of the island. The Lowlands and Outerlands have been entirely overrun by the Outland Blight, leaving the south desolate and filled with the undead.

Geography
The island is divided into four parts. The Highlands, Midlands, and Lowlands are contiguous segments of the continent. The Outlands is a large island with an island chain just off the coast of the Lowlands. The main continent is primarily made up of rolling hills with mountains breaking off the Highlands and Midlands. The continent's interesting geography is primarily due to the mountains that were raised up and subsequently eroded over time by the sea and wind, in addition to humanoid interaction. The rolling plains are typically made up of grasslands or forests.

The Lowlands, however, has lost most of its biodiversity. The Outland Blight has suppressed most of the extravagant life in the area, leaving mostly dried grass and dead forests in its wake.

Climate
The Island of Welmarch is a fairly standard climate. It ranges between 36 C (97 F) in the summer to the lowest recorded temperature of -20 C (-4 F) in the winter. The island has a growing season between the third month and the ninth month of the year.

Religion
Most inhabitants of Welmarch believe in the Church of Dezerime. It is the last bastion on Yeltiva to worship the monotheistic god, Dezerime as the mainland church fell in the 40th Year of the Second Age. There have been religious wars fought by other nations off the continent in an attempt to fully remove the Church of Dezerime but none have managed to dethrone the remnants of the Church.

In majority of the nations on the continent, any other religion is outright banned. In the republic, however, it is allowed with heavy oversight due to fears of attempting internal insurrection and taxation.

Population
The population of Welmarch consists of humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and a handful of other races. The population peeked in the 60th Year of the 4th Age at X people. The population reported a significant drop in the 70th Year of 4th Age because of the outbreak of the Outland Blight. The population decreased to X people, a roughly X% decrease in the population from the previous decade.

History
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