Infy Icefield
The Infy Icefield, colloquially called the Northlands,[1] "Endless Icefield",[2] or simply the North, is a geographical region that lies north of the Terran continent.
Overview
To the north of Sami and Ursus is a vast, uninhabited arctic tundra covered with only glaciers and snow, hence its name as the "infinite icefield." However, the region has been a strictly controlled region by the Terran civilization as it is the homeland of the northern Collapsals. To the end of the Infy Icefield, the North Pole of Terra, is "The Door" where the Collapsals enters Terra, hence making the region very unfriendly to the Terrans.[2] Even after the grand conquest of the Foehn Hotlands, Kharanduu the Nightzmoran Khagan could not overcome the threat of the northern Collapsals, hence his disappearance in recorded history.[3] To this day, Ursus' imperial guards and Sami Snowpriests are carefully monitoring the region at the "Border of Civilization"[4] while containing the Collapsal's encroachment. Military posts of Yan and Higashi also dot the region to safeguards the eastern corner of Terra.
Despite its hostile nature, the Infy Icefield has attracted countless Columbian explorers and scientist out of their interest to survey there with modern science. They enter the Icefield via two major routes: the Ursus route and the Sami route. The former requires partnership with Ursine envoys, and ongoing political disputes between Columbia and Ursus greatly hinder the access. Whereas, the Sami route is the most recommended one due to Sami's primitive politics, yet its harsh environment and the Snowpriests' isolationist attitude could prove great challenges. Nevertheless, generations of expeditioners and sponsorship of Columbian corporates have allowed the expeditioners to set up permanent research stations where others could use these facilities for shelter and resupply.[5]