The Heartlands

Summary
The Empire of the United Heartlands is a large conglomerate of annexed countries that have since formed themselves into the largest politcal presence on the western side of the Sea of Monsters. The former kingdoms now operate on semi-independent level from the central government as provinces. The civilians of this region are as varied as the lands that they hail from, and patriots of the Heartlands tend to refer to themselves by their provincial heritage in place of their nationality. The climates of the Heartland vary wildly, ranging from snow-capped mountains, to temperate forests, to arid canyons. The Heartlands are bordered by Benta Rosa to the south, Levicardos to the southeast, the Sea of monsters to the east, the Bonebreaker Mountains to the north, and the forests of the Wildenwoad to the west.

Mithelen
Mithelen houses the Capital of the Heartlands, Nordaleor. It houses Castle Goldwryme, the home and bastion of Empress Eleonessa Luvarith Dragonblood. It sits on the coast of the Sea of Monsters.

Artenis
Artenis is a small but influential province located in the center of the Heartlands. Its location has turned it into a major economic hub between provinces of the Heartlands, and has become a favored location for the headquarters of many guilds such as the infamous Thunderguard.

Ulmgaragan
Ulmgaragan is the province owned and maintained by the prideful Mountain Dwarves. The capital of Ulmgar sits within the hollow caverns of a mountain with the same name, nestled within the snowy Bonebreaker mountain range. The Mountain Dwarves delve deep into the earth, excavating any useful mineral they find. This makes the mines of Ulmgar the most reliable surface source of ultra rare minerals such as Mithril. Ulmgaragan also stands as the Heartland's safest window into the Isebranndur Tundra.

Ziegaltum
Ziegaltum is home to the shrewd and rugged Hill Dwarves. The capital, Ziegalheim, is built into the walls of a red clay canyon. The lands of Ziegaltum are arid and hostile to most flora, but the sediment is rich in minerals. Chief among these are gold and gemstones, which have attracted many hopeful prospectors to the region. Any form of agriculture sustainable within the province are harshly adapted to the region, and are often intolerable to those with foreign palates.

Lanucea
Lanucea is a forested province within a sheltered valley that is fairly central in the Heartland's territories. It is home to the serene Moon Elves, and houses their capital of Alftanae. The region is home to many rare and unique forms of wildlife. A majority of the flora and fauna of the region produce valuable compounds that can be utilized in spells and alchemy. However, the Moon Elves are rather protective of these organisms, and actively work to avoid over-harvesting.

Sulensa
Sulensa is an island province that sits just within the Sea of Monsters southeast from the province of Mithelen. It has become the home of the fervent Sun Elves, who have built a city in the center of the island, Varmtalae. Sulensa is surprisingly mountainous, with a number of cliff sides and rocky outcroppings. The island is home to a sizable amount of flying creatures, most notably the gryphon. A native population of Aarakroca also calls the island home. The Elves and Aarakroca have not come to any major conflict as of yet, but there also has been no attempt to assimilate the Aarakroca into the community of the Heartlands.