Vön is a cold lands either considered part of eastern Canath or its own border region, home to a uniquely cold climate surrounded by snow-covered mountains and being split up by various wide and lethally cold rivers. It borders the harsh and generally impassable Mountains of Galae to the north and the isolationist jungles of Nagonkor to the east. Vön has a deep history tied to the early Flock of Man, but has remained an sparsely populated periphery and even experienced consistent gradual decline the last century. It is largely integrated into Canathi ways of life, language and governance even if it retains a regional identity.
For more in Vön, see vön
Culture
Vön’s population is largely raised speaking an accent of the Encanuri language, though statesmen, merchants and adventurers are usually taught the proper Languages (a related language used both east and west) as well.
The name Vön is thought to mean “rest” in the Proto-Philosophian Language. Oral retellings of the place’s origin call it Vöncanat, which could mean something like can we rest,” or in its transferred meaning - “place we rest” (the language uses questions in an unconventional way). It is believed this is where the name of Canath comes from. Another theory says Vön means “what we’re used to,” and Vöncanath essentially means “comfortable home.”
Geography
The town of Riverside, built in the aftermath of the failure of the castle of Vestitur, serves as the chief entry-point to Vön from the Celene parts of Canath, as well as where their influence and trade flows in through. There is an opening towards the Rubyfirth part however. The border with Nagonkor is generally impassable due to cliffs and harsh climate and terrain differences, which has caused quite little contact throughout history despite their proximity.
Three major rivers run down Vön from the northern mountains. Roughly in the middle lies Hal, the capital of the region. In the west the town of Ire serves as a stop on the path between Hal and Riverside.
The Galaen mountains to the north are home to the Silver Pass, a passage once used by the Flock of Man and then by the Silver Couriers, but which today has fallen out of favour due to the exceptional talents required to reliably survive it.
History
Vön is largely the realm of the Kingdom of Vestitur, famous for the myth of the Vestitur. That Kingdom’s once-capital of Riverside commonly marks the border of Vön and the rest of Encanath. Vön was also once known for training the Silver Couriers as the only runners capable of safely using the Silver Pass, though they have long since began to fade into obscurity. The Town of Ire today houses their last headquarters.
The Vöni are known to export warm winter clothes, but also certain materials such as Whittar. Obscure sources point to Vön as the once source of Brackeis.
Due to their low population, the few Crusader Armies that are stationed here make up a considerable part of the non-permanent population of Vön. A lack of supplies and experience with cold climates once made the Camp Conflict of Vön tense, though tensions have eased as the Crusaders there have gotten less assertive.
Some have pointed out similarities between ancient Vön and Fenrunr artefacts, speculating the existence of a connection between the two. The long distance they’d have to migrate though, using the technology available to them, seems unlikely though - especially when backed up by the lack of findings on their potential path.