Dracodryn is Mezia's northernmost continent. It contains the geographic North Pole and is situated in the Arctic region of the Northern Hemisphere, almost entirely north of the Arctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Northern Ocean. It is the third-largest continent and nearly twice the size of Carth. Home to a few srarse tribes, it is by far the least densely populated continent. About 80% of Dracodryn is covered by kilometer thick ice that extends to all but the southernmost reaches of the Lohikarm Peninsula.
Dracodryn, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. Most of Dracodryn is a polar desert, with minimal annual precipitation along the coast and even less inland; yet most of the world freshwater reserves are stored there, enough to drown every coastal city if all of it were to melt.
The winter temperature in Dracodryn averages −54 °C, but could dip below -100 °C under extreme conditions. Organisms native to Dracodryn include many types of algea, fungi, plants, and animals, such as penguins, seals, wolves, bears, mammoths, reindeer, elk, small mammals, and dragons. Over 90% of life in Dracodryn is based in Lohikarm Forest.
Dracodryn is the least recorded region on Mezia, with no written records dating further back than the Age of Behemoths. The earliest records come from 82 BEH, when a Duronian expedition led by Fabian Lazarev sighted and named the Lazarev ice shelf. The continent remained largely neglected for the rest of the Age of Behemoths because of its hostile environment, lack of easily accessible resources, and isolation. Early in the Age of Dragons, explorers began seeking places to land on Dracodryn and uncover what happened to end the Age of Behemoths. It is heavily disputed whether a Wibzendelian expedition led by grandmaster Warles Chilkes, a Duronian expedition led by Jules Durvont, or a Carthronian expedition led by lieutenant Andile Kubasho was the first to land on the continent, but Jules Durvont has indisputable claim of being the first person not born on Dracodryn to see Gornath's Grave.
Antarctica is largely unclaimed territory. There is a small Wibzendelian outpost named Fort Dracodryn near the southern tip of Lohikarm peninsula, but no other nations are willing to make a claim of territory they'd rather not have to defend. Explorers, treasure hunters, merchants, and scientists visit the continent in the warmer months, but few decide to make a return trip. Several indigenous tribes live on the continent, though they have no nationality or central government.
Etymology
The name Dracodryn is the mispronounced version of the Colma compound word Drakos-dærn meaning "dragon's home".
Jules Durvont wrote in his book Dracodryn and the Age of Dragons about his expedition through the Dracodryn region, and thus was the first to spread the name through the southern world. Ancient maps often include some continent or ice field in Dracodryn's place, most commonly labeled Terra Arctis, though this varies from map to map.
Indigenous Population
Dracodryn has a small indigenous population consisting of three distinct ethnicities, the Colma, Sholma, and Yakul. Each ethnic group occupies a different region and is split into several small tribes. It is unknown how or when these people first settled on Dracodryn, but they have been isolated from the rest of the world for centuries.
The Colma are nomadic reindeer herders residing primarily in the Lohikarm forest. They migrate north in the summer and south in the winter, living off the relative abundance of the forest.
The Sholma live in igloos near the coast. They are expert sailors and fishers, capable of taking down a whale and towing it in using only small watercraft and spears.
The Yakul reside in cave cities in the Vuori mountains. They settle near active volcanos and build unique underground gardens that rely on the heat and light of lava.
There are rumors of a Dryad grove in Lohikarm Forest, though explorers have had no luck in locating it.
History of Exploration
Belief in the existence of a Terra Dracos—a vast continent in the far north accessible only to dragons and other powerful beings—had prevailed since the Behemoth Era. After explorers had mapped the northern borders of Artha and Lamaris, geographers believed that Terra Dracos had to be much smaller than its actual size.
The First Duronian Arctic Expedition led by Fabian Lazarev on the sloop-of-war Curiosity and Mihail Durvont on the support vessel Perseverence reached a point within 40 km of Durvont's Landing and recorded the sight of an ice shelf which became known as the Lazarev ice shelf. Soon after, Perseverence was sunk by a pod of razorfin whales and Lazarev was forced to retreat.
The first recorded landing is highly disputed. After the Behemoth Era ended, multiple expeditions set out to uncover Dracodryn's secrets. Warles Chilkes, a Wibzendelian Grandmaster and leader of the whaling ship Arktos, landed on shore of the Lohikarm peninsula near present day Fort Dracodryn. Carthronia sent an expedition of three ships led by lieutenant Andile Kubasho, who claimed to have landed on shore a month earlier than Chilkes, but provided no evidence of that claim.