The Geography of Dragonhome
This is a post in a series going over the geography of each flight's territory in unnecessary detail. You can find the other posts here.
Important Notes
Sorneith's polar gradient runs south-to-north: that is, the south is cold, the north is warm.
It's possible that Sorneith is tidally locked. I won't be ascribing this as 100% true, but it might inform some opinions here and there.
Geography
Dragonhome is a highly elevated plateau covered in arid plains and mountains. The vast majority of its territory is wide, open land, with a massive network of canyons to the southwest and the Pillar of the World at its center. A mountain range runs along its northwest coast and near the Pillar, but the majority of Dragonhome's uneven terrain is concentrated in the canyons and gorges that break up the landscape -- less mountainous, more cavernous.
Climate
The climate of Dragonhome is extremely arid. Whilst not quite a desert, only the coasts and mountain peaks will see seasonal rainfall. The entire region stays warm year-round, with incredibly hot summers and mild winters due to its proximity to the sea. With the Shrieking Wilds to the east, it's possible that the easternmost regions experience periodic bouts of greenery during wet seasons.
Any water that falls will eventually collect within the canyons that cut through the landscape, meaning that these areas become hot spots for most of the wildlife in the area. These canyons - if the sea flows inwards into them - are likely hot and somewhat damp depending on how wide the openings at the top are.
Border Biomes
The eastern border with Nature becomes vastly more humid, both due to the river and coast, but also because of runoff from the jungles. Whilst Dragonhome seems elevated enough that it likely doesn't get any rain shadow-like effects, expect things to be much more temperate.
To the south, the closer you get to the Tangled Wood, the cooler and wetter it becomes. Expect the dirt to lose its parched appearance and to see a much higher concentration of forests and animals.
What is it like to actually live there?
It is so damn hot and dry here. Unless specifically adapted to these conditions or relying on infrastructure to make them habitable, the vast majority of settlements will be along rivers and near whatever natural springs exist. Clans should take note of what water sources disappear during dry season, lest they be left without anything.
Tactics seen in other desert regions like building from stone or cob and keeping tiled floors will be common.
Travel is a big ordeal due to lack of natural resources -- it is slow and dangerous and routes must be carefully planned out.
There's a reason the Collonades are near the coast; the climate is much more temperate with more frequent rainfall and natural flora/fauna, meaning larger towns are much easier to sustain without advanced infrastructure.
High winds are likely common throughout, especially in the Shattered Plains and along the coasts. Dust and dirt storms are something to prepare for.
IRL Examples
For similar climates and geographies, look towards placed like the Iranian Plateau, the Central Anatolian Steppe and Taurus Mountains, Atacama Coastal Highlands, and the US Southwest (specifically around Arizona). The former are likely more accurate due to having similar extreme elevations, but the southwest United States is probably much more accessible for finding reference material.
