To the north of the continent is a cold island of tundras, ice, and grass. The expanse of the island is dotted with the odd hot spring, giving the surface heat. Seated in the center of this island is Oratrova. The cities are protected from the biting ocean winds by the nearby mountains and heated by the hot springs fueled by an underground caldera.
The empire of Rem never managed to cross far beyond the straight into Oratrova, they established a few small forts and strongholds the wind and cold hampered the war effort, but what really stymied them was the Oratrovan people. They dug in and fought a bitter war against the invaders, burning their own lands and supplies to starve out the enemy. To this day the Oratrovans have a reputation of iron wills, as a people of ferocious strength and hearty constitution who will sacrifice anything for survival. These are people who deserve their chosen symbol of a bear.
The ruler of Oratrova is the Rom, a title intended to mock the Remians, who oversees an intricate and complex bureaucracy that can often trip itself up over the varied machinations of its officers. The Rom is appointed by a council of nobles that meets together after the death of the old Rom. The current Rom is a gnome, Gregor Nebulous, the first in his lineage and of his people to serve in the position He is a vacillating ruler and there are rumors that he was appointed due to influence from the leaders of the bureaucracy of Oratrova, hoping for a leader that they could more easily control or use as a scapegoat for any unpopular decisions. There is a great deal of call among the people for an end to this corrupt system and a return to the old monarchic traditions.
The culture of Oratrova is dominated by garish colors to overpower the greys and whites of ice and stone. Their military maintains that ancient tradition that held them fast against Rem, they are merciless in crushing their enemy until any invader is starved out, surrounded by ice and snow.