Geographically, Nolaria is a mid-sized continent about 1120 miles east-west by about 925 miles
north-south. It is roughly divided north-south by a mountain range. To the east of this range
lies the Mernian Empire. To the west is the Honig Desert, occupied by various desert nomad tribes.
Further west is another mountain range beyond which lies the kingdom of Norberg. In the
northwest is the Jhutland Pennisula, home to the Jhutland barbarians. In the northeast is Cape
Carpalia and the Carpalian Islands.
The Nolarian continent represents a reasonable scope for extended D&D role playing. Long distance journies can be abstracted for rapid travel, but sufficient detail exists to role play every mile covered. There is enough separation between the power bloc countries that they can exist independently, but there is trade and cultural flow between them.
In terms of climate, the Nolarian continent ranges from 20° to 55° north latitude. As such weather ranges from tropical in the southern reaches to cold-temperate in the north. Winters are harsh in the north, summers are harsh in the desert regions. The ismuth at the southern end of Nolaria is arid.
Climates in both Mernia and Norberg are temperate, with good support for farming. Rains most years are constant and predictable. When the weather doesn't cooperate, it sometimes gets a nudge using magic. The development of civilization in Nolaria has let to urban centers of commerce supported by agrarian food production in outlying areas. Cities are typically located in sheltered harbors or on navigable river systems.
The continent of Nolaria is tectonically stable. There are few active volcanoes and earthquakes are rare.
In some rather dramatic cases, magic has had a direct impact on the geography of Nolaria. The primary example of this is Maliland, a roughly circular depression directly north of Lake Darnnock in the center of Mernia. Maliland was formed by the collision of two powerful magic artifacts created during the Fannin Wars with Ursala. Legend also has it that Carpalia was formed via uncontrolled Earth Magic.