In the northeastern part of Boreas, a wintry taiga drops suddenly into a wide valley surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise a thousand meters or more on either side and run an entire fifteen kilometers to the great northern ocean. Only a narrow canyon at the southern end of the valley allows a descent to the floor. The sheltered valley within plays host to a mix of short grasses and lichens fed by freshwater waterfalls that pour down from the steep faces of slate. After heavy rain, dozens of small temporary falls can be seen running down the cliffs to join the sea. Protected by the slopes of stone, this little tundra is a surprising abundance of greenery in an otherwise unforgiving northern landscape. An ocean inlet cuts much of the valley in half and provides a protected harbor for seals and other ocean life, deep and wide enough even for whales to be seen there taking advantage of it's impressive sheltering confines.
