Sullarea

Sullarea is a term used in speculative geography and fiction to describe a class of broad, flat-to gently undulating plains that appear on world-building maps and in science fiction settings. Sullareas are typically envisioned as expansive landscapes with low relief, extensive horizon lines, and few natural barriers. They function in narratives and games as settings that emphasize scale, movement, and travel over rugged terrain.

Etymology and usage in fiction: The word sullarea is generally treated as a neologism created for fictional contexts. In published world-building material, it is described as a compound or coined term rather than a direct borrowing from a real language, chosen to evoke a sense of wide, uninterrupted space and openness.

Geography and climate: In common portrayals, sullareas lie between coastal zones and upland regions or connect disparate biomes. They are often depicted as low- to mid-relief environments with sparse vegetation, arid or semi-arid climates, and winds that shape surface features. Soils are usually described as lean, supporting hardy grasses, scrub, or seasonal herbaceous cover. Biodiversity may be modest but includes species adapted to open, windswept conditions.

Cultural and narrative usage: Cartographers and world-builders employ sullareas to convey mobility, danger, or opportunity. They can serve as travel corridors, borderlands, or stages for nomadic cultures and caravan routes. In adventure and lore, vast sullareas may conceal ruins, oases, or hidden guides that influence plot and exploration.

See also: plain, steppe, flatlands, speculative geography, world-building.