Cloudshame

Cloudshame is the highest mountain in the Mankan Mountains. It's peak is so high that it puts clouds to shame and it's air is so cold and dry that it's the perfect place to store documents. The stronghold of Picu resides on this mountain higher than any known settlement in these mountains due to it's harsh climate. It's used as a massive archive for storing documents, seeds, bodies, etc. This mountain gets a huge amount of water in the form of rain and snow up until around 200 meters above Picu (about 4,305 meters above sea level). Some of this water flows down the mountain and forms rivers like the Amman. However, Cloudshame is essentially a giant sponge that absorbs huge amounts of water. This water goes into a massive cave system and leaves through hundreds of freshwater springs rich in minerals and silt for plants. Most of these springs are on the eastern side of the mountain and are sources of the many rivers that flow into the Zama Jungle. The minerals these waters carry are used by the plants and play a major role in the size of the Zama jungle and the fertility of the ground in the Tri-River.

Geography

Up to about 500 meters above sea level you have alternating grasslands and subtropical forests on the mountain with smooth slopes and ravines. From about 500 meters to about 2,500 meters above sea level you will find a temperate climate with lots of forests up to about 1,800 meters and grasslands with lots of shrubs from there up until around 2,500 meters you will also find there plenty of ravines, steep slopes and cliffs. From around 2,500 meters upwards the climate is cooler and dryer with very few trees. Any trees you will find there will be small alpine trees and some alpine grasses and bushes suited for a cold and dry climate with thin rocky soil that a good portion of it frequently gets washed down the mountain. You will find plenty of cliffs, caves and exposed ores and fossils visible on the sheer and bare stone. Above 4,500 meters you have a permanent snow cap as well as it being hard to breath. As you climb up the mountain the winds get colder and more violent to the point where if you stand on the peak in the winter, you will be literally blown off the mountain and die.

Fauna & Flora

Up to about 500 meters above sea level you have alternating grasslands and subtropical forests with their respective fauna. From about 500 meters to about 2,500 meters above sea level you will find a temperate climate with lots of forests up to about 1,800 meters and grasslands with lots of shrubs from there up until around 2,500 meters you will also find there appropriate alpine temperate fauna. Bird-dragons often hunt animals at these levels and go to great lengths to avoid humans. From around 2,500 meters upwards the climate is cooler and dryer with very few trees. Any trees you will find there will be small alpine trees suited for a cold and dry climate with thin rocky soil that frequently gets washed down the mountain and animals suited for a harsh mountain climate like wild sheep, ibex, cliff foxes etc. Above 4,500 meters you have a permanent snow cap devoid of any vegetation as well as it being hard to breath. You can find there many bird-dragons roosting on the cliffs coming down to from their roosts and nests to hunt for prey starting at 3,200 meters. Herders in the temperate zone allow the dragons to hunt from their herds of livestock as there is nothing they can do against large and intelligent armored flying creatures that disappear as fast as they appear and can set anything of fire. Not even birds and bird-dragons attempt to dwell so high. The peak is so harsh and unforgiving that it's devoid of any living soul.

Natural Resources

Lumber, stone, ores, furs, gems, etc. There are many tunnels that go into the mountain, some of which are privately owned by various Tri-River city-states and some of which go all the way to the caverns beneath the mountain. It the caverns there is a humanoid species that is small, white and eyeless. They live in the deep bowels of the caves and have been occasionally hired or enslaved by humans or manderthals to do jobs in the deep dark caves like help men navigate the caverns for gems, crystals, metals, water and cool and rare and unique cave species. These white cave dwellers are occasionally sold to be used in deep caves and mineshafts for mining, exploration and rescue missions.

Alternative Name(s)

The Mankan Giant

Type

Mountain / Hill

Location under

Mankan Mountains