Obsidian Peak

Located towards the northwestern side of Serkia , the Obsidian Peak, (or Veshan Orthas, as it is known is serkian) holds the northernmost town in the continent of Araneath, Rivâ Olan (Raven's Nest). The mountain for which the region is named is of a striking black colour and rather tall, but is easily dwarfed by the North Haradron Horn which lies straight east, at the other end of Serkia.
Starting on 743 AT, Rivâ Olan was partially colonized by a good amount of Union traders, but the inhospitality of the area has prevented proper setup of a mayor city. While the lowlands to the east are a better fit for such urban developments, tensions with the locals are still high.
The area is known to be inhabited by duergar, svirfneblin, trolls and other such creatures. The mountain itself is involved in several serkian legends and rites, and holds a deep cultural and religious significance to most tribes in the area. There's also evidence that thal-kharon dwarves inhabited the area somewhere during the Primordial Era, but only ruins and archaeological sites are left of them.

Geography

Most of Obsidian Peak is dominated by the mountain of the same name, which crowns the northwestern end of the continent. To the southeast of Obsidian Peak, it's sister mountain Raven Wing (Ciwâ Olan) helps create a valley nested high above sea level. It's right there where Rivâ Olan is located. A number of mountain passes grant uneasy access to the northern coast, but the difficult trip, sharp rocks around the coast and lack of incentive have prevented proper seafare to develop. Pirate vessels still sometimes land there, specially if they are looking to deal with ethirians.
Towards the south, a sparse forest slowly gives way to the sedimentary rocks of Stony Coast. On 744 AT, a coastal route was built here, to help connect the Union with the serkian settlements.
Towards the east, the grand fjords create a hard-to-traverse tundra where the wildest serkian tribes make their home.

Fauna & Flora

Mountain wolfs, grizzly bears, mountain cats, mountain goats, eagles, crows and ravens make most of the fauna in Veshan Orthas. There are also legends of giant ravens living high on the mountains, but no confirmation of their existence has been made.
Few bushes survive high in the mountains, but towards the south and east, conifers appear aplenty, getting thicker to the east but thinner to the south. In the lower parts of the mountain slopes, very large trees, often called "Forest Watchers" grow sparsely. Forest Watchers can reach up to 100ft in height, and have about 30ft of trunk diameter.

Natural Resources

Obsidian Peak features a number of natural deposits of pewter, cobalt, arsenic crystals and phosphate rocks which are largely untapped, making it an interesting target for those who count alchemists among their costumers. Strangely enough, no obsidian is found here.

Alternative Name(s)

Veshan Orthas

Type

Mountain / Hill

Location under

Serkia