The Iron Hills

Geography

The Iron Hills is the largest mountain range in Dunya, with the largest mountains reaching 25K ft tall. Within the range there are innumerable passes and ravines and ways to navigate over and round and through the mountains, however these all hold their own dangers as the vastness of the mountain range allows tribes of savage monsters and sinister raiders to evade capture and ambush travellers. The lowlands and foothills are easier to traverse and less harsh and it is here that most villages and resource camps are set up. Towards the coast of the south west point of the mountains is the forest where the inhabitants of Ocros collect most of their lumber, although this supply is running low after so long cutting it down. While most of the water in the Iron Hills is locked away in ice and snow, there are many streams and rivers that flow through the mountains and during the months of Tellus and Ignas these flow faster and heavier as snow melt brings more fresh water to the low lands. Below the mountains however the geography changes as through the caves loaded with ores and gems lies entrances to The UnderDark and it's lethal tunnels and inhabitants. This region is ever shifting due to the tunnelling nature of the creatures and the frequent cave ins and it is hard to map even stable sections due to the hostility of the native Drow and Duergar alongside more neferious foe such as the illusive Derro or the masterminds of the Illithids.

Fauna & Flora

While the upper regions of the mountains hold ice and snow, the lower regions are fairly temperate with sparse but tough heath land and small groves of trees clinging to the cliffs. Many species of Goat, Sheep and Auroch live on the ground, wary of the wolves and cougars that hunt them, as well as more exotic predators like Crag cats and Owlbear. In the skies around the mountains, many species of bird can be found including, Eagles and Vultures as well as their giant cousins alongside more exotic winged predators such as Manticore, Wyverns and Peryton. Most feared in the skies however are the solitary Roc for their vast appetites and their destructive size. Deeper down in the caves, there are fewer Herbivores although some like the Deep Rothe do manage but it is mainly a world of predators, such as Umberhulks, Bulettes and Land Worms who can burrow and move with impunity as well as creatures such as Giant spiders, Basilisk and in colder caves Remorhaz. Like most places in Dunya, minor and major elementals have been known to form around the hills or enter from portals leading to the Plane of Earth. These can be as simple as Mud Mephits to larger individuals such as Earth Elementals, the occasional lost Myrmidon. Sometimes animals from the Plane of Earth travel through accidentally and so sights such as Xorn or Flail Snail are somewhat common.

Natural Resources

The main resource of the Hills is that of ore. Ore and Gems form the majority of the rock of the mountains and even more so of the caves below them. Amongst these Ores include the famed Mythril and Adamantine as well as rare metals such as platinum or gold. Obviously the mountains also provide a wide variety of rock types such as granite, marble and other decorative rocks, which the Kingdom of Ocros uses for the construction of buildings. However the region is lacking in fertile land or a wide variety of food sources and so most has to be imported to settlements. As well this the region also lacks woodland as most has been cleared to be used in industry so it is slowly becoming more of a concern throughout the Kingdom.

Type

Mountain Range

Included Locations