The Frostfall Mountains

"The mountains were towering masses of ice and snow, standing indomitably in an endless plain of ice. The rising sun had just shone its first rays and it was truly a beautiful sight to see the light glint off the snow. If only there weren"t so many frost giants roaming around and thirsty for our blood"
A soldier, writing in his diary about his experiences of exploring the Frostfall mountains

Towers of ice and snow by Nesokaiyoh

The Frostfall mountains are a gigantic mountain range in the central part of Voltarion Island. These gigantic towers of ice and snow block the way to the islands most interesting landmarks, the frostfall barrows as well as being the entrance to the beautiful Frostfall Caves.
Crossing the mountains is one of the most, if not the most difficult task the members of the expedition have to undertake. Owing to the harsh weather and near constant blizzards, it is virtually impossible to scout these areas either on ground or through gryphonic flights. Adding to this dilemma are the narrow mountain passes and the fact that frost giants, trolls and ogres tend to make their home here and violently attack anyone other than their own pack. Despite all the problems, the expedition members have managed to get past the mountains and whilst it still remains dangerous to cross them, it is not impossible if one keeps their cool whilst traversing the narrow and icy passes.
Recently however, the expedition members have been receiving grim reports. From purple skinned frost giants to the very landscape around them changing, life has become hard for them. And worst of all, they have begun to see some purple skinned ice dragons, ones who violently attack any expeditioner on sight.
The expedition members have to keep their cool and unity. Whilst their comrades at the barrows and caves discover secrets of a long lost threat, they have to keep them safe and the evil at bay. However, that will not be an easy task.
For, the very environment will turn against them, and the horrors that emerge from it will be something that they could not have imagined in a thousand years.

Geography

"Now that is what i call one big mountain"
Troll scout Hafnar Lorkanas, on reaching the base of Mount Frostfyre, the largest mountain in the Frostfall Range

The Boreal Sunrise by Nesokaiyoh

The Frostfall Mountains are located at the centre of the island, blocking access to the frostfall barrows. At the base of them lie the Frostfall Caves, which are known to be one of the most unique ecoregions on Elladia. The mountains themselves are however mostly devoid of life except for the lower reaches where some fungi survive. Only Hardy creatures such as microorganisms as well as large magical creatures like Dragons can survive at their summits due to the the biting cold and thin air.
At the summit of the mountains, one can most probably find the lair of a gigantic ice dragon. These beings are not to be messed with, since they wield mastery over the cryonic elements and can easily decimate any foe that stands in their way, save for the mightiest of frost giants. Due to their magical nature and ability to hibernate, they do not need much food but sometimes do come down from their dens to feast on frost giants and whatever else they can find.

The alpine ruins

"Whilst i was scouting the area on my Gryphon, i saw some strange, ruined structures in some areas of the mountains. I wondered what they were and made a quick note in my diary afterwards"
"What else did you observe about them?"
"Nothing much. Other than that they looked like some kind of lab or something like that"
"Thank you for your cooperation brother. We will have to check it out later to see if it is truly something of note and related to the ancient civilization"

Ruins of a lost race by Hachiimon

It all started when some scouts on gryphons reported seeing some kind of ruins at parts of the mountains. This had immediately raised the interest of the scientists and they arranged for an expedition after some time. The expedition revealed many new things, including the ruined laboratories of the mountains. It seemed that they were used for a wide range of purposes including experimentation on live subjects and research into what seemed like another dimension.
The Science division has pledged to explore this area more but due to the importance of the barrows as well as safety issues, the researchers dedicated to exploring these ruins are making slow progress. Still, they are hopeful that someday, they may be able to uncover every secret of the island, including of these mysterious caves.

Fauna & Flora

"What the fuck is that thing?"
That, that my human friend is one big frost giant. Lets retreat whilst we still have the time"
A short conversation between an Argonite soldier and a human soldier after encountering Volstagg, the ancient frost giant.

Boreal Ice Giant by Llyncis

The Frostfall mountains are even more devoid of life than the rest of the island in some places such as their summits, owing to the incredibly harsh polar weather that would freeze even the hardiest of animals to death. The only ones that can survive here are the frost giants and their smaller cousins and dragons, who are magically attuned to the environment and sometimes, ice wolves and yetis. All of them (save for the ice wolf in some cases) are very hostile towards expeditioners and attack them without provocation, sometimes even chasing them back to their bases.
This does however provide a good opportunity for food, which is often in short supply during the winter months due to sea ice on the shipping routes and the harbours being frozen. An adult frost giant can often feed hundreds of humans for days if they eat conservatively and thus, dead frost giants are often carried back to bases and then sliced into pieces which are then disinfected and roasted around campfires for the expeditioners to eat.

Natural Resources

[quote" The best thing we have found so far, you know what it is?"
"No sir. Do enlighten me please"
"Rocks! Damned fucking stones! I swear they are as valuable as diamonds here in this icy wasteland of doom."
A conversation between a human group captain and one of his subordinates on the resources of the mountains[/quote]

Snow environment scene 3 by Tyler Edlin

Arguably, the most valuable resource that can be found in this region are the rocks that come with the avalanches. Due to the lack of building materials on the island for permanent structures, it is said that rocks are more valuable than gold on Voltarion island. Many search parties regularly go out with the intention of bringing back more stones for the purpose of infrastructure building for the expeditioners.
Besides this, it can be argued that the creatures found here can serve as a potential resource with their meats and hide, which overall contribute heavily to the survival of expeditioners.

Type

Mountain Range

Location under

Voltarion Island

Life for a Mountain expeditioner

For an expeditioner who is assigned with any task relating to the mountains, life is definitely harsh. Besides the fact that one has to brave deadly snowstorms, avalanches and other natural hazards, the threat of frost giants and their smaller cousins always lies strong. It is around these mountains that they are concentrated the most and if one is spotted by them and does not have a mount, then their best bet is to run as fast as they can or bury themselves in the snow. For the Gryphon riders who scout the area on gryphons however, life is a bit easier and offers some beautiful views of the surrounding landscape on a clear day. However, their life is not carefree at all as they have to be aware of the winds and the blizzards as well as the nature of the gryphon they control

The Alpine Aurora

"As i was scouting the area with my gryphon, i looked up a bit and saw the most beautiful sight in my entire life. Giant arcs of cyan light in the sky, which seemed to dance around and make the darkest of night skies bright. It was truly a beautiful experience and one i will never forget."
A Gryphon rider, writing in his diary about his experiences with seeing an aurora during a gryphonic flight

The Alpine aurora is a beautiful phenomena often witnessed by Gryphon riders and sometimes by soldiers on the ground if the weather conditions are good. Whenever one can find clear skies close to these mountains and are at a vantage point, one can get beautiful views of the Northern blaze, commonly known as the Aurora Borealis for the northern polar areas such as Voltarion Island. It has given a big morale boost to the expeditioners, as they have found the light of the aurora inspiring in their quest to move forward despite all odds being stacked against them.