Mahakam Mountains
"Prithee be careful, though the cultured inhabitants of the mountains are always welcoming foreigners with open arms, the mountains themselves are not"- Ulf Andarin, former king of Mahakam
Home to the dwarves, the Mahakam mountains are very unwelcoming to other races. They also constitute the natural barrier between most of the continent and the still largely unknown northern regions. The mountains are as old as The Continent itself. It is said that they were created as the result of a clash between Eshnahif, god of winter and mountains, and an unnamed entity of the second Higher Ones, where Goibhniu, god of smiths and metal, intervened to help his fellow god. The two defeated the Higher One, but the battle left behind a hostile terrain that could not be removed. As such, the gods decided to populate it with an intelligent life form, the dwarves, to dominate the mountains. And so, a civilization based on exploiting the many treasures the mountains had hidden away was born.
The mountains making up the Mahakam mountains number up to about 150, with the 3 highest peaks being in order: Coson mountain at 1600 meters (5249 ft), Misty peak at 2332 m (7650ft) and Mount Mahakam towering at 3550 meters (11646 ft). All are inhabited by dwarves, from the depths of their caverns to the heights of their peaks.
Inside the mountains, dwarves have organized themselves into a single kingdom over millennia, with every king not being determined by blood but by a large friendly clash between clans. Cities have been built inside the vast caverns, as well as trade routes that insure safe passage of all the rare stones and precious metals to the rest of The Continent. Dwarven society is organized in mining cities, normally varying in importance proportionally to their distance to the capital under mount Mahakam, Dhugeldur (with some exceptions). Though they may seem closed off in their caves, many dwarves, especially their druid circles and traders, venture outside of the harsh mountain conditions either to explore the northern regions or the rest of The Continent.
At the foot of the mountains, some human villages have been established, notably the village of Notchham with the great necromancer's school. In the main, the Mahakam mountains seem to be a very unwelcoming region, but they house some of the most intelligent and persevering creatures on The Continent.
The mountains making up the Mahakam mountains number up to about 150, with the 3 highest peaks being in order: Coson mountain at 1600 meters (5249 ft), Misty peak at 2332 m (7650ft) and Mount Mahakam towering at 3550 meters (11646 ft). All are inhabited by dwarves, from the depths of their caverns to the heights of their peaks.
Inside the mountains, dwarves have organized themselves into a single kingdom over millennia, with every king not being determined by blood but by a large friendly clash between clans. Cities have been built inside the vast caverns, as well as trade routes that insure safe passage of all the rare stones and precious metals to the rest of The Continent. Dwarven society is organized in mining cities, normally varying in importance proportionally to their distance to the capital under mount Mahakam, Dhugeldur (with some exceptions). Though they may seem closed off in their caves, many dwarves, especially their druid circles and traders, venture outside of the harsh mountain conditions either to explore the northern regions or the rest of The Continent.
At the foot of the mountains, some human villages have been established, notably the village of Notchham with the great necromancer's school. In the main, the Mahakam mountains seem to be a very unwelcoming region, but they house some of the most intelligent and persevering creatures on The Continent.
Geography
With steep terrain as well as plateaus, valleys with rivers and glaciers, the Mahakam mountains are harsh but diverse. On higher peaks, oxygen sometimes becomes rare for more delicate humanoids. It is said that, when you stand upon Mount Mahakam at the center of the range, you are even able to see the castle of alliances from afar amidst the great lake.
Fauna & Flora
As harsh as the surface is, there are almost no plants who grow in this hostile region, except for some of the lower plateaus. However, in the caverns, the dwarves have well established cultivation of some resistant plants and fungi, domesticating even some of the basic cereals over thousands of years. As such, the Mahakam wheat and carrots are sought after rare trading goods for all the chefs of The Continent.
As for Fauna, The surface of the mountains being once again very hostile, only very few monsters and animals venture in these harsh conditions. This makes them extremely dangerous however, mountain bears, dire wolf packs and white owlbears being only a few examples. In the caverns, not only can you find more docile and smaller creatures, but you can also see that most of the mountain life has grown accustomed to living in dark places. Furthermore, the dwarves do raise cattle such as boar and goats in the caverns, and at lower heights even sheep herds. To top it all off, these caverns do house however more organized monsters such as goblins, always at war with the dwarves, or kobolds.
As for Fauna, The surface of the mountains being once again very hostile, only very few monsters and animals venture in these harsh conditions. This makes them extremely dangerous however, mountain bears, dire wolf packs and white owlbears being only a few examples. In the caverns, not only can you find more docile and smaller creatures, but you can also see that most of the mountain life has grown accustomed to living in dark places. Furthermore, the dwarves do raise cattle such as boar and goats in the caverns, and at lower heights even sheep herds. To top it all off, these caverns do house however more organized monsters such as goblins, always at war with the dwarves, or kobolds.
Natural Resources
The Mahakam mountains do not have many natural resources, but what little they have is of immeasurable worth. This mostly consists in mining riches such as precious stones and metals, along with some rare types of fungi and the aforementioned domesticated flora.
Alternative Name(s)
The great Mountain chain
Type
Mountain Range
Related Myths
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