Dragons Teeth
The Dragon’s Teeth is a sprawling mountain range defined by its alpine biomes, rugged peaks, and near-impenetrable terrain. Stretching thousands of kilometers, the range serves as a formidable natural divide between regions, its towering cliffs and jagged ridges making passage treacherous. It is the largest mountain range on Vircune and home to numerous peoples, each carving out an existence in its isolated valleys, hidden caverns, and labyrinthine tunnels.
The Dragon’s Teeth is divided into two major sections:
- The Northern Teeth, a region dominated by Dweorg, Durgan, and other allied mountain-dwelling peoples, where fortified citadels and strongholds shape the political and cultural landscape.
- The Southern Teeth, a volatile and fractured land, home to ancient ruins, warring factions, and deep subterranean networks.
Between these two regions lies Dragon’s Pass, a critical corridor connecting the Obsidian Coast to the Durrash Wastes, controlled and monitored by the Stormforged Host.
Despite its inhospitable nature, the range is rich in precious metals, gemstones, and other resources, drawing settlers seeking both wealth and refuge. However, its dangers are equally abundant—harsh climates, treacherous terrain, and territorial conflicts ensure that survival is hard-won.
The Northern Teeth
Far from being an unbroken expanse of desolate rock, the Northern Teeth is home to an intricate and resilient society, shaped by the Dweorg, Durgan, and their allies. The heart of this society lies in six massive citadels, each a bastion of engineering and craftsmanship, hewn into the mountains themselves. These strongholds are built to withstand both the elements and enemy assaults, standing as defensive bulwarks along the mountain’s borders.
Nestled between these citadels are Durgan Holds, smaller yet vital settlements that serve as trade hubs and waystations. Unlike the deep mountain halls of the Dweorg, these holds incorporate both surface and shallow subterranean structures, making them essential to commerce and regional stability. These settlements bridge the gap between isolated mountain communities, ensuring that resources flow where needed and that the wealth of the citadels is sustained.
Beyond the citadels and holds, the Dragon’s Teeth shelters numerous smaller populations—Havlin, Floren, Gnomes, and scattered Durgan groups. Many of these communities are tucked into hidden valleys, perched on cliff faces, or housed within natural caves, their survival hinging on adaptability, resourcefulness, and strategic positioning. Some cultivate hardy mountain crops, others refine rare medicinal herbs, while many are renowned for their craftsmanship, producing artifacts, tools, and weapons uniquely suited to mountain life.
Despite their shared presence in the range, the peoples of the Northern Teeth are far from unified. Ancient rivalries, resource disputes, and cultural tensions prevent any singular rule. The citadels, holds, and settlements function independently, their relationships dictated by pragmatism rather than centralized governance. However, external threats—whether from neighboring nations or the perilous wilderness—often force cooperation in times of crisis.
Dragon’s Pass
A rare break in the mountain’s unyielding expanse, Dragon’s Pass serves as a crucial corridor linking the Obsidian Coast to the Durrash Wastes. Control of this passage is firmly held by the Stormforged Host, an alliance of Machai Hobgoblin warbands.
The pass is heavily monitored, falling under the Stormforged Accords, ensuring that all movement through the corridor follows strict regulations. Trade caravans—carrying weapons, supplies, and goods—regularly pass through, supplying each of the Machai armies that form the Host.
A permanent force is stationed within the pass, acting as a sentinel between the Northern and Southern Teeth, ensuring that no unregulated faction gains a foothold in this critical region.
The Southern Teeth
Where the Northern Teeth represents order, fortification, and enduring settlements, the Southern Teeth is a land of ruins, instability, and warring factions. Though once home to great Dwarven strongholds, much of this region has fallen into decay, claimed by forces that fractured and warred over its spoils.
The Forsaken Citadel
Once a pinnacle of Dwarven craftsmanship and culture, the Forsaken Citadel was a grand mountain stronghold, a center of innovation, trade, and civilization. Its fortifications were unparalleled, its halls alive with the sound of forges, scholars, and commerce.
Yet, even the strongest walls could not stand forever. During a period of political instability and external threats, a coalition of goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, and ogres launched a devastating siege. Though the Dwarves fought with legendary resilience, the citadel eventually fell, its defenders slaughtered or enslaved.
The victors ruled for a time, but internal power struggles and greed soon fractured their unity. Now, the once-great halls are a battleground, claimed by chaotic, warring factions—descendants of the original invaders, fighting endlessly for dominance. The halls echo with the sounds of crude weapons, infighting, and something darker lurking in the depths. The Forsaken Citadel is no longer a home—it is a war zone, where ambition and brutality reign.
The Dragon’s Delve
Beneath the Southern Teeth and Khule Desert lies the Dragon’s Delve, one of the most elaborate underground networks in Vircune. A testament to the ingenuity and endurance of Myrkheim’s residents, the Delve serves as both a fortress and a resource hub, playing a key role in regional stability.
Due to its proximity to volatile geothermal activity, the Delve boasts a mix of natural caverns and engineered structures, making it a center of craftsmanship, magic, and ecosystem management. However, its depths are not for the faint of heart—the further one descends, the more perilous and untamed the underworld becomes.
Legends & Mystique
The Dragon’s Teeth is more than a mere mountain range—it is a land of myth and mystery, where tales of lost treasures, slumbering giants, and hidden tunnels abound.
Some claim the bones of an ancient dragon lie buried within the peaks, its lingering presence felt through the stone itself. Others whisper of forgotten cities, their ruined halls waiting to be reclaimed. To the people of the range, these stories serve as both warnings and sources of pride, reinforcing the mystique of their mountainous home.
For those who seek fortune, knowledge, or sanctuary, the Dragon’s Teeth offers all three—but only to those strong enough, cunning enough, and patient enough to claim them.
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