Steel Peaks, The Cradle of the Dwarves

Steel Peaks [Kraka Umgi] Home largely to dwarves these mountains are tinged red with the quantity of iron ore found here. The local fauna is also tinged red or purple and the water sourced from here is blood red at the spring or brown by the time it flows into the valleys. As such most races consider the range a place to be avoided which suites the dwarves perfectly as they hold no such qualms and thus reap a rich bounty of ore without significant opposition. The association between dwarves and these mountains is one of the reasons humans in the surrounding area don't trust dwarves easily. The range itself almost wholly surrounds the mostly human kingdom of Swadvia with the largest break in the mountains facing the south. To its north lies the Great Woods, east the coastal lands of Dvorite, south the plains of Gran Foldin and west the arid wastes of Nolton Faire. The peaks themselves hold the settlements of Karan Jorgun, Karan Umgnir, Karun Yulnor, Karun Ismeer and various non-permanent settlements of the goblin Red Skull tribe.

Geography

Tall towering steep mountains with more shallow valleys carved by red streams of fresh if a little contaminated water. Leonarf Jonplais, the Poet, once said that their is no land more ruggedly fair and brutally honest then The Bloodied Shards.

Fauna & Flora

Pine like trees with red needles and auburn wood grow abundantly up the mountains whilst small flowering plants with red leaves and elegant bell flowers in colours various scatter the woods. A local mushroom with a tall stem and small purple cap is considered sacred to the Red Skull goblin tribe who violently protect its growing places. The mushroom itself temporarily paralyses it eater creating vivid hallucinations and accelerates the bodies rate of recovery. It is known that elves react poorly to the mushroom as the mushroom paralyses their heart generally leading to death. It is called a Moon Cap due to the crescent shape of the cap. A type of crimson pelted stag is occasionally seen here and is considered an embodiment of Anushar, God of Strength, as it has been seen to simply crush its way through trees rather than walk around them. A number of small marmoset like monkeys live amongst the needles peeling back the hard scales of the pine cones to access the kernels within. Very few reptiles are found upon the mountains the only notable example being a type of tiny Crag-Hopper known to launch itself from small crevices in the rock to bite passersby's legs and crawl off into the rocks. These are only a nuisance to those without hard leg protection of sorts.

Natural Resources

The red wood of the pines is not remarkably strong but is used in inlays for various expensive feats of carpentry and can be used to extract a strange foul tasting syrup which burns well with a golden light. The iron ore of the peaks is highly sought by peoples far from the mountain due to its high iron content with some proving to be magnetic much to the chagrin of Swadvia's cartographers who have found compasses entirely useless in mapping out their lord's lands. Moon Caps are highly valued by apothecaries due to their strong restorative properties being one of few ways to ward off Slacking Disease. Their value is further increased due to the goblins that hunt entrepreneurial adventurers seeking their sacred mushrooms.

Alternative Name(s)

The Bloodied Shards (Human), The Great Skewers [Grisnar te Vorgarn] (Goblins, Orcs), Hell Ridge [Belafas Rundinion] (Elves)

Type

Mountain Range

Included Organizations

• Rulers of Steel [Krakat ar Umgi]