The Katachthon Mountains

While folk wisdom holds that the eastern Oraniad Mountains are blessed by the gods, dark, older magic supposedly holds sway in the Katachthons. While the Katachthons are a smaller range than the Oraniads, they are harsher and more volcanically active, with regular avalanches, storms, and unpredictable microclimates. Clouds obscure heavenly signs, guides become disoriented, and explorers wander in ever-smaller circles. And above it all, dragons rule the range—fire-belching creatures whose bellies, it is said, are filled with the flames of Purphoros’s forge.

Those who live in the foothills of the Katachthons are loath to acknowledge any tales of wondrous treasure or mysterious creatures to be found there, only repeating a warning to travelers: if you must cross them, keep to the passes. The two passes, One-Eyed Pass and the Cypress Gates, aren’t safe, but they are generally considered less lethal than attempts to blaze one’s own trail.

Type

Mountain Range