Vilmyr Mountains

"A Drow found in the Vilmyr Mountains? I must say, of all the places to uncover one of them, Vilmyr surprises me the least. So many odd secrets lurk below the rock there, just waiting to be uncovered." - Jervis Goshaun, Mage of Veth Monra, AoR 599, discussing the discovery of the "The Black Spider"; a Drow warlord found in Wave Echo Cave.
The Vilmyr Mountains are a mountain range found in northwestern Astora. It stretches from the shores of Naneth's Deep in the west to the Marklund Pass in the east. In the north, the range begins on the coast of Gloompass Channel and reaches south into the Vilmyr Plains and Marklund. Vilmyr was named by Astoran countrymen when they settled the region during the Age of Renewal. it was given the nickname "The Magic Mountains" after Wave Echo Cave and The Spell Forge were uncovered within.
While the landscape of the Vilmyr Mountains impressed all eyes that fell upon them, the real wealth of the range laid within. The Vilmyr Mountains contained large amounts of valuable ore and minerals, providing many humans and dwarves a living in the pursuit of these resources. Marklund itself was founded as a mining settlement, before expanding into the major Astoran city it is today. Today, Marklund itself is built into the Vilmyr Mountains, with many segments of the city running far underground. The rate of iron and other metal production that takes place here is second to only The Teeth in Atmora. Many of Astora's cities rely on resources from Marklund, and by extension, the Vilmyr Mountains. Most of Astora's military supplies also derive from the Vilmyr range, supplies such as weapons and armor.

Geography

In elvish, these mountains are known as Ered-Sarn, "Mountain of Stone", named by the first members of the Ironwood Kingdom. Compared with the Royal Mountains to the west, the Vilmyr range displayed a more temperate climate, with only the northern-most peaks and highest elevations containing any amounts of snow during the summer months. Elevations in the Vilmyr Mountains averaged around 15,000ft, with it's highest peak Dagr-aen reaching to around 18,000ft. This made the Vilmyr range slightly lower in elevation compared to the Royal range, and well below the average elevations of Naneth's largest mountain range; The Teeth.
Together with the Royal Mountains, Vilmyr was a labyrinth of low valleys and high peaks, making travel through the range extremely difficult. Most trails into the range stemmed from the dwarven city of Marklund, including the trail to Wave Echo Cave. Most often, any travel to The Wilderlands would be pushed through the Marklund Pass, a slender area of relatively flat land that ran between the Vilmyr and Royal ranges. However, most Astorans found themselves pleased with this, as The Wilderlands were viewed as a hostile and unmanageable wasteland of snow and ice. They often referred to the Vilmyr and Royal ranges as the Astoran Shields, a barrier of safety for the more hospitable lands to the south.

History

Armok's Creation

After Eldath and Silvanus had completed the landmass of Naneth, other Eres set about populating the world with their own creations. The Eres named Armok would create the mountains, making the Vilmyr range one of his accomplishments. Additionally, Armok would create the Dwarves and allow them to inhabit his work. This would make dwarves the first inhabitants of the Vilmyr Mountains, and second inhabitants of Naneth's western region, preceded only by the Eldar Folk.

Evidence of Humans

Early in the Age of Renewal, the dwarves of the Vilmyr Mountains discovered a subrace of abnormally large humans living within the range. Initially thought to be a race of Giants, the Goliath are now thought to be an ancient line of humans, likely related to those that fled westward during the War of Fire in the Second Age. These colossal humans had been found living inside the mountains, a setting that likely saved them during the Age of Mists. Large warring tribes of these humans began to spread out across the Vilmyr range during these early years, with many territorial disputes ending in massive bloodshed. The Goliath of the Vilmyr Mountains seemed to be the first glimpse of human life in the western region of Naneth, predating the founding of Astora in AoR 268.

Discovery of the Spell Forge

In AoR 325, a life-changing discovery was made within the depths of the Vilmyr Mountains; The Spell Forge. Confirmed by wizards from Veth Monra, this massive underground complex seemed to be a leftover creation tool of The Eres, the forge likely belonging to Armok himself. The Spell Forge was soon put to work, it's primary purpose being the infusion of magical energy into mundane items. Wizards from Veth Monra soon became a frequent sight in the Vilmyr Mountains, as these scholars often searched the cliffs and caves for other possible discoveries of equal nature to the Spell Forge.

The Battle of Marklund

In AoR 408, the Ironwood Kingdom launched an attack upon Marklund, looking to take the industrial city and Spell Forge under their own control. The fighting spilled out of the city and into the rocky plateaus of the Vilmyr Mountains. Eventually, a small Ironwood force infiltrated the trails to Wave Echo Cave, leading to a underground clash between the elves and the Astoran forces of humans and dwarves. The battle would cause a cave-in, leading to the deaths of most combatants and the complete loss of the cave and the Spell Forge within.

Remnant Infestation

In AoR 599, Wave Echo Cave was rediscovered by a group of dwarven miners from Marklund. During the uncovering process of the Spell Forge, a group of Ironwood Remnants stormed the cave, killed most of the occupants, and took the Spell Forge as their own. They were led by "The Black Spider" a mysterious Remnant leader with a reputation for extreme violence. This uprising would be quelled by a group of adventurers from Vinguard, originally hired by the Marklund dwarf Gundren Rockseeker as protection during his work to uncover the Spell Forge.
The Black Spider would be revealed as a drow; a rare subrace of elf usually found in the southern regions of Naneth. Accompanied by a band of Orc, the Black Spider had strong connections to the The Quaan Empire. This was the first instance of Quaan activity detected on Astoran soil, a terrifying prospect for the country's inhabitants.

Notable Locations

Natural Features

• Dagr-aen Mount: The tallest peak in the Vilmyr Mountains, with it's elevation reaching 18,000ft above sea level. In addition to it's impressive height, Dagr-aen is also home to the largest tribe of Goliath in the region; The Thunderborn Tribe.

• Wave Echo Cave: Wave Echo Cave is actually a collection of several underground chambers, with the largest famously containing the Spell Forge. It sits deep within the heart of the Vilmyr Mountains and is accessible only from Marklund.

Settlements

• Marklund: One of the largest cities in Astora, Marklund is an industrial stronghold. It is home to the majority of Astora's dwarven population, and is the only Astoran city with a greater population of non-humans over humans. Initially built on the slopes of the Vilmyr Mountains, Marklund itself has descended into the range, with many segments of the city located underground.

Basic Information

Type: Mountain Range
Location: Northeastern Astora
Elevation: 18,000ft (Dagr-aen Mount), 15,000ft (Average)
Other Names: Ered-Sarn (Elvish), The Magic Mountains, Astoran Shield
Notable Inhabitants: Arctic and Mountain Dwarves, Goliath Tribes