Varian Mountains
The Varian mountains run east to west between Varia's coasts, drawing a line between the southern third of Varia and the rest of the continent. They are incredibly tall and treacherous, and travel across them is very dangerous. Their peaks are tipped with frigid, never-melting snow. Their height and location prevents moisture from travelling up from the ocean, casting a bleak rain shadow over the continent's center.
Due to how difficult it is to travel across them, the cultures on the wet and dry sides of the mountains have significant differences. The wet side has been nicknamed "Fairside" due to its relatively easy living conditions, while the desert side is simply called "Dryside". The people from either side of the mountains often have cultural clashes.
Survival of the Fittest
Life within the mountains themselves is scarce. Iceborn monsters and elementals roam the frozen wastes. The few civilized peoples that live within the peaks are hardened tribal folk that survive in near complete isolation from the outside world. These tribes are primarily made up of goliaths, who are able to whether the intense cold thanks to their giant heritage. They survive by hunting the very monsters that hunt them, and often war against neighboring tribes for resources.
In the distant past, frost giants also walked the mountaintops. They have been extinct in Varia for thousands of years, but remnants still remain in the form of abandoned fortresses, giant frozen skeletons, and wild winter wolves descended from the giants' former sled dogs.
White dragons have more recently vanished from the mountains. Their numbers were at an uneasy equilibrium for several centuries due to hunting from the goliath tribes. They were eliminated completely by King Jerakun himself during the beginning of the Draconic Conquests, and no white dragons have been seen on Varia since. It still may be possible, however, that a few survived the Conquests by fleeing to the furthest northern reaches of the mountains, where Jerakun did not bother to travel.
Natural Resources
The mountains are rich with valuable minerals such as iron, copper, gold, and coal. It is also home to Xen'Katari, a dormant volcano known for its rare Roseate Crystals, which can be found nowhere else on the continent. The mountain's resources are both hotly contested and highly prized. Trade routes from the mines weave their way even past the Golden Channel.