The Great Towers Range
The great range of mountains which marks the end of the Clanlands of Alven is called the Great Towers range. It is so named after the three huge snow-clad peaks towering over Alven at the western end of the range: the Tower, the Mast, and the Spire. The Curts who lived in these inhospitable high altitudes have given different names to the three mountains.
Geography
The range stretches across the Clanlands of Alven from the west the east coast. On the western front, the mountains come abruptly to a stop at the lake of the Inner Voices. It is said that you can see the western coast and the sea from the top of the Tower on a clear day.
As you go to towards the east the mountains decrease in height and give place to a more hilly landscape.
The isolation caused by the difficult terrain and altitude has allowed different cultures to survive. As well as clansmen, the mountains are home to the Curts in the west and to the Louves in the south. These human societies are quite different from your traditional Alven clans. The range is also known for its wild beauty, its rich mines, and A very diverse and unique flora and fauna.
For the people of Alven the mountains symbolize the power of nature and not many travelers undertake the journey through the mountains. There are some well-known passes to cross the mountains, but they are very dangerous especially during the dark months. The traffic between north and south is mainly done from the coasts where it is much easier to pass from Alven to the Southern Kingdoms.
The range has been a natural barrier between Alven and the Southern Kingdoms. Alven has been able to protect itself from most southern invaders because of its presence. The Clans have always claimed the range as part of the clanlands and in the main, it has been true. Adventurous clansmen and clanswomen have settled in the more accommodating eastern valleys over the last few centuries and established prosperous mining towns in the area, though the heart of the range is still a wild and dangerous place where very few clansmen ever set foot.
Fauna & Flora
The range is famous for its flora and fauna of incredible beauty. Different species of animals, quite different from the ones in the plains of Alven, have their home in the high rises of the mountains. Trees, shrubs, and plants have adapted to the harshness of the climate and the high altitudes by producing different shapes and forms.
The sheltered forested valleys and clearings have also their own plant kingdom.
FAUNA
The Great White-Tailed Eagle
Te Great Towers is home to species that are quite specific to the area - the eastern mountains have the horned eagle, the Great Towers mountains can also boast of their own giant eagle species - the white-tailed eagle. We do not know very much about this eagle as it lives in the most remote regions of the range in the west. They can be seen sometimes floating in the currents high above the eastern valleys when the western wind pushes them off course.
The Mountain Deer
The mountain deer is very similar to the deer populating from the plains and hills of Alven but they sport darker and generally longer hair than their cousins. It has been surmised that their darker coat can make them less noticeable to predators in the dark pine forests of the range. The longer hair helps them keep warm in the long dark months of the year.
The Mountain Goat
The mountain goat lives higher in the mountains than the deer. It uses its incredible agility to graze the grass of the high altitude pastures in the light part of the year. In the dark half, goats come further down the mountains and take advantage of the more lenient weather of the valleys. The goat - as well as the deer- is a great source of food and leather for the people living within the range.
The Black Wolf
The black wolf is bigger and darker than the grey wolves in the plain. They are a fearful sight to behold when they hunt in packs at twilight and night. Their main source of food is deer, goats, and boar. They have been known to attack small settlements when driven by hunger.
The White Bear
The white bear is a sacred animal of the Curts. The white bear dwells in the high valleys of the west where snows are eternal. The Curts only hunt of the bear once a year, it is forbidden to kill a white bear on any other day of the year. They make beautiful fur garments out of the petls.
The Mountain Boar
Like many species endemic to the mountains, the boar's hair is long and fuller than its cousins from the plain, though the mountain boar is slightly smaller. They are a great source of food to all predators in the mountains, but they do not like high altitudes and remain more prevalent in the eastern side of the range.
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