Tanatran Mountains

About

The Tanatran Mountains are a large mountain range running along the central east-west axis of the continent of Ter'esreal. They are home to Mount Harrasen, the tallest mountain in the world.
Both the mountains and the nations of the Tanatran Alliance are named for the large number of gnome communities at the eastern end of the range.
The name "Tanatra" comes from the Old Yesrenic "tan'a" meaning 'little people', and "atara" meaning 'rocky land.'
Some scholars argue that the Tanatran Mountains are where the gnomes first evolved from their giant ancestors. They point to that region as being home to more gnomes than anywhere else, and the fact that there are more dialects of Tanatran in the mountains than anywhere else. Others argue that the large number of different types of gnomes in the Tanatran Mountains is because they were hunted down by the draconic Five Emperors hundreds of thousands of years ago. During the time dragons ruled Ter'esreal, large number of gnomes took refuge in the mountains to survive, forming one of the backbones of the resistance. Either gnomes evolved in the Tanatran Mountains or fled there en masse to avoid dragons millennia later - for whatever reason, Tanatra and the surrounding mountains are home to large numbers of gnomes today.
On the southern slopes of the Tanatrans, near the deepest, northernmost parts of the Carentan Forest, live many wild tabaxi tribes.
While dwarves are rare in the rest of the known world, large numbers are known to dwell in towns scattered throughout the Tanatrans. Most of the cities of the Tanatran Alliance at the far eastern end of the range are cosmopolitan, diverse, and wealthy (especially the unoriginally-named capital city of Tanatra). But farther west, where government doesn't matter as much, there are scattered lawless mining towns clinging to veins of whatever minerals they've found. These supply a healthy and quasi-legal black market for certain smelters in the eastern Tanatran cities, as well as more or less thriving local metalsmiths. Magic-users able to shape stone or summon earth elementals are highly prized and highly paid in these villages. However, some rare cases have been reported of kidnappings and attempted enslavement of those able to help with the mines.
It is known that there are several underground dwarven kingdoms built in the largest entrances to the underdark (the most famous being Rashael, the Twilight Kingdom) Many believe at least one could be under the Tanatran Mountains - possibly even Rashael itself. Expeditions to back-country mining towns to find dwarves who might know have been reported as fruitless. Even a very public investigation by the Lamplighter Society - well funded by the King of Nymeria - turned up nothing.
Goliaths are uncommon but not unheard of in the eastern reaches of the Tanatrans. They are more common in the west, as are dragonborn. Dragonborn are especially common around the mountain-ringed kingdom of Baatherys, where it is said they were first created.
Cooks are held sacred throughout the Tanatran Mountains, regardless of species or race. This includes the urbane cities of the Tanatran Alliance.

Barbarian tabaxi tribes inhabit both the southern foothills and the interior of the mountain valleys.

Goliaths, who evolved from giants (like dwarves and gnomes), have always lived in the Tanatran Mountains.

The goliath chieftain Caerwyn Orinda, self-proclaimed Queen of the Eastern Mountains.

Now relatively few in number, the Tanatrans Mountains are one of the places giants have taken refuge.

Hill giant tribes often live in the rocky lowland foothills, sometimes even raiding into the Empire of Halaan.

Type

Mountain Range