The Blue Mountains

Etymology  From the First Age forward, in old dwarven tomes there has been a legend about a hero named Ornzar Kzord who sacrificed his life for the sake of his people who then poured a stone pile over his grave, which later turned grew to be the Blue Mountains.

Geography

The Blue Mountains are a mountain range that runs north-south in the northeastern corner of the Continent of Alteria, from the coast of the Calle Ocean to the Periphery River. The mountain range forms part of the conventional boundary between the regions of the Kingdom of Kerak, Free Cities of the Three Ladies, and the Spellscar. The ruins of the Fallen Kingdom of Dazan and the islands off the southern eastern portion of the range form a further continuation of the chain to the south. The average altitudes of the Blue Mountains are around 1,000–1,300 metres (3,300–4,300 ft), the highest point being Barren Peak on Azure Mountain, which reaches a height of 1,894 metres (6,214 ft). The mountains lie within the Gnollengrom geographical region and somewhat overlap with Prayer Mountains to the southwest.

Climate

The climate of the Blue Mountains is continental. The mountain ridges, elongated from north to south, effectively absorb sunlight thereby increasing the temperature. The areas west of the Blue Mountains are 1–2 °C (1.8–3.6 °F) warmer in winter than the eastern regions because the former are warmed by Calle winds whereas the eastern slopes are chilled by eastern air masses. The average January temperatures increase in the western areas from −20 °C (−4 °F) in the Polar to −15 °C (5 °F) in the southern Blue Mountain and the corresponding temperatures in July are 10 °C (50 °F) and 20 °C (68 °F). The western areas also receive more rainfall than the eastern ones by 150–300 mm (5.9–11.8 in) per year. This is because the mountains trap clouds from the Calle Ocean. The highest precipitation, approximately 1,000 mm (39 in), is in the Northern Range with up to 1,000 cm (390 in) snow. The eastern areas receive from 500–600 mm (20–24 in) in the north to 300–400 mm (12–16 in) in the south. Maximum precipitation occurs in the summer: the winter is dry because of the Eastern High Winds.

Fauna & Flora

Flora - The landscapes of the Blue Mountains vary with both latitude and longitude and are dominated by forests and steppes. The southern area of the Hlavor Hills is a semidesert. Steppes lie mostly in the southern and especially south-eastern ranges. Meadow steppes have developed on the lower parts of mountain slopes and are covered with zigzag and mountain clovers, Serratula gmelinii, dropwort, meadow-grass and Bromus inermis, reaching the height of 60–80 centimetres (24–31 in). Much of the land is cultivated. To the south, the meadow steppes become more sparse, dry and low. The steep gravelly slopes of the mountains and hills of the eastern slopes of the southern range are mostly covered with rocky steppes. River valleys contain willow, poplar and caragana shrubs.[6]
Forest landscapes of Bjur Urngor are diverse, especially in the southeast part. The western areas are dominated by dark coniferous taiga forests which change to mixed and deciduous forests in the south. The eastern mountain slopes have light coniferous taiga forests. The Northern Urals are dominated by conifers, namely Urngor fir, Urngor pine, Bjur pine, blue spruce, Calle spruce and larch, as well as by silver and downy birches. The forests are much sparser in the extreme northern Blue Mountain range. Whereas in other parts of the Blue Mountains they grow up to an altitude of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), in the Polar Bjur Urngor the tree line is at 250–400 metres (820–1,310 ft). The low polar forests are mixed with swamps, lichens, bogs and shrubs. Dwarf birch, mosses and berries (blueberry, cloudberry, black crowberry, etc.) are abundant. The forests of the southwestern region are the most diverse in composition: here, together with coniferous forests are also abundant broadleaf tree species such as dwarven oak, maple and elm.
Fauna - The forests of Blue Mountains are inhabited by multitudes of animals such as elk, brown bear, fox, wolf, wolverine, lynx, squirrel, chipmunk, flying squirrel, reindeer and sable (north only). The fauna of Polar Regions also includes species like Pale Fox and lemmings. Because of the easy accessibility of the mountains there are no specifically mountainous species. In the Middle Bjur Urngo, one can see a rare mixture of sable and pine marten named kidus. In the Southern Bjur Urngo, badger and black polecat are common. Reptiles and amphibians live mostly in the Southern and Central Blue and are represented by the common viper, lizards and grass snakes. Bird species of Northern, Middle and South Bjur Urngo are represented by Western Roc, black grouse, hazel grouse, spotted cockatrice, Tedrin Jay, Common razorhawks.
 Unlike mammals, the highest peaks and platoes of Northern and Southern Blue Mountains are inhabited by some mountainous or tundra avian species, like Golden Plover, Dotterel, Ptarmigan and Willow Grouse, Rough-legged Buzzard and Snowy Owl.
The steppes of the Southern mountains are dominated by hares and rodents such as hamsters, susliks, and jerboa. There are many birds of prey such as lesser kestrel and buzzards.

Natural Resources

Their resources include many metal ores, coal, and precious and semi-precious stones. Since the early creation of the continent, the mountains have contributed significantly to the mineral sector of the continent's economy. The region is one of the largest centers of metallurgy and heavy industry production in Alteria, if not the entire shard of Dayne.

History

As attested by Tedrin Warhammer, the Blue Mountains range by a variety of names derived from the dwarven tongue. Specifically, the modern dwarven name for the Blue Mountains (Bjur Urngor), first appearing during the dwarven conquest of the Lower Reaches, was initially applied to its southern parts and gained currency as the name of the entire range during the second modern century. It might have been borrowed from either the ancient dwarven word for "stone belt". Geographer E.V. Leiby believes that the name goes back to High Orc folklore in reference to their geographical term for "mountain" has also been theorized. High Ogre's of the area also consider Bjur Urngor the name for the mountain range though with their ancient tongue defining it as "chain of mountains". The Dwarven Kingdom of Cain Mirdain now encompasses a great majority of the Bjur Urngo Range.

Alternative Name(s)

Bjur Urngor

Type

Mountain Range

Location under

Continent of Alteria

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Carn Mirdain