Mountain Terrain
Guide to the Mountains
Worldbuilding
Mountains are not just rocky hills and tall trees. They are thriving ecosystems that comprises many kinds of terrain, each with its own plant and animal life and challenges to character survival.
It is the goal of this post to add some more visual and literary terms to your DM vocabulary, as well as presenting some thoughts on survival and a list of potential monsters.
Post Soundtrack Geographical Traits A mountain is a large landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area, usually in the form of a peak. Mountains are land forms that rise more than 500 meters above the surrounding plain and are characterized by steep slopes. Slopes commonly range from 4 to 45 degrees. Cliffs and precipices may be vertical or overhanging. Mountains may consist of an isolated peak, single ridges, glaciers, snowfields, compartments, or complex ranges extending for long distances and obstructing movement. Mountains are formed through tectonic forces or volcanism. These forces can locally raise the surface of the earth. Mountains erode slowly through the action of rivers, weather conditions, and glaciers. A few mountains are isolated summits, but most occur in huge mountain ranges.
High elevations on mountains produce colder climates than at sea level. These colder climates strongly affect the ecosystems of mountains: different elevations have different plants and animals. Because of the less hospitable terrain and climate, mountains tend to be used less for agriculture and more for resource extraction and recreation, such as mountain climbing.
For comparison, the highest mountain on Earth is Mount Everest in the Himalayas of Asia, whose summit is 8,850 m (29,035 ft) above mean sea level. The highest known mountain on any planet in the Solar System is Olympus Mons on Mars at 21,171 m (69,459 ft).
All mountains are made up of rocks and all rocks of minerals (compounds that cannot be broken down except by chemical action). Of the approximately 2,000 known minerals, seven rock-forming minerals make up most of the earth’s crust: quartz and feldspar make up granite and sandstone; olivene and pyroxene give basalt its dark color; and amphibole and biotite (mica) are the black crystalline specks in granitic rocks. Except for calcite, found in limestone, they all contain silicon and are often referred to as silicates.
Terrain There are three main types of mountains: volcanic, fold, and block. All three types are formed from plate tectonics: when portions of the Earth's crust move, crumple, and dive. Compressional forces, isostatic uplift and intrusion of igneous matter forces surface rock upward, creating a landform higher than the surrounding features. The height of the feature makes it either a hill or, if higher and steeper, a mountain. Major mountains tend to occur in long linear arcs, indicating tectonic plate boundaries and activity.
Volcanoes
Volcanoes are formed when a plate is pushed below another plate, or at a mid-ocean ridge or hotspot. At a depth of around 100 km, melting occurs in rock above the slab (due to the addition of water), and forms magma that reaches the surface. When the magma reaches the surface, it often builds a volcanic mountain, such as a shield volcano or a stratovolcano. Examples of volcanoes include Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. The magma does not have to reach the surface in order to create a mountain: magma that solidifies below ground can still form dome mountains, such as Navajo Mountain in the US.
Fold mountains
Fold mountains occur when two plates collide: shortening occurs along thrust faults and the crust is overthickened. Since the less dense continental crust "floats" on the denser mantle rocks beneath, the weight of any crustal material forced upward to form hills, plateaus or mountains must be balanced by the buoyancy force of a much greater volume forced downward into the mantle. Thus the continental crust is normally much thicker under mountains, compared to lower lying areas. Rock can fold either symmetrically or asymmetrically. The upfolds are anticlines and the downfolds are synclines: in asymmetric folding there may also be recumbent and overturned folds. The Jura Mountains along the French/Swiss border are an example of fold mountains.
Block mountains
Block mountains are caused by faults in the crust: a seam where rocks can move past each other. When rocks on one side of a fault rise relative to the other, it can form a mountain. The uplifted blocks are block mountains or horsts. The intervening dropped blocks are termed graben: these can be small or form extensive rift valley systems. This form of landscape can be seen in East Africa, the Vosges, the Basin and Range Province of Western North America and the Rhine valley. These areas often occur when the regional stress is extensional and the crust is thinned.
During and following uplift, mountains are subjected to the agents of erosion (water, wind, ice, and gravity) which gradually wear the uplifted area down. Erosion causes the surface of mountains to be younger than the rocks that form the mountains themselves. Glacial processes produce characteristic landforms, such as pyramidal peaks, knife-edge arêtes, and bowl-shaped cirques that can contain lakes. Plateau mountains, such as the Catskills, are formed from the erosion of an uplifted plateau.
Rock And Slope Types Different types of rock and different slopes present different hazards.
Granite: Granite produces fewer rockfalls, but jagged edges make pulling rope and raising equipment more difficult. Granite is abrasive and increases the danger of ropes or accessory cords being cut. Climbers must beware of large loose boulders. After a rain, granite dries quickly. Most climbing holds are found in cracks. Face climbing can be found, however, it cannot be protected.
Chalk and Limestone: Chalk and limestone are slippery when wet. Limestone is usually solid; however, conglomerate type stones may be loose. Limestone has pockets, face climbing, and cracks.
Slate and Gneiss: Slate and gneiss can be firm and or brittle in the same are. Rockfall danger is high, and small rocks may break off when pulled or when pitons are emplaced.
Sandstone: Sandstone is usually soft causing handholds and footholds to break away under pressure. Chocks placed in sandstone may or may not hold. Sandstone should be allowed to dry for a couple of days after a rain before climbing on it—wet sandstone is extremely soft. Most climbs follow a crack. Face climbing is possible, but any outward pull will break off handholds and footholds, and it is usually difficult to protect.
Grassy Slopes: Penetrating roots and increased frost cracking cause a continuous loosening process. Grassy slopes are slippery after rain, new snow, and dew. After long, dry spells clumps of the slope tend to break away. Weight should be distributed evenly; for example, use flat hand push holds instead of finger pull holds.
Firm Spring Snow (Firn Snow): Stopping a slide on small, leftover snow patches in late spring can be difficult. Routes should be planned to avoid these dangers. Self-arrest should be practiced before encountering this situation. Beginning climbers should be secured with rope when climbing on this type surface. Climbers can glissade down firn snow if necessary. Firn snow is easier to ascend than walking up scree or talus.
Talus: Talus is rocks that are larger than a dinner plate, but smaller than boulders. They can be used as stepping-stones to ascend or descend a slope. However, if a talus rock slips away it can produce more injury than scree because of its size.
Scree: Scree is small rocks that are from pebble size to dinner plate size. Running down scree is an effective method of descending in a hurry. One can run at full stride without worry—the whole scree field is moving with you. Climbers must beware of larger rocks that may be solidly planted under the scree. Ascending scree is a tedious task. The scree does not provide a solid platform and will only slide under foot. If possible, avoid scree when ascending.
Climate and Weather Climate on mountains become colder at high elevations, due an interaction between radiation and convection. Sunlight in the visible spectrum hits the ground and heats it. The ground then heats the air at the surface.
Therefore, moving up 100 meters on a mountain is roughly equivalent to moving 80 kilometers (45 miles or 0.75° of latitude) towards the nearest pole. This relationship is only approximate, however, since local factors such as proximity to oceans can drastically modify the climate. As the altitude increases, the main form of precipitation becomes snow and the winds increase.
Mountains can sometimes act like barriers preventing plants and animals from crossing from one side of the mountain to the other. In the United States and Canada, for example, there are two different ecosystems (plant and wildlife communities) on each side of the Rocky Mountains.
As well as different ecosystems on each side of a mountain, you can often find different ecosystems as you climb up from base to the peak of a big mountain. Because of the rapid changes in altitude (height) and temperature along a mountain slope, ecosystems can change quickly from one area to the next.
There are two main types of mountain range, which are temperate mountains and tropical mountains. Temperate mountains tend to be fairly cold all year round and are much more seasonal that the tropical mountains. In the spring and summer, there is a burst of plant life at high altitude which encourages herbivores up the mountain. Temperate mountains can be found in Europe, Central Asia and North and South America. Tropical mountains have much warmer climates and have a few plants which have specially adapted to live at high altitudes. Tropical mountain ranges can be found in Africa, south-east Asia and South America.
Much of airborne moisture falls as rain on the windward side of mountains. This often means that the land on the other side of the mountain (the leeward side) gets far less rain—an effect called a "rain shadow"—which often produces a desert.
The higher the mountain, the more pronounced the rain shadow effect is and the less likely rain will fall on the leeward side.
Plant Life The amount of plant life found in mountains around the world is truly staggering. I did a lot of research and I ended up with hundreds and hundreds of species and varieties, all dependent on the biome. To try and recreate any of that here would take up most of the post, so I have elected to not include any of it. Best bet is to use Google to look for plantlife that matches the biome you want to set your adventures in.
There are some general facts that I can relate, however:
The growth of vegetation depends on rainfall and temperature.
Plants are very seasonal in the mountains and those plants that do occur all year round, such as conifers, must be extremely hardy and able to deal with the cold.
The vegetation on the lower slopes largely depends on which climate zone the mountain is in. The foothills may be covered in broadleaved forests. These change to needleleaf trees (coniferous trees) like spruce and pines at on the upper slopes (higher altitudes).
As you climb higher up a mountain it gets colder and the trees eventually thin out and disappear. When it gets too cold for trees to grow, it is called a timberline
The highest parts of the mountain support only sparse grasses and low-growing alpine flowers which can withstand the harsh conditions.
If the mountain is high enough even this vegetation disappears and the peak is bare rock and perhaps covered in snow and ice.
On a mountain, weather and the organisms that live there rapidly change as elevation increases. As temperatures get colder, tree species change, and then become scarcer before disappearing entirely. At the top there may be nothing but snow and ice. But even these bleak landscapes are home to a diverse array of plants and animals adapted for that environment.
Animal Life Wildlife that inhabits mountainous regions has be able to survive successfully at high altitudes. Any creature that lives in the mountains must also be able to cope with changing temperatures. For every 200 meters an animal goes up a mountain, the temperature drops by 1 degree Centigrade.
I have compiled a list of examples to represent fauna from all biomes, and since this is D&D, there can always be mutations, magical aberrations, or dire versions (or anything else you can think of!). Note: Some of these can be found in other biomes, as well.
Alpacas
Black Bears
Baboons
Badgers
Beavers
Bighorn Sheep
Brown Bears
Buzzards
Caribou
Chameleons
Civets
Clouded Leopards
Cougar
Coyote
Crows
Deer
Eagles
Falcons
Giant Panda
Goats
Gorillas
Hawks
Hyenas
Ibex
Jackals
Leopards
Llamas
Monkeys
Owls
Rabbits
Ravens
Red Pandas
Snow Leopards
Tigers
Toads
Vipers
Vultures
Weasels
Wolves
Wombats
There are also a number of animal species that are not found on the mountains but inside them. Many smaller animal species have adapted to living their lives in the safety of caves and crevices. Caves are popular homes for amphibians such as toads and salamanders, numerous species of insect, and mammals such as bats.
Survival Mountain weather conditions can change dramatically from one hour to the next. For example, in just a few minutes a thunder storm can roll in when the sky was perfectly clear, and in just a few hours the temperatures can drop from extremely hot temperatures to temperatures that are below freezing.
High mountain air is dry and may be drier in the winter. Cold air has a reduced capacity to hold water vapor. Because of this increased dryness, equipment does not rust as quickly and organic material decomposes slowly. The dry air also requires an increase consumption of water.
In high mountains, the ridges and passes are seldom calm; however, strong winds in protected valleys are rare. Normally, wind speed increases with altitude since the earth’s frictional drag is strongest near the ground. This effect is intensified by mountainous terrain. Winds are accelerated when they converge through mountain passes and canyons. Because of these funneling effects, the wind may blast with great force on an exposed mountainside or summit. Usually, the local wind direction is controlled by topography.
Wind The force exerted by wind quadruples each time the wind speed doubles; that is, wind blowing at 40 knots pushes four times harder than a wind blowing at 20 knots. With increasing wind strength, gusts become more important and may be 50 percent higher than the average wind speed. When wind strength increases to a hurricane force of 64 knots or more, you should lay on the ground during gusts and continue moving during lulls. If a hurricane- force wind blows where there is sand or snow, dense clouds fill the air. The rocky debris or chunks of snow crust are hurled near the surface. During the winter season, or at high altitudes, you must be constantly aware of the wind-chill factor and associated cold-weather injuries
Two types of winds are peculiar to mountain environments, but do not necessarily affect the weather.
Anabatic Wind (Valley Winds): These winds blow up mountain valleys to replace warm rising air and are usually light winds.
Katabatic Wind (Mountain Wind): These winds blow down mountain valley slopes caused by the cooling of air and are occasionally strong winds.
Hazards (Man-made) Falling: Falling can be caused by carelessness, over-fatigue, heavy equipment, bad weather, overestimating ability, a hold breaking away, or other reasons.
Camping Sites: Camping sites must be protected from rockfall, wind, lightning, avalanche run-out zones, and flooding (especially in gullies). If the possibility of falling exists, rope yourself in, and the tent and all equipment may have to be tied down.
Equipment: Ropes are not total security; they can be cut on a sharp edge or break due to poor maintenance, age, or excessive use. You should always pack emergency equipment even if the situation is seemingly low of dangers.
Hazards (Objective) Objective hazards are caused by the mountain and weather and cannot be influenced by man; for example, storms, rockfalls, ice falls, lightning, and so on.
Altitude: At high altitudes (especially over 6,500 feet), endurance and concentration is reduced. Sleep well, acclimatize slowly, stay hydrated, and be aware of signs and symptoms of high-altitude illnesses. Storms can form quickly and lightning can be severe.
Visibility: Fog, rain, darkness, and or blowing snow can lead to disorientation. Take note of your exact position and plan your route to safety before visibility decreases. Cold combined with fog can cause a thin sheet of ice to form on rocks (verglas). Whiteout conditions can be extremely dangerous. If you must move under these conditions, it is best to rope up.
Gullies: Rock, snow, and debris are channeled down gullies. If ice is in the gully, climbing at night may be better because the warming of the sun will loosen stones and cause rockfalls.
Rockfall: Blocks and scree at the base of a climb can indicate recurring rockfall. Light colored spots on the wall may indicate impact chips of falling rock. Spring melt or warming by the sun of the rock/ice/snow causes rockfall.
Avalanches: Avalanches are caused by the weight of the snow overloading the slope.
Hanging Glaciers and Seracs: Avoid, if at all possible, hanging glaciers and seracs. They will fall without warning regardless of the time of day or time of year. One cubic meter of glacier ice weighs 910 kilograms (about 2,000 pounds). If you must cross these danger areas, do so quickly and keep an interval between each person.
Crevasses: Crevasses are formed when a glacier flows over a slope and makes a bend, or when a glacier separates from the rock walls that enclose it. A slope of only two to three degrees is enough to form a crevasse. As this slope increases from 25 to 30 degrees, hazardous ice falls can be formed. Likewise, as a glacier makes a bend, it is likely that crevasses will form at the outside of the bend. Therefore, the safest route on a glacier would be to the inside of bends, and away from steep slopes and icefalls. Extreme care must be taken when moving off of or onto the glacier because of the moat that is most likely to be present.
Hazards (Weather) Weather conditions in the mountains may vary from one location to another as little as 10 kilometers apart. Approaching storms may be hard to spot if masked by local peaks. A clear, sunny day in July could turn into a snowstorm in less than an hour. Always pack some sort of emergency gear.
Winds are stronger and more variable in the mountains; as wind doubles in speed, the force quadruples.
Precipitation occurs more on the windward side than the leeward side of ranges. This causes more frequent and denser fog on the windward slope.
Above approximately 8,000 feet, snow can be expected any time of year in the temperate climates.
Air is dryer at higher altitudes, so equipment does not rust as quickly, but dehydration is of greater concern.
Lightning is frequent, violent, and normally attracted to high points and prominent features in mountain storms. Signs indicative of thunderstorms are tingling of the skin, hair standing on end, humming of metal objects, crackling, and a bluish light (St. Elmo’s fire) on especially prominent metal objects.
Avoid peaks, ridges, rock walls, isolated trees, fixed wire installations, cracks that guide water, cracks filled with earth, shallow depressions, shallow overhangs, and rock needles. Seek shelter around dry, clean rock without cracks; in scree fields; or in deep indentations (depressions, caves). Keep at least half a body’s length away from a cave wall and opening.
During and after rain, expect slippery rock and terrain in general and adjust movement accordingly. Expect flash floods in gullies or chimneys. A climber can be washed away or even drowned if caught in a gully during a rainstorm. Be especially alert for falling objects that the rain has loosened.
Dangers from impending high winds include frostbite (from increased wind-chill factor), windburn, being blown about (especially while rappelling), and debris being blown about. Wear protective clothing and plan the route to be finished before bad weather arrives.
For each 100-meter rise in altitude, the temperature drops approximately one degree Fahrenheit. This can cause hypothermia and frostbite even in summer, especially when combined with wind, rain, and snow. Always wear or pack appropriate clothing.
If it is snowing, gullies may contain avalanches or snow sloughs, which may bury the trail. Snowshoes or skis may be needed in autumn or even late spring. Unexpected snowstorms may occur in the summer with accumulations of 12 to 18 inches; however, the snow quickly melts.
Higher altitudes provide less filtering effects, which leads to greater ultraviolet (UV) radiation intensity. Cool winds at higher altitudes may mislead one into underestimating the sun’s intensity, which can lead to sunburns and other heat injuries. Protect your eyes, even if overcast. Drink plenty of fluids.
Acclimatization Things to remember: Weight loss occurs during the first two to three days at high elevation, and a loss of appetite is often a symptom of mountain sickness. Loss of weight usually stops with acclimatization.
Behavioral Effects of Altitude Sickness
Increased errors in performing simple mental tasks.
Decreased ability for sustained concentration.
Deterioration of memory.
Decreased vigilance or lethargy.
Increased irritability in some individuals.
Impairment of night vision and some constriction in peripheral vision (up to 30 percent at 6,000 feet).
Loss of appetite.
Sleep disturbances.
Irregular breathing.
Slurred speech.
Headache.
NOTE: I have left out a huge section on climbing techniques, as D&D doesn't do a great job in simulating things like this. Consult Google if you'd like to add some realizm to your climbs.
Hunting NOTE I have mostly included what I've researched for hunting during the winter months, as this is the time of year when its most difficult to find food.
Most animals (mountain lions, bears, and even wolves) will choose to avoid you. If on the rare occasion you end up surprised by a mountain lion or bear, loud noises can work as deterrents. Spells such as Shout or Alarm or perhaps even Prestidigitation could all work well.
When it comes to mountain lions, the small races are most at risk, when there is a threat. Keep them close. They should never lag behind your group. A mountain lion may see an easy meal.
Rabbits: Look for tracks in the snow signifying rabbits; set several traps in areas rabbits may be likely to pass by, using brush and even building snow banks to "funnel" rabbits in the direction of traps.
Deer: You may find the most chances of spotting deer may be near areas of running water, such as streams or creeks; game animals often have routes that are either along side drainage ways and drainage basins (streams and rivers), or they follow game trails that lead to and from these streams to areas where they feed and bed down.
While you're still in the lowlands, make it top priority to take down a large deer or elk or other big game. Harvest your kill, smoke and dry enough meat to last a few weeks, and you'll now be ready for your trip over the mountains. Of course, if you can, wait until late spring and when the snow is gone from high elevations. But if it's essential you make this crossing during the winter months -- perhaps there are hostile forces in the lowlands behind you or even in pursuit -- then you can consider a winter crossing.
Get as close to the mountains as you can, staying below the snow line, and begin your hunting there. Look for meadows (where deer often feed) and even the edges of farmland.
Keep your eyes out for game trails and even streams and creeks where deer are likely to seek water. Remember, you'll find deer feeding most often near meadows before you'll find them feeding under the cover of a conifer forest, where pine needles litter the ground, and little vegetation grows otherwise. (They do often bed down under deep conifer cover as these overhead trees prevent heavy snowfall from accumulating on the ground.)
Where are low elevation meadows? Where are thick conifer forests? Also, where are open, south facing slopes (deer are known to seek out sun on south facing slopes). Distinguish between these areas on your maps. Now, look for streams that run near these areas. Those will likely be places that deer go for water. Now, plan your entry into the mountains, with a plan to hunt in the lower regions, below the snow line.
Once you're into your trek, look for low-lying banks along the water's edge. That is likely a natural drinking area for deer. Remember, the lower the bank, the easier it is for a deer to reach the water. Now, look around for signs that deer use this area as a watering hole. Do you see deer scat? How about any deer tracks in the soil? Do you see anything that looks like a game trail leading away or alongside the creek or stream?
Set up a blind downwind of that location, so deer are less likely to pick up your scent when they show up to drink; camouflage the opening of your shelter with brush, leaving openings just big enough allowing you to see out along with your rifle or bow; at the same time, do everything you can to conceal your scent.
Now it's time to wait; dawn and dusk are times that deer may be most active. Keep your bow ready and keep your eyes on that spot that a deer may be likely to drink from. (You can also set up a blind near a nearby meadow.)
Sometimes you may want to hunt deer at night: - If you're in an area of the mountains with a lot of human activity, your best bet for bagging a deer (even the biggest deer, say the experts), will be to hunt at night. Human activity can cause deer to bed down during daylight hours, and even stay bedded down during dawn and dusk; these deer are said to have a higher than normal survival instinct, causing them to be active at night under the cover or darkness.
Fish: When it comes to flowing water, which there may be very little to none of in the mountains in the snow, stand over a shallow pool of water with a stick and press any fish you find into the ground. Another method is to arrange large rocks in shallow stream beds, so that fish are funneled into fish traps (made of sticks or other big rocks).
Insects: Insects may be hard to come by in the snow; check around stumps, logs, and under rocks near river banks; if there's too much snow on the ground, you may easily burn more calories digging under snow than you'll consume eating ants, earthworms, termites, etc. Consider that before making the effort to locate insects -- if you can handle insects, that is; it's not for everyone.
Roots: Again, hard to come by in the snow.
Generally speaking, small game animals are active in the early morning and early evening. They are wary of being spotted by predators and cling to areas of dense vegetation and cover. They travel along the edges of open ground using fence-rows and waterways as a corridor. They are predictable and habitual; just like us. They tend to travel the same trails and will usually choose the path of least resistance.
Monsters I've wracked my brain across all the official editions and settings for monsters that dwell in mountain environments. I've taken the liberty of putting them into alphabetical order, and their stats are easily found online.
Aarakocra
Alaghi
Avalancher
Basilisk
Bats, Giant and Other
Behir
Blood Ape
Blood Hawk
Braxat
Bugbear
Bulette
Chimera
Cyclops
Dragon, Adamantine
Dragon, Cobalt
Dragon, Copper
Dragon, Gold
Dragon, Mercury
Dragon, Red
Dragon, Silver
Dragon, White
Elementals (All)
Ettin
Fomorian
Galeb Duhr
Gargoyle
Giant, Cloud
Giant, Fire
Giant, Frost
Giant, Mountain
Giant, Stone
Giant, Storm
Giant/Dire Insects
Gnoll
Goblins
Gorgon
Griffon
Harpy
Hippogriff
Hydra
Kobolds
Leucrotta
Lycanthropes
Manticore
Mephit, Air
Mephit, Earth
Mephit, Magma
Mephit, Steam
Mooncalf
Mountain Dwarf
Ogres
Orcs
Oread
Orog
Owlbear
Pegasus
Peryton
Roc
Snowflake Ooze
Stirge
Troll
Wyvern
Yak Folk
Yeti
Yrthak
If you are interested in seeing what's under the mountains, I'll direct you to my Cavern Building post.
https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/68izys/guide_to_the_mountains/
It is the goal of this post to add some more visual and literary terms to your DM vocabulary, as well as presenting some thoughts on survival and a list of potential monsters.
Post Soundtrack Geographical Traits A mountain is a large landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area, usually in the form of a peak. Mountains are land forms that rise more than 500 meters above the surrounding plain and are characterized by steep slopes. Slopes commonly range from 4 to 45 degrees. Cliffs and precipices may be vertical or overhanging. Mountains may consist of an isolated peak, single ridges, glaciers, snowfields, compartments, or complex ranges extending for long distances and obstructing movement. Mountains are formed through tectonic forces or volcanism. These forces can locally raise the surface of the earth. Mountains erode slowly through the action of rivers, weather conditions, and glaciers. A few mountains are isolated summits, but most occur in huge mountain ranges.
High elevations on mountains produce colder climates than at sea level. These colder climates strongly affect the ecosystems of mountains: different elevations have different plants and animals. Because of the less hospitable terrain and climate, mountains tend to be used less for agriculture and more for resource extraction and recreation, such as mountain climbing.
For comparison, the highest mountain on Earth is Mount Everest in the Himalayas of Asia, whose summit is 8,850 m (29,035 ft) above mean sea level. The highest known mountain on any planet in the Solar System is Olympus Mons on Mars at 21,171 m (69,459 ft).
All mountains are made up of rocks and all rocks of minerals (compounds that cannot be broken down except by chemical action). Of the approximately 2,000 known minerals, seven rock-forming minerals make up most of the earth’s crust: quartz and feldspar make up granite and sandstone; olivene and pyroxene give basalt its dark color; and amphibole and biotite (mica) are the black crystalline specks in granitic rocks. Except for calcite, found in limestone, they all contain silicon and are often referred to as silicates.
Terrain There are three main types of mountains: volcanic, fold, and block. All three types are formed from plate tectonics: when portions of the Earth's crust move, crumple, and dive. Compressional forces, isostatic uplift and intrusion of igneous matter forces surface rock upward, creating a landform higher than the surrounding features. The height of the feature makes it either a hill or, if higher and steeper, a mountain. Major mountains tend to occur in long linear arcs, indicating tectonic plate boundaries and activity.
Volcanoes
Volcanoes are formed when a plate is pushed below another plate, or at a mid-ocean ridge or hotspot. At a depth of around 100 km, melting occurs in rock above the slab (due to the addition of water), and forms magma that reaches the surface. When the magma reaches the surface, it often builds a volcanic mountain, such as a shield volcano or a stratovolcano. Examples of volcanoes include Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. The magma does not have to reach the surface in order to create a mountain: magma that solidifies below ground can still form dome mountains, such as Navajo Mountain in the US.
Fold mountains
Fold mountains occur when two plates collide: shortening occurs along thrust faults and the crust is overthickened. Since the less dense continental crust "floats" on the denser mantle rocks beneath, the weight of any crustal material forced upward to form hills, plateaus or mountains must be balanced by the buoyancy force of a much greater volume forced downward into the mantle. Thus the continental crust is normally much thicker under mountains, compared to lower lying areas. Rock can fold either symmetrically or asymmetrically. The upfolds are anticlines and the downfolds are synclines: in asymmetric folding there may also be recumbent and overturned folds. The Jura Mountains along the French/Swiss border are an example of fold mountains.
Block mountains
Block mountains are caused by faults in the crust: a seam where rocks can move past each other. When rocks on one side of a fault rise relative to the other, it can form a mountain. The uplifted blocks are block mountains or horsts. The intervening dropped blocks are termed graben: these can be small or form extensive rift valley systems. This form of landscape can be seen in East Africa, the Vosges, the Basin and Range Province of Western North America and the Rhine valley. These areas often occur when the regional stress is extensional and the crust is thinned.
During and following uplift, mountains are subjected to the agents of erosion (water, wind, ice, and gravity) which gradually wear the uplifted area down. Erosion causes the surface of mountains to be younger than the rocks that form the mountains themselves. Glacial processes produce characteristic landforms, such as pyramidal peaks, knife-edge arêtes, and bowl-shaped cirques that can contain lakes. Plateau mountains, such as the Catskills, are formed from the erosion of an uplifted plateau.
Rock And Slope Types Different types of rock and different slopes present different hazards.
Granite: Granite produces fewer rockfalls, but jagged edges make pulling rope and raising equipment more difficult. Granite is abrasive and increases the danger of ropes or accessory cords being cut. Climbers must beware of large loose boulders. After a rain, granite dries quickly. Most climbing holds are found in cracks. Face climbing can be found, however, it cannot be protected.
Chalk and Limestone: Chalk and limestone are slippery when wet. Limestone is usually solid; however, conglomerate type stones may be loose. Limestone has pockets, face climbing, and cracks.
Slate and Gneiss: Slate and gneiss can be firm and or brittle in the same are. Rockfall danger is high, and small rocks may break off when pulled or when pitons are emplaced.
Sandstone: Sandstone is usually soft causing handholds and footholds to break away under pressure. Chocks placed in sandstone may or may not hold. Sandstone should be allowed to dry for a couple of days after a rain before climbing on it—wet sandstone is extremely soft. Most climbs follow a crack. Face climbing is possible, but any outward pull will break off handholds and footholds, and it is usually difficult to protect.
Grassy Slopes: Penetrating roots and increased frost cracking cause a continuous loosening process. Grassy slopes are slippery after rain, new snow, and dew. After long, dry spells clumps of the slope tend to break away. Weight should be distributed evenly; for example, use flat hand push holds instead of finger pull holds.
Firm Spring Snow (Firn Snow): Stopping a slide on small, leftover snow patches in late spring can be difficult. Routes should be planned to avoid these dangers. Self-arrest should be practiced before encountering this situation. Beginning climbers should be secured with rope when climbing on this type surface. Climbers can glissade down firn snow if necessary. Firn snow is easier to ascend than walking up scree or talus.
Talus: Talus is rocks that are larger than a dinner plate, but smaller than boulders. They can be used as stepping-stones to ascend or descend a slope. However, if a talus rock slips away it can produce more injury than scree because of its size.
Scree: Scree is small rocks that are from pebble size to dinner plate size. Running down scree is an effective method of descending in a hurry. One can run at full stride without worry—the whole scree field is moving with you. Climbers must beware of larger rocks that may be solidly planted under the scree. Ascending scree is a tedious task. The scree does not provide a solid platform and will only slide under foot. If possible, avoid scree when ascending.
Climate and Weather Climate on mountains become colder at high elevations, due an interaction between radiation and convection. Sunlight in the visible spectrum hits the ground and heats it. The ground then heats the air at the surface.
Therefore, moving up 100 meters on a mountain is roughly equivalent to moving 80 kilometers (45 miles or 0.75° of latitude) towards the nearest pole. This relationship is only approximate, however, since local factors such as proximity to oceans can drastically modify the climate. As the altitude increases, the main form of precipitation becomes snow and the winds increase.
Mountains can sometimes act like barriers preventing plants and animals from crossing from one side of the mountain to the other. In the United States and Canada, for example, there are two different ecosystems (plant and wildlife communities) on each side of the Rocky Mountains.
As well as different ecosystems on each side of a mountain, you can often find different ecosystems as you climb up from base to the peak of a big mountain. Because of the rapid changes in altitude (height) and temperature along a mountain slope, ecosystems can change quickly from one area to the next.
There are two main types of mountain range, which are temperate mountains and tropical mountains. Temperate mountains tend to be fairly cold all year round and are much more seasonal that the tropical mountains. In the spring and summer, there is a burst of plant life at high altitude which encourages herbivores up the mountain. Temperate mountains can be found in Europe, Central Asia and North and South America. Tropical mountains have much warmer climates and have a few plants which have specially adapted to live at high altitudes. Tropical mountain ranges can be found in Africa, south-east Asia and South America.
Much of airborne moisture falls as rain on the windward side of mountains. This often means that the land on the other side of the mountain (the leeward side) gets far less rain—an effect called a "rain shadow"—which often produces a desert.
The higher the mountain, the more pronounced the rain shadow effect is and the less likely rain will fall on the leeward side.
Plant Life The amount of plant life found in mountains around the world is truly staggering. I did a lot of research and I ended up with hundreds and hundreds of species and varieties, all dependent on the biome. To try and recreate any of that here would take up most of the post, so I have elected to not include any of it. Best bet is to use Google to look for plantlife that matches the biome you want to set your adventures in.
There are some general facts that I can relate, however:
The growth of vegetation depends on rainfall and temperature.
Plants are very seasonal in the mountains and those plants that do occur all year round, such as conifers, must be extremely hardy and able to deal with the cold.
The vegetation on the lower slopes largely depends on which climate zone the mountain is in. The foothills may be covered in broadleaved forests. These change to needleleaf trees (coniferous trees) like spruce and pines at on the upper slopes (higher altitudes).
As you climb higher up a mountain it gets colder and the trees eventually thin out and disappear. When it gets too cold for trees to grow, it is called a timberline
The highest parts of the mountain support only sparse grasses and low-growing alpine flowers which can withstand the harsh conditions.
If the mountain is high enough even this vegetation disappears and the peak is bare rock and perhaps covered in snow and ice.
On a mountain, weather and the organisms that live there rapidly change as elevation increases. As temperatures get colder, tree species change, and then become scarcer before disappearing entirely. At the top there may be nothing but snow and ice. But even these bleak landscapes are home to a diverse array of plants and animals adapted for that environment.
Animal Life Wildlife that inhabits mountainous regions has be able to survive successfully at high altitudes. Any creature that lives in the mountains must also be able to cope with changing temperatures. For every 200 meters an animal goes up a mountain, the temperature drops by 1 degree Centigrade.
I have compiled a list of examples to represent fauna from all biomes, and since this is D&D, there can always be mutations, magical aberrations, or dire versions (or anything else you can think of!). Note: Some of these can be found in other biomes, as well.
Alpacas
Black Bears
Baboons
Badgers
Beavers
Bighorn Sheep
Brown Bears
Buzzards
Caribou
Chameleons
Civets
Clouded Leopards
Cougar
Coyote
Crows
Deer
Eagles
Falcons
Giant Panda
Goats
Gorillas
Hawks
Hyenas
Ibex
Jackals
Leopards
Llamas
Monkeys
Owls
Rabbits
Ravens
Red Pandas
Snow Leopards
Tigers
Toads
Vipers
Vultures
Weasels
Wolves
Wombats
There are also a number of animal species that are not found on the mountains but inside them. Many smaller animal species have adapted to living their lives in the safety of caves and crevices. Caves are popular homes for amphibians such as toads and salamanders, numerous species of insect, and mammals such as bats.
Survival Mountain weather conditions can change dramatically from one hour to the next. For example, in just a few minutes a thunder storm can roll in when the sky was perfectly clear, and in just a few hours the temperatures can drop from extremely hot temperatures to temperatures that are below freezing.
High mountain air is dry and may be drier in the winter. Cold air has a reduced capacity to hold water vapor. Because of this increased dryness, equipment does not rust as quickly and organic material decomposes slowly. The dry air also requires an increase consumption of water.
In high mountains, the ridges and passes are seldom calm; however, strong winds in protected valleys are rare. Normally, wind speed increases with altitude since the earth’s frictional drag is strongest near the ground. This effect is intensified by mountainous terrain. Winds are accelerated when they converge through mountain passes and canyons. Because of these funneling effects, the wind may blast with great force on an exposed mountainside or summit. Usually, the local wind direction is controlled by topography.
Wind The force exerted by wind quadruples each time the wind speed doubles; that is, wind blowing at 40 knots pushes four times harder than a wind blowing at 20 knots. With increasing wind strength, gusts become more important and may be 50 percent higher than the average wind speed. When wind strength increases to a hurricane force of 64 knots or more, you should lay on the ground during gusts and continue moving during lulls. If a hurricane- force wind blows where there is sand or snow, dense clouds fill the air. The rocky debris or chunks of snow crust are hurled near the surface. During the winter season, or at high altitudes, you must be constantly aware of the wind-chill factor and associated cold-weather injuries
Two types of winds are peculiar to mountain environments, but do not necessarily affect the weather.
Anabatic Wind (Valley Winds): These winds blow up mountain valleys to replace warm rising air and are usually light winds.
Katabatic Wind (Mountain Wind): These winds blow down mountain valley slopes caused by the cooling of air and are occasionally strong winds.
Hazards (Man-made) Falling: Falling can be caused by carelessness, over-fatigue, heavy equipment, bad weather, overestimating ability, a hold breaking away, or other reasons.
Camping Sites: Camping sites must be protected from rockfall, wind, lightning, avalanche run-out zones, and flooding (especially in gullies). If the possibility of falling exists, rope yourself in, and the tent and all equipment may have to be tied down.
Equipment: Ropes are not total security; they can be cut on a sharp edge or break due to poor maintenance, age, or excessive use. You should always pack emergency equipment even if the situation is seemingly low of dangers.
Hazards (Objective) Objective hazards are caused by the mountain and weather and cannot be influenced by man; for example, storms, rockfalls, ice falls, lightning, and so on.
Altitude: At high altitudes (especially over 6,500 feet), endurance and concentration is reduced. Sleep well, acclimatize slowly, stay hydrated, and be aware of signs and symptoms of high-altitude illnesses. Storms can form quickly and lightning can be severe.
Visibility: Fog, rain, darkness, and or blowing snow can lead to disorientation. Take note of your exact position and plan your route to safety before visibility decreases. Cold combined with fog can cause a thin sheet of ice to form on rocks (verglas). Whiteout conditions can be extremely dangerous. If you must move under these conditions, it is best to rope up.
Gullies: Rock, snow, and debris are channeled down gullies. If ice is in the gully, climbing at night may be better because the warming of the sun will loosen stones and cause rockfalls.
Rockfall: Blocks and scree at the base of a climb can indicate recurring rockfall. Light colored spots on the wall may indicate impact chips of falling rock. Spring melt or warming by the sun of the rock/ice/snow causes rockfall.
Avalanches: Avalanches are caused by the weight of the snow overloading the slope.
Hanging Glaciers and Seracs: Avoid, if at all possible, hanging glaciers and seracs. They will fall without warning regardless of the time of day or time of year. One cubic meter of glacier ice weighs 910 kilograms (about 2,000 pounds). If you must cross these danger areas, do so quickly and keep an interval between each person.
Crevasses: Crevasses are formed when a glacier flows over a slope and makes a bend, or when a glacier separates from the rock walls that enclose it. A slope of only two to three degrees is enough to form a crevasse. As this slope increases from 25 to 30 degrees, hazardous ice falls can be formed. Likewise, as a glacier makes a bend, it is likely that crevasses will form at the outside of the bend. Therefore, the safest route on a glacier would be to the inside of bends, and away from steep slopes and icefalls. Extreme care must be taken when moving off of or onto the glacier because of the moat that is most likely to be present.
Hazards (Weather) Weather conditions in the mountains may vary from one location to another as little as 10 kilometers apart. Approaching storms may be hard to spot if masked by local peaks. A clear, sunny day in July could turn into a snowstorm in less than an hour. Always pack some sort of emergency gear.
Winds are stronger and more variable in the mountains; as wind doubles in speed, the force quadruples.
Precipitation occurs more on the windward side than the leeward side of ranges. This causes more frequent and denser fog on the windward slope.
Above approximately 8,000 feet, snow can be expected any time of year in the temperate climates.
Air is dryer at higher altitudes, so equipment does not rust as quickly, but dehydration is of greater concern.
Lightning is frequent, violent, and normally attracted to high points and prominent features in mountain storms. Signs indicative of thunderstorms are tingling of the skin, hair standing on end, humming of metal objects, crackling, and a bluish light (St. Elmo’s fire) on especially prominent metal objects.
Avoid peaks, ridges, rock walls, isolated trees, fixed wire installations, cracks that guide water, cracks filled with earth, shallow depressions, shallow overhangs, and rock needles. Seek shelter around dry, clean rock without cracks; in scree fields; or in deep indentations (depressions, caves). Keep at least half a body’s length away from a cave wall and opening.
During and after rain, expect slippery rock and terrain in general and adjust movement accordingly. Expect flash floods in gullies or chimneys. A climber can be washed away or even drowned if caught in a gully during a rainstorm. Be especially alert for falling objects that the rain has loosened.
Dangers from impending high winds include frostbite (from increased wind-chill factor), windburn, being blown about (especially while rappelling), and debris being blown about. Wear protective clothing and plan the route to be finished before bad weather arrives.
For each 100-meter rise in altitude, the temperature drops approximately one degree Fahrenheit. This can cause hypothermia and frostbite even in summer, especially when combined with wind, rain, and snow. Always wear or pack appropriate clothing.
If it is snowing, gullies may contain avalanches or snow sloughs, which may bury the trail. Snowshoes or skis may be needed in autumn or even late spring. Unexpected snowstorms may occur in the summer with accumulations of 12 to 18 inches; however, the snow quickly melts.
Higher altitudes provide less filtering effects, which leads to greater ultraviolet (UV) radiation intensity. Cool winds at higher altitudes may mislead one into underestimating the sun’s intensity, which can lead to sunburns and other heat injuries. Protect your eyes, even if overcast. Drink plenty of fluids.
Acclimatization Things to remember: Weight loss occurs during the first two to three days at high elevation, and a loss of appetite is often a symptom of mountain sickness. Loss of weight usually stops with acclimatization.
Behavioral Effects of Altitude Sickness
Increased errors in performing simple mental tasks.
Decreased ability for sustained concentration.
Deterioration of memory.
Decreased vigilance or lethargy.
Increased irritability in some individuals.
Impairment of night vision and some constriction in peripheral vision (up to 30 percent at 6,000 feet).
Loss of appetite.
Sleep disturbances.
Irregular breathing.
Slurred speech.
Headache.
NOTE: I have left out a huge section on climbing techniques, as D&D doesn't do a great job in simulating things like this. Consult Google if you'd like to add some realizm to your climbs.
Hunting NOTE I have mostly included what I've researched for hunting during the winter months, as this is the time of year when its most difficult to find food.
Most animals (mountain lions, bears, and even wolves) will choose to avoid you. If on the rare occasion you end up surprised by a mountain lion or bear, loud noises can work as deterrents. Spells such as Shout or Alarm or perhaps even Prestidigitation could all work well.
When it comes to mountain lions, the small races are most at risk, when there is a threat. Keep them close. They should never lag behind your group. A mountain lion may see an easy meal.
Rabbits: Look for tracks in the snow signifying rabbits; set several traps in areas rabbits may be likely to pass by, using brush and even building snow banks to "funnel" rabbits in the direction of traps.
Deer: You may find the most chances of spotting deer may be near areas of running water, such as streams or creeks; game animals often have routes that are either along side drainage ways and drainage basins (streams and rivers), or they follow game trails that lead to and from these streams to areas where they feed and bed down.
While you're still in the lowlands, make it top priority to take down a large deer or elk or other big game. Harvest your kill, smoke and dry enough meat to last a few weeks, and you'll now be ready for your trip over the mountains. Of course, if you can, wait until late spring and when the snow is gone from high elevations. But if it's essential you make this crossing during the winter months -- perhaps there are hostile forces in the lowlands behind you or even in pursuit -- then you can consider a winter crossing.
Get as close to the mountains as you can, staying below the snow line, and begin your hunting there. Look for meadows (where deer often feed) and even the edges of farmland.
Keep your eyes out for game trails and even streams and creeks where deer are likely to seek water. Remember, you'll find deer feeding most often near meadows before you'll find them feeding under the cover of a conifer forest, where pine needles litter the ground, and little vegetation grows otherwise. (They do often bed down under deep conifer cover as these overhead trees prevent heavy snowfall from accumulating on the ground.)
Where are low elevation meadows? Where are thick conifer forests? Also, where are open, south facing slopes (deer are known to seek out sun on south facing slopes). Distinguish between these areas on your maps. Now, look for streams that run near these areas. Those will likely be places that deer go for water. Now, plan your entry into the mountains, with a plan to hunt in the lower regions, below the snow line.
Once you're into your trek, look for low-lying banks along the water's edge. That is likely a natural drinking area for deer. Remember, the lower the bank, the easier it is for a deer to reach the water. Now, look around for signs that deer use this area as a watering hole. Do you see deer scat? How about any deer tracks in the soil? Do you see anything that looks like a game trail leading away or alongside the creek or stream?
Set up a blind downwind of that location, so deer are less likely to pick up your scent when they show up to drink; camouflage the opening of your shelter with brush, leaving openings just big enough allowing you to see out along with your rifle or bow; at the same time, do everything you can to conceal your scent.
Now it's time to wait; dawn and dusk are times that deer may be most active. Keep your bow ready and keep your eyes on that spot that a deer may be likely to drink from. (You can also set up a blind near a nearby meadow.)
Sometimes you may want to hunt deer at night: - If you're in an area of the mountains with a lot of human activity, your best bet for bagging a deer (even the biggest deer, say the experts), will be to hunt at night. Human activity can cause deer to bed down during daylight hours, and even stay bedded down during dawn and dusk; these deer are said to have a higher than normal survival instinct, causing them to be active at night under the cover or darkness.
Fish: When it comes to flowing water, which there may be very little to none of in the mountains in the snow, stand over a shallow pool of water with a stick and press any fish you find into the ground. Another method is to arrange large rocks in shallow stream beds, so that fish are funneled into fish traps (made of sticks or other big rocks).
Insects: Insects may be hard to come by in the snow; check around stumps, logs, and under rocks near river banks; if there's too much snow on the ground, you may easily burn more calories digging under snow than you'll consume eating ants, earthworms, termites, etc. Consider that before making the effort to locate insects -- if you can handle insects, that is; it's not for everyone.
Roots: Again, hard to come by in the snow.
Generally speaking, small game animals are active in the early morning and early evening. They are wary of being spotted by predators and cling to areas of dense vegetation and cover. They travel along the edges of open ground using fence-rows and waterways as a corridor. They are predictable and habitual; just like us. They tend to travel the same trails and will usually choose the path of least resistance.
Monsters I've wracked my brain across all the official editions and settings for monsters that dwell in mountain environments. I've taken the liberty of putting them into alphabetical order, and their stats are easily found online.
Aarakocra
Alaghi
Avalancher
Basilisk
Bats, Giant and Other
Behir
Blood Ape
Blood Hawk
Braxat
Bugbear
Bulette
Chimera
Cyclops
Dragon, Adamantine
Dragon, Cobalt
Dragon, Copper
Dragon, Gold
Dragon, Mercury
Dragon, Red
Dragon, Silver
Dragon, White
Elementals (All)
Ettin
Fomorian
Galeb Duhr
Gargoyle
Giant, Cloud
Giant, Fire
Giant, Frost
Giant, Mountain
Giant, Stone
Giant, Storm
Giant/Dire Insects
Gnoll
Goblins
Gorgon
Griffon
Harpy
Hippogriff
Hydra
Kobolds
Leucrotta
Lycanthropes
Manticore
Mephit, Air
Mephit, Earth
Mephit, Magma
Mephit, Steam
Mooncalf
Mountain Dwarf
Ogres
Orcs
Oread
Orog
Owlbear
Pegasus
Peryton
Roc
Snowflake Ooze
Stirge
Troll
Wyvern
Yak Folk
Yeti
Yrthak
If you are interested in seeing what's under the mountains, I'll direct you to my Cavern Building post.
https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/68izys/guide_to_the_mountains/
Fauna & Flora
...
Flora:
Native Plants are ... Common Plants include ... Some other Plants found in this climate includes:- Dathlil (Legendary)
- Bocraugh (Legendary)
- Fire Flower (Legendary, Exceedingly Rare)
- Furyax (Legendary)
- Gefnul (Legendary)
- Guardseye (Legendary)
- Oede (Legendary)
- Oliosse (Legendary, Exceedingly Rare)
- Serapia’s Turbith (Legendary, Exceedingly Rare)
- Spellbane (Legendary, Exceedingly Rare)
- Tahtoalethi (Legendary, Exceedingly Rare)
- Basilisk Breath (Very Rare)
- Devarencia (Very Rare)
- Elandir (Very Rare)
- Helmthorne (Very Rare)
- Kathkusa (Very Rare)
- Mimetry Sprigs (Very Rare)
- Silverthorn (Very Rare)
- Sky Lotus (Very Rare)
- Zulsendra (Very Rare)
- Devil’s Crown (Rare)
- Dwarven Oak (Rare)
- Ephedra (Rare)
- Flintmoss (Rare)
- Green-Air Bramble (Rare)
- Halfling Thistle (Rare)
- Orevine (Rare)
- Poznan’s Chain (Rare)
- Redgold’s Feather (Rare)
- Silverleaf (Rare)
- Slimmerane (Rare)
- Ardulan (Uncommon)
- Barisc (Uncommon)
- Bishop’s Weed (Uncommon)
- Brandac (Uncommon)
- Darkanda Bush (Uncommon)
- Dragonspine (Uncommon)
- Dwarf Mallow (Uncommon)
- Entriste (Uncommon)
- Fumitore (Uncommon)
- Redstar Flowers (Uncommon)
- Sarasar (Uncommon)
- Shepherd’s Purse (Uncommon)
- Alligator Teeth (Common)
- Arctic Creeper (Common)
- Black Rose (Common)
- Bloodkeep (Common)
- Bloodspine (Common)
- Bloodstaunch (Common)
- Calithil (Common)
- Dragon’s Breath (Common)
- Ember Root (Common)
- Footleaf (Common)
- Goblinberry Bush (Common)
- Laumspur (Common)
- Lesser Centaury (Common)
- Mountain Garlic (Common)
- Mountain Setwall (Common)
- Spring Adonis (Common)
- Thornapple (Common)
- Yavethalion (Common)
- Angelica (Very Common)
- Arnica (Very Common)
- Base Mullein (Very Common)
- Basil (Very Common)
- Blackberry (Very Common)
- Ceran (Very Common)
- Golden Coin Cactus (Very Common)
- Strawberry (Very Common)
- Takara Bulb (Very Common)
- Thurl (Very Common)
- Umozokai Flower (Very Common)
- Wolfweed (Very Common)
Fauna:
This climate is home to iconic animals like ...Fauna
- Aarakocra ( Humanoid (Aarakocra) ; Mountain )
- Adult Flame Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Adult Kruthik ( Monstrosity ; Desert, Mountain, Underdark )
- Adult Mithral Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain )
- Adult Red Dragon ( Dragon ; Hill, Mountain )
- Adult Silver Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain, Urban )
- Adult Wind Dragon ( Dragon ; Grassland, Mountain )
- Air Elemental ( Elemental ; Desert, Mountain )
- Ancient Flame Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Ancient Mithral Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain )
- Ancient Red Dragon ( Dragon ; Hill, Mountain )
- Ancient Silver Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain, Urban )
- Ancient Wind Dragon ( Dragon ; Grassland, Mountain )
- Annelidast ( Monstrosity ; Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Annis Hag ( Fey ; Hill, Mountain )
- Archdruid ( Humanoid (Druid) ; Forest, Mountain, Swamp, Underwater )
- Ash Drake ( Dragon ; Mountain, Urban )
- Aurochs ( Beast (Cattle) ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Balhannoth ( Aberration ; Coastal, Mountain, Underdark )
- Barghest ( Fiend ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Basilisk ( Monstrosity ; Mountain )
- Bearfolk ( Humanoid (Bearfolk) ; Arctic, Forest, Hill, Mountain, Urban )
- Bereginyas ( Fey ; Mountain )
- Berserker ( Humanoid (Any Race) ; Arctic, Coastal, Desert, Forest, Hill, Mountain )
- Blood Hawk ( Beast ; Arctic, Coastal, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Bone Swarm ( swarm of Tiny Undead ; Hill, Mountain, Urban )
- Bulette ( Monstrosity ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Chimera ( Monstrosity ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Choker ( Aberration ; Forest, Mountain, Underdark )
- Clockwork Bronze Scout ( Construct ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Clockwork Iron Cobra ( Construct ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Clockwork Oaken Bolter ( Construct ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Clockwork Stone Defender ( Construct ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Cloud Giant ( Giant ; Mountain )
- Cloud Giant Smiling One ( Giant ; Mountain )
- Cold Snap Spirit ( Elemental ; Arctic, Forest, Mountain )
- Cyclops ( Giant ; Coastal, Desert, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Cyclops Stormcaller ( Giant ; Mountain )
- Derro ( Aberration ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Dire Troll ( Giant ; Arctic, Forest, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Druid ( Humanoid (Any Race) ; Arctic, Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark )
- Duergar Despot ( Humanoid (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Duergar Hammerer ( Construct (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Duergar Kavalrachni ( Humanoid (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Duergar Mind Master ( Humanoid (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Duergar Screamer ( Construct (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Duergar Soulblade ( Humanoid (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Duergar Stone Guard ( Humanoid (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Duergar Warlord ( Humanoid (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Duergar Xarrorn ( Humanoid (Dwarf) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Eagle ( Beast ; Coastal, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Eala ( Monstrosity ; Mountain, Planar )
- Eidolon ( Undead ; Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Mountain, Urban )
- Elder Tempest ( Elemental ; Arctic, Coastal, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Elemental Locus ( Elemental ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Ember Roc ( Monstrosity ; Mountain )
- Ettin ( Giant ; Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Fire Giant ( Giant ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Fire Giant Dreadnought ( Giant ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Firenewt Warlock of Imix ( Elemental ; Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Firenewt Warrior ( Elemental ; Desert, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Flame Dragon Wyrmling ( Dragon ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Flaming Skeleton ( Undead ; Mountain )
- Folk of Leng ( Humanoid ; Hill, Mountain, Planar )
- Frost Giant ( Giant ; Arctic, Mountain )
- Galeb Duhr ( Elemental ; Hill, Mountain )
- Giant Eagle ( Beast ; Coastal, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Giant Elk ( Beast ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Giant Goat ( Beast ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Giant Strider ( Elemental ; Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Githyanki Gish ( Humanoid (Gith, Wizard) ; Desert, Mountain, Urban )
- Githyanki Kith'rak ( Humanoid (Gith) ; Desert, Mountain, Urban )
- Githyanki Supreme Commander ( Humanoid (Gith) ; Desert, Mountain, Urban )
- Githzerai Enlightened ( Humanoid (Gith) ; Desert, Mountain, Urban )
- Goat ( Beast ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Urban )
- Goat-Knight Steed ( Celestial ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Griffon ( Monstrosity ; Arctic, Coastal, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Guard ( Humanoid (Any Race) ; Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Urban )
- Guard Drake ( Dragon ; Arctic, Desert, Forest, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, Urban )
- Half-Ogre (Ogrillon) ( Giant ; Arctic, Desert, Forest, Hill, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Harpy ( Monstrosity ; Coastal, Forest, Hill, Mountain )
- Hell Hound ( Fiend ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Hippogriff ( Monstrosity ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Hraesvelgr ( Giant (Shapechanger, Titan) ; Mountain )
- Ki-rin ( Celestial ; Coastal, Desert, Grassland, Mountain )
- Kobold ( Humanoid (Kobold) ; Arctic, Coastal, Desert, Forest, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, Urban )
- Kobold Dragonshield ( Dragon ; Forest, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Kobold Inventor ( Humanoid ; Forest, Hill, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Kobold Scale Sorcerer ( Humanoid ; Forest, Hill, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Kruthik Hive Lord ( Monstrosity ; Desert, Mountain, Underdark )
- Lion ( Beast ; Desert, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Lonely Sorrowsworn ( Monstrosity ; Coastal, Desert, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Lost Sorrowsworn ( Monstrosity ; Arctic, Desert, Forest, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, Urban )
- Magma Landshark ( Elemental ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Mallqui ( Undead ; Arctic, Mountain )
- Manticore ( Monstrosity ; Arctic, Coastal, Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Meazel ( Monstrosity ; Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, Urban )
- Mithral Dragon Wyrmling ( Dragon ; Mountain )
- Ogre ( Giant ; Arctic, Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark )
- Ogre Battering Ram ( Giant ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Ogre Bolt Launcher ( Giant ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Ogre Chain Brute ( Giant ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Ogre Howdah ( Giant ; Grassland, Hill, Mountain )
- Orc ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Arctic, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark )
- Orc Blade of Ilneval ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Orc Claw of Luthic ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Orc Eye of Gruumsh ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Arctic, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark )
- Orc Hand of Yurtrus ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Orc Nurtured One of Yurtrus ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Orc Red Fang of Shargaas ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Forest, Hill, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Orc War Chief ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Arctic, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark )
- Orog ( Humanoid (Orc) ; Arctic, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Peryton ( Monstrosity ; Hill, Mountain )
- Phoenix ( Elemental ; Desert, Mountain )
- Pseudodragon ( Dragon ; Coastal, Desert, Forest, Hill, Mountain, Urban )
- Pteranodon ( Beast ; Coastal, Grassland, Mountain )
- Queen of Witches ( Fey ; Forest, Mountain, Planar )
- Quetzalcoatlus ( Beast (Dinosaur) ; Coastal, Hill, Mountain )
- Red Abishai ( Fiend (Devil) ; Mountain, Urban )
- Risen Sporehusk ( Undead ; Festerwood, Forest, Mountain )
- Roc ( Monstrosity ; Arctic, Coastal, Desert, Hill, Mountain )
- Saber-Toothed Tiger ( Beast ; Arctic, Mountain )
- Sathaq Worm ( Elemental ; Desert, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Scout ( Humanoid (Any Race) ; Arctic, Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark )
- Scout Sporehusk ( Humanoid (Human) ; Festerwood, Forest, Mountain )
- Skin Bat ( Undead ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Snow Queen ( Fey ; Mountain, Planar )
- Star Spawn Grue ( Aberration ; Mountain, Swamp )
- Star Spawn Larva Mage ( Aberration ; Mountain )
- Star Spawn Seer ( Aberration ; Mountain, Swamp, Urban )
- Stirge ( Beast ; Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, Urban )
- Stone Cursed ( Construct ; Desert, Mountain, Urban )
- Stone Giant ( Giant ; Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Stone Giant Dreamwalker ( Giant ; Coastal, Hill, Mountain )
- Storm Giant Quintessent ( Giant ; Coastal, Desert, Mountain, Underwater )
- Stuhac ( Fiend ; Arctic, Mountain )
- Swarm of Bats ( swarm of Tiny Beasts ; Hill, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Tanarukk ( Fiend (Demon) ; Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
- Thursir ( Giant ; Arctic, Mountain, Underdark )
- Tribal Warrior ( Humanoid (Any Race) ; Arctic, Coastal, Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark )
- Troll ( Giant ; Arctic, Forest, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark )
- Vampiric Mist ( Undead ; Arctic, Coastal, Forest, Grassland, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, Urban )
- Veteran ( Humanoid (Any Race) ; Arctic, Coastal, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Warlock of the Archfey ( Humanoid ; Arctic, Forest, Mountain, Swamp, Urban )
- Warlock of the Great Old One ( Humanoid ; Arctic, Hill, Mountain, Underdark, Urban )
- Wind Dragon Wyrmling ( Dragon ; Grassland, Mountain )
- Winged Kobold ( Humanoid (Kobold) ; Arctic, Coastal, Desert, Forest, Hill, Mountain, Swamp, Underdark, Urban )
- Wraithroot Tree ( Plant ; Forest, Mountain )
- Wyvern ( Dragon ; Hill, Mountain )
- Young Flame Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Young Kruthik ( Monstrosity ; Desert, Mountain, Underdark )
- Young Magma Landshark ( Elemental ; Mountain, Underdark )
- Young Mithral Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain )
- Young Red Dragon ( Dragon ; Hill, Mountain )
- Young Silver Dragon ( Dragon ; Mountain, Urban )
- Young Wind Dragon ( Dragon ; Grassland, Mountain )
- Zaratan ( Elemental ; Desert, Forest, Grassland, Hill, Mountain, Underdark )
Mountain Terrain Fauna
Any Terrain Fauna
Location under
Inhabiting Species
Any Terrain
Environments