Mount Qimbyr
Mountain of the Pass
While other peaks fall silent as darkness covers them, one of the taller peaks comes alive with the sounds and lights of a bustling village, people and caravans preparing for the next day of travel, animals calling for attention and food. While much of the Spine of Kallex is desolate and quiet, the same can not be said for Mount Qimbyr and the pass that shares its name. Here is where the rest of the world moves through the Spine, where the family of Barbarians ferries people and animals safely from one side of the reaching mountains to the other.
While other peaks shine with starlight, Qimbyr Peak shines with lamplight. The white glow of the moon and stars means freedom, but the yellow glow of lanterns means safety.Mount Qimbyr may be one of the Spikes of Kallex, but is a rather unassuming mountain. It is not one of the tallest of the Spikes, nor does it shine like the scales of Dragons, so it is often passed over as just another peak. This mountain’s claim to fame has more to do with the mountain pass that crosses it, providing safe passage from one side of the Spine to the other, and the family that has made their home on the mountain’s slopes. While other mountains in the Spine are bustling with the sounds of animals and birds, Qimbyr Peak is awash with the sounds of people, those who have traveled here, and those who call this place home in the better months of the year. The Barbarians are a nomadic people, moving with the seasons, but their home of Leverion does not move, staying on the slopes of Mount Qimbyr as a landmark and a place of safety for those who wish to cross.
Geography
The Spine of Kallex is known across the Northern Continent for its varied and amazing geography. The range is home to the highest peaks on the continent of Vóreios, beautiful canyons carved by two major rivers that cut across the range in the northern and southern portions, and endless valleys that stretch between the reaching peaks. These features often span miles, giving the range a larger-than-life look that is often associated with the Dragon god Kallex. Mount Qimbyr is one of the Spikes of Kallex but is neither the tallest nor the shortest.
Mount Qimbyr is located in the central part of the Spine of Kallex, roughly two hundred miles south of Mithril Peak. This location places the mountain centrally in the Spine where it crosses the Elven Forest, a spot that is optimal for crossing the range during more of the year. Reaching an elevation of over 15,000 feet, Mount Qimbyr or Qimbyr Peak stands out due to the infrastructure that has been built around it to support Qimbyr Pass. Even so, there is little more than a couple of villages and a widened animal path to mark the passage around the mountain.
Mount Qimbyr
Mount Qimbyr is known best for its ties to Qimbyr Pass, the safest passage across the Spine of Kallex in the Elven Forest. While not the tallest of the Spikes of Kallex, it might be the most well-known mountain in most of the range.
Fauna & Flora
Dragon Pines
Dragon Pines grow in the inhospitable areas of the Spine of Kallex, often making the mountains seem less dangerous as the stands of trees in the area and the thick fog hides the jagged cliffs and deep valleys.
Lower elevations of Mount Qimbyr are home to a variety of flora and fauna that are common elsewhere in the Spine of Kallex and the Elven Forest. As elevations reach the colder points of the peak, many flora and fauna thin, leaving only a few different varieties. Any points above the alpine zone have scarce vegetation and support little animal life.
Closer to the base of the mountain, it is common to find Aelinor Elk roaming the grasslands and thinner forests here, although they do tend to stay in lower elevations that are closest to the Elven Forest. Rarely, one may see an Aelinor Elk at elevations above 8000 feet in some areas around the mountain, but oftentimes they tend to stay below 7000 feet.
Aelinor Oaks are also common in this area, but at lower elevations that are often hidden by the valleys of the surrounding mountains. These trees are more common in the areas closer to the Elven Forest but are quickly replaced with the much heartier Dragon Pines in higher elevations.
Wolves and other animals found elsewhere are common near the lower elevations of Mount Qimbyr, but creatures such as Giant Alpacas and Giant Goats that can handle the colder temperatures thrive in the higher elevations of the alpine zone. These creatures roam in the areas where the Dragon Pines become prevalent, but below where the cloud line is.
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