Heavenspire Mountains
Of all of the mountain ranges that are found on the surface of Kelbonnar, the Heavenspire Mountains are regarded as being the tallest and grandest of them all.
Numerous legends and myths surround them, with many being rooted in the belief that all of the gods and goddesses worshipped across Kelbonnar have made their homes amongst the peaks of the Heavenspires. Regardless of whether this is true or not, many monasteries have been founded in the foothills of the mountains, along with some much more remote communities that have been founded well within the range, with their inhabitants hoping to find peace and enlightenment by being closer to the homes of the deities they worship.
Geography
As they are collectively the tallest mountains in Kelbonnar, during most days of the year their peaks are shrouded in clouds, obscuring a view of their pinnacles, which has partly led to the belief that deities have made the mountains their homes.
Physically, the Heavenspire Mountains are characterised as having relatively gently sloping sides that sweep up to their summits. Their lower slopes are frequently covered with trees, but their middle and upper slopes are far too cold to allow for much vegetation other than hardy bushes and shrubs to survive. The Heavenspire’s height means that they are ravaged by cold winds and their higher elevations are capped with snow for most of the year.
The mountain range is full of large sweeping valleys, many of which are almost completely cut off from the outside world and are havens of wildlife and occasionally even communities of humanoids who are unaware of what has taken place in the wider world.
In addition, the Heavenspire Mountains are littered with ruins, built by the once powerful Elven kingdom of Sparos. As the power of the Empire of Turelion grew, the Sparites retreated further and further into the mountains, abandoning cities, towns, villages and monuments to the wilds. Whilst some of these ruins are little more than barely identifiable piles of stone, some places, such as Andromache's Prison have survived almost entirely intact.
Fauna & Flora
The trees that carpet the lower slopes of the Heavenspire Mountains tend to be varieties of hardier conifers, which can cope with the altitude and with the frequent blasts of cold weather that can appear at any time of year. The dominant flora populating the mountain valleys also tends to be varieties of the same conifers.
A variety of animals can be found in the mountains, but there is a particularly large population of bears in the region which have specifically adapted to surviving in the local environment. Heavenspire Mountain Bears are larger and more aggressive than their other ursine cousins and have altered their natural cycles so that they no longer need to hibernate, meaning that they can be active at all times of the year. Heavenspire Mountain Bears are a frequent threat to travellers and communities in the area.
Natural Resources
The Heavenspire Mountains are one of the few places in Kelbonnar with plentiful and numerous veins of Blackpowder, with a particularly high concentration in their southern reaches which border Turelion Province.
Copper and silver are also found in large amounts beneath the mountains, with the mountains themselves being a near inexhaustible supply of granite which is often used for building in the provinces on Euristan continent.
Tourism
Pilgrims of all faiths are drawn to the Heavenspire Mountains and the communities that lie within sight of them, to give offerings and prayers near the ‘Home of the Gods’. Many of the communities that these pilgrims pas through have established a thriving industry to cater for the needs of the travellers, from providing lodgings and supplies to them, to selling them mementos of their pilgrimages.
Alternative Name(s)
Home of the Gods
Type
Mountain Range
Location under
Included Locations
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