Pillar Mountains
Pillar mountains are a vast hoodoo formation in the Eastern slopes of the Serme Mountains. The area is a dry wasteland, dotted by the huge totem pole-shaped rock pillars. It is mostly uninhabited except for wandering hunter-gatherers. The area is especially dangerous for any reckless travellers: Dragons are known to nest on the top of the pillars out of sight, and attack anyone getting too near.
Lions sometimes venture down from the mountains too, but are not regular inhabitants of the region.
Population
The Pillar Mountains are inhabited by the hunter-gatherer Caač people, who have also migrated to the near Serpent's Spine Islands. Only little of the Caač culture is known outside of their home region, but they are famous for being excellend swingmen and experts of rare poisons, and are therefore sometimes employed by the surrounding cultures. by Tuisku
Caač father and his child
The Caač produce most of their tools of the local materials, but also occasionally trade with the neighboring settled people. The offer hides, meat and other animal parts, as well as various handicrafts, and are particularly interested in metal tools and fabrics in return. Because of these interactions, many Caač also speak some of the surrounding languages, which can be a great helf for an adventurous traveller.
The Caač language is a testament of their skill to survive in this harsh environment. It has a special noun class for dangerous things, of which there are plenty.
The Caač language is a testament of their skill to survive in this harsh environment. It has a special noun class for dangerous things, of which there are plenty.
Geography & Climate
Pillar mountains is a dry wasteland, characterised by the large rock towers that dot the eroded landscape. The North Ocean flushes the coast with cool ocean currents, that are plentyful with fish, but the winds commonly blow from the dry interior of the continent toward the sea, driving away all the rains. When the occasional rains arrive, all the landscape blooms suddenly to a brief spring.Flora
The most flora of the region is well adapted to the harsh contitions. Small shrubs are the most dominate type of plant, with occasional bushes and small trees. Most of the plants are tough or spiky, but some have developed even more harsh methods of defense. The Desert Poxbush spreads spores, that cause extremely painful and often lethal skin infections. by Thomas Hillier, 1831-1868
Seedpox pustules
The locals collect a wide selection of herbs and roots to their nurishment. The ironwood trees are the main sourse of firewood, and their hard nut-like fruit can be ground to flour to bake flat bread.
Fauna
Mammals in the region are sparse. Travelling deer feed on the shrubs, and many rodents appear during the cool nights from their nests. Many birds nest in the cliffs, travelling to the sea in search for fish, and can be seen flying over the region each morning and evening. Desert dragons are the main predator of the region. They are rather small, the size of an average dog, but can regularly prey on the young and sick deer, or feed on the carcasses. The dragons like to nest on top of the rock towers, ambushing prey from above with minimum effort. The Caač word for dragon caačpiičo literally means man-eater, but the dragons are not usually a particular threat to humans, unless one is swarmed by a large group of them.Lions sometimes venture down from the mountains too, but are not regular inhabitants of the region.
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