Jumps
by hughpierre
Geography
Jumps are the upper echelons that mark the edge of the eastern valley and have several deep breaks between mountain peaks. On a clear day, these massive and successive peaks and troughs resemble piranha teeth. The ‘Jumps’ got their name from the jumps taken from when condemned nobles are thrown into the swamp below in velvet sacs.
Aboveground
At the pinnacle of the Jumps, are some rock sculpted homes and hide roofs made to house larger communities. Noticeable defensive structures make up a significant part of the infrastructure, though even in the Holdouts, they may never see a siege because of the shear difficulty of scaling a Jump.Underground
The Jumps' mountain blood system is overwhelmingly disconnected from the rest the range's cave system. This includes being removed from the bad path and black roads; though this is sometimes questioned by inhabitants and outside speculators. But this also makes it ideal for individuals to carve personal accommodations widely spaced from others.Localized Phenomena
Ghost River
The Ghost River is an exaggerated fog originating from the winds beating the cold facing side of the Bad Step, made from hot-rocks, and forcing the misty mass of rolling cold clouds to drift in a continuous line in resemblance to a river. It snakes in-between and, at times, overtaking Jumps for several leagues over the range’s sky and has proven to be a hazard for travelers and locals, alike.There is one real-life account of an Eo herder who lost his way on a jump, fell into the ‘river’ and landed on a travelling merchant, killing them both.
Fauna & Flora
Winter Plum: A white skinned fruit that grows out of the shear face of the Bad Step. Its flesh is firm, juicy and purple with a single dark seed at the center.
Wind Sickle: Thin, vine-like, non-flowering plant that can only grow by grasping around larger plant matter or man made structures. Although their stems are thin and spindly; it can grow as thick as a bear's coat.
One feature unique to Sickle leaves is that they are capable of carrying single seeds great distances in sufficient wind.
Natural Resources
Snow:
Even though it is snowy on the top thirds of these mountains, they are still rich in bio-diversity throughout. Collecting snow is a relatively cheap means of earning a modest income, provided it does not melt all the way before reaching valley markets.
Fungal Groves:
Housed in the deepest, reachable depths of the cities' caverns are grown a rich assortment of mushrooms, mosses, molds, certain nuts, creeping figs, sweet worms and other species that grow well in the damp dark for purposes of local consumption.
But what makes these groves truly valuable is that in them are grown a species of fungi that is used to manufacture fungal fabrics that are water resistant, thermally insulating, rubber/leather-like, and light weight.
History
Jump Campaigns
These were attempts by Long Step armies during the Seductions to finally secure the isolated havens by force. These were only partly successful with half still operating independently.Tourism
The Jumps of most home to the purest of the Step Folk.
Long Step
During the Seductions, the allied Short Steps took three mighty Jumps through force of arms.Purik
Their level of importance fluctuates with the goings-on of Hajjinis which overall results is waves of immigration and emigration since its conquest.Pisk'Ok
Elkin conservative values are wholly regulated internally, but free trade with foreigners is segregated to take advantage of being the closest to the Step capital.Yoklaak on the Jump
The most cosmopolitan of the Jumps and where elkin are a definite minority.Holdout States
After the forced submission of the previous three Jumps, the elkin remaining gave no indication of nearing surrender. Seeing that the cost would be too high for too little gain, the newly united Long Step decided to leave them be.Snakhak
The entity of the small city state is under constant blockaded which is enforced by Mytenii patrols.Aigl'Ok
The entity of the small city state is embargoed but is weakly enforced.Unwak
The entity of the small city state is embargoed but is bypassed via corruption.
Type
Summit
Location under
Owning Organization
Related Ethnicities
Inhabiting Species
Related Myths
Related Professions
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