> [!infobox| right wikipedia] > # The Mountains > ![[andes montevideo 241203 - jeff turner.webp|cover hsmall]] > ##### General > | | | > | ---- | ---- | > | **Continent** | [[Adenland]] | > | **Population** | unknown | The Mountains lie north of [[Skadyrik]]. # General Info The mountains lie in the northern region of [[Adenland]]. In the days of the kingdom of [[Skadyrik]], they were mostly unexplored and uninhabited. Expeditions into the mountains uncovered nothing that could not have been obtained easier elsewhere in the kingdom, and so the mountains held no great attraction. In 2477 VL, [[The Order of Priests|the priests]] established the [[The Monastery|Gudesberg monastery]] deep into the mountains, using it as a location of utter isolation from mortal concerns – this was the only inhabited locale in the mountains at the time of The Riving in 3021 VL. When the exodus occurred and the airships flew north, almost all of them headed for Gudesberg, as it was the only landmark on most maps and the only hope of finding shelter and community. The isolated monastery ironically became the refugee camp hosting all of surviving humanity, and the priests were forced to deal with worldly concerns more than ever before. The priests established theocratic rule over the community at [[Gudesberg]], instituting religious law and demanding tithes. In 3022 VL, many of the merchants and traders angrily departed Gudesberg in order to establish a new city, away from the restrictive edicts of the priests. They founded the city of [[Vinsklar]], which quickly grew to be a busy and productive trading hub. [[Lord Haakon]] was an influential force throughout this time, having connections in every relevant industry and growing incredibly wealthy. In 3039 VL, Haakon began construction on a flying city, [[Prosperity]], adjacent to Vinsklar. It was completed 6 years later in 3046 VL and flown south, out of the mountains, to hover above the Surface in defiance of the chthona. Haakon rules over the city as absolute lord. Travel between the skycities and the innumerable villages that dot the slopes is almost entirely impossible by foot. The terrain is treacherous, unknown, or takes lengthy detours, and in some cases like Prosperity, ground travel is not possible by any means. Airships are a vital part of life in the mountains, and many places would be hard-pressed to obtain all their needs without aerial trade. Airships make sure that the resources found in disparate locations throughout the mountains can be transported where they need to go; that raw commodities can be taken to be made into manufactured and processed goods; and that citizens can travel from town to town. Of course, with so much cargo being transported along predictable routes, this has inevitably given rise to a thriving secondary economy of sky piracy. Marauders and bandits may lie in wait around every peak and ridge, behind every fog bank or within every canyon, ready to strike when a sufficiently worthy prize drifts by. Many traders have responded by increasing their own armaments, and travelling in convoys when it is economical to do so. Unlike the kingdom of old, there is no ruling authority outside of the city-states, and everyone must fend for themselves. This tension has spurred a sort of technological arms race in airship design, as the tactics of both sky pirates and the merchants upon which they prey evolve. In recent years, Lord Haakon has made it a priority to crush the sky pirates and their way of life, and has been devoting ever more of his mercenaries to the task. Southwest of Gudesberg, the mountains are less imposing, and the peaks are gentler, with broad valleys. This region is colloquially referred to as "the foothills". Precipitation comes in from the coast, and the land is fertile enough for agriculture. Clannish farming communities grow crops, often owning noncontiguous plots of land. The farmers are generally wealthy due to the indispensable service they provide. # Region Details **Climate:** Subarctic (Dfc) to tundra (ET), generally getting colder the more north you go. # Settlements %% DATAVIEW_PUBLISHER: start ```dataview TABLE WITHOUT ID file.link AS "Settlements" from "3-Places/Settlements" where region = this.file.link where publish = true sort file.link ASC ``` %% | Settlements | | -------------------------------------------------- | | [[3-Places/Settlements/Cytaburh.md\|Cytaburh]] | | [[3-Places/Settlements/Gudesberg.md\|Gudesberg]] | | [[3-Places/Settlements/Prosperity.md\|Prosperity]] | | [[3-Places/Settlements/Vinsklar.md\|Vinsklar]] | %% DATAVIEW_PUBLISHER: end %% # Gallery ![[andes montevideo 241203 - jeff turner.webp|center|800]] The Andes Mountains from a Plane – Jeff Turner \[[link](https://intheviewfinder.com/16621/the-andes-mountains-from-a-plane)]