Jaggudorn Mountains

The Jaggudorn Mountains belong to either Pytharnia or Asdauria in the minds of Magdeologers (geographers of Asdar). In the hearts and minds of its inhabitants, they lie high above those two flat stretches of the world of Asdar. The Jaggudorns are the highest mountains in the known world and probably the whole world. The highest peak, Mount Jave, reaches a little over 30,000 feet (9140m) above sea level. The Jaggudorns were formed countless ages ago when the subcontinent of Pytharnia slowly merged into the western end of Asdauria, a process that is far from complete. The Jaggudorns present a formidable barrier between the great vale of the Shadew River to the northeast and the forested hills of Pytharnia to the southwest, a barrier which persists in an age of skycraft and titancraft vessels of the air.

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Map of the Jaggudorn Mountains

The peaks of Jaggudorns are wild and snow-capped all year round. Even the foothills of the Jaggudorns are enormous in comparison to mountains elsewhere in the world of Asdar. Geographically, the Jaggudorns consist of its greatest peaks, the Amandal Plateau and adjoining plateaus, and it high mountain valleys. To northwest of the Jaggudorns stretches the great plain through which the Shadew River flows, bring the meltwater of the Jaggudornish foothils around and south to the Pallathantic Sea.

The eastern valleys are blocked off from sea and have a somewhat dry climate, except when great storms and blizzards blow in from the north, carrying great snows and rains, depending upon the time of the year. In these valleys, the sky tribes of the ancient Gwenyan people developed the technology of vessels of skycraft which would later give them access to the whole western hemisphere. The great valley of Jasturia is also home to sky tribes who lead a hardier existence and continue to subsist on the ancient ways of herding gontha.

Inhabitants

The Amandal Plateau, especially in the north, is the habitation of mountain giants, frost giants, mountain orcs, ogres, trolls, goblins, and a host of other inhospitable creatures. The Jaffgorn, a race of Geddamin (giants) occupy many of the high mountain valleys of the northern Amandal Plateau and hold much political and economic power over the northern interior of the plateau. Such foul humanlikes are common in the northernmost Jaggudorns along with a smattering of dragon lairs. Traveling in the northern Jaggudorns is dangerous even for the hardiest adventurers. The mountains and their savage residents have no mercy for visitors. The northeastern Jaggudorns are famous for their races of goblins or Gakhyami, consisting of the Umyami, the Uglyami, and the Dagunyami.

The southern Jaggudorns are more populous with fauna, flora, and humanlikes, affording a less harsh haven, especially in the rich, high alpine valley of the Shadmaus. The ancientest dwarves make their subterranean homes in the Jaggudorns and they are known as the Amandal Dwarves. In the south-southwestern Jaggudorns are several dwarven states and their ancestors have dwelt for millennia. Forest-dwelling Shadevan Trolls are common in the Shadmaus, often living just a stone's throw from small human settlements.

Politics

In the south are found all the sky nations since the Reduction of Thrace in 2576 IR and all the dwarven states. These are the states of Thrace, Gantvia, Jamenth, Shaddago, and Ambracy. The dwarven states are the Commonwealth of Amandalia, the Kingdom of Themet, the Commonwealth of Gdelisica, the Commonwealth of Dagdoria, and the little Commonwealth of Sardeichs tucked up on the south end of the Amandal Plateau. The Aurician Empire controls most of the rich Shadmaus, a high mountain valley that bears the Shadew River on its last descent to the Shadevan Delta. The Shadmaus has a rich folklore and its woods are home to trolls of a gentler nature. The Shadew River has been tamed by the Aurician Empire with the construction of the Five Locks enabling huge cargo barges to carry grain from the High Shadevan Valley past the cataracts of the Shadew River into the Pallathantic Sea.

Fauna

While the highest plateaus and peaks are too savage for forestation, the mountain valleys up to mid-elevations are richly forested and where human habitation has not fully encroached upon them are abundant with all manner of wildlife and vegetation. Brown bears and thraughbears, yaks, gamudhs, wolves, wyverns, snow eagles, glambucks, havruts, and wild boars are among the beasts found. The gontha are a domestic race of cattle indigenous to Jaggudorns and have been an essential component of the economy since the first sky tribes arrived. There are plenty of marks for the hunter in the Jaggudorns and plenty of predators to turn the table on the hunter.

Dwarves of the Jaggudorns

The indigenous Amandal dwarves of the plateau regard the other dwarves of the Jaggudorns as newcomers, even though their first ancestors immigrated here thousands of years ago. Dwarven monasteries are not uncommon in the southern Amandal Plateau. In these highest of mountain valleys, the Amandal dwarves commune with cosmic forces alien to other members of their kind. Their spiritual insights are sought by pilgrims and visitors from elsewhere in the world of Asdar. They are peaceable but fierce against human, dwarven, and giant foes. The dwarven states of Themet, Gdelisica, Dagdoria, and Sardeichs are highly industrialized with titancraft and other technologies. They are abundant in mineral wealth as the dwarves have plumbed the depths of the mountains since the time they first dug their holes into the mountain slopes. Their treasures include gold, silver, iron, copper, and a constellation of gemstones and semi-precious stones. The dwarves have created a huge, subterranean network of dragon rail throughout the southern Jaggudorns. Only in the past one hundred and fifty years have the dwarves shared their technology with humans on the surface to the furtherance of dwarven commerce throughout Pytharnia and the rest of the world.

Peaks of the Jaggudorns

The great peaks of the Jaggudorns are a source of pride for its inhabitants and a constant source of death to those who climb them. The locals regard the mountains with awe and reverence and generally do not think well of visitors who dare to reach their summits. Human adherents of the old religion, mountain trolls, and the giants will attempt to stop any human who tries to do so.

Great Peaks of Jaggudorns

• Mount Amandalglow 22,723 feet, 6926 meters
• Mount Amulcáhain
• Mount Askreidhinn 28,157 feet, 8582 meters
• Mount Jave 30,012 feet, 9148 meters
• Mount Jhotal 25,492 feet, 7770 meters
• Mount Kholand 26,127 feet, 7964 meters
• Mount Thwarren 21,903 feet, 6676 meters

Economy

The Five Locks of the Shadew River has provided a great means of economic development of the High Shadevan Valley, particularly for Thrace which exports a surplus of grain to the food-hungry nations of the Pallathantic.

See Also

• Asdauria
• Gazetteer of Asdar
• Pytharnia