A continent-spanning chain of ore-rich peaks, shattered passes and old fortresses that once made Gizmagrad the gatekeeper of the north.
Overview
The Crownspines rise abruptly from the former desert, a wall of slate, snow and metallic stone. Their southern faces are dry and sheer; their northern valleys hold glaciers, pine forests and mineral seams that drew prospectors from every later age.
The range is not geologically tidy. Ridges turn at impossible angles and some peaks contain smooth internal chambers. Priests teach that the mountains are exposed ribs of Earin; miners, who regularly find warm red crystal in the deepest shafts, rarely laugh at the claim.
History
For centuries only three passes could carry bulk trade. Gizmagrad fortified the southern approaches, taxed ore and financed roads that conveniently ended at Delacroix warehouses. The Great Northern Rush enriched the city even after dozens of rival routes were attempted.
During the Drowning, engineers and war-mages broke ancient barriers between high lakes. Valleys became spillways and parts of the range collapsed. The disaster opened new navigable channels through the mountains, ending the old monopoly while drowning towns on both sides.
The present record
The Crownspines now contain sea locks, cliff ports and abandoned dry roads hundreds of feet above the water. Harthane clans control many surviving heights, while Seven Ports companies lease mines below them.
A low vibration known as the Mountain Pulse has grown stronger since the Opening of the Deep Roads. It is felt most clearly near mines where the stone bleeds.
Notes and record
This article combines campaign record, spoken lore and the mythic account preserved in the Earin archive.