Boundary Mountains
| Boundary Mountains | |
|---|---|
| Image |  |
| Location | Western Terasil, bordering the Highlands |
| Realm | Terasil |
| Highest Peak | Vorl-Kharn |
| Climate | Cold, arid highlands; extreme weather at higher elevations |
| Inhabitants | Duranthi |
Introduction
The Boundary Mountains are a formidable range marking the westernmost border of Terasil, separating Duranthi lands from the Sirel Coast. Their towering, iron-rich peaks and jagged ridges form a natural defense.
The southern pass through the range is fortified by Shem-Kal, a strategic outpost, while the town of Hek-Val, carved into the mountain’s lower slopes, serves as a key trade and defense hub. In the north, the settlement of Men-Kal sits high in the Boundary Mountains guarding the northern pass.
Etymology
The name "Boundary Mountains" reflects their historical and symbolic role as the final barrier between Terasil and the lands beyond.
Geography
The Boundary Mountains stretch along Terasil’s western frontier, forming a steep, nearly impassable ridge.
Major Landmarks
- Vorl-Kharn – The highest peak, standing as an unconquered monolith of iron and black stone.
- The Iron Wall – A continuous ridgeline of nearly vertical peaks.
Geology
The range is famous for its iron-rich composition.
Climate
The Boundary Mountains experience harsh, unpredictable weather, with strong winds and extreme temperature shifts. At lower Slopes the climate is hot, arid and rocky, with occasional hardy vegetation. In the higher Peaks, cold and windswept conditions persist, with perpetual frost covering the highest summits.
Settlements
Despite its harsh conditions, the Boundary Mountains house important Orasian strongholds.
Shem-Kal
A fortress guarding the southern pass, ensuring that no unwanted forces enter Terasil.
Hek-Val
A stone-hewn town, positioned along the eastern slopes, acting as a trade and defense hub.
Men-Kal
The last bastion of Terasil’s northern frontier, Men-Kal sits high in the Boundary Mountains where the land meets the dense, untamed expanse of the forest realm beyond. Men-Kal is a place of watchers, wardens, and sentinels.
The settlement is built into the **rock face of a sheer cliff**, its structures reinforced against the relentless winds that howl through the pass. **Towering stone watchposts** line its western edge, their narrow slits eternally scanning the forests of Celyndor. Orasians in Men-Kal rarely lower their guard, for they believe the mountains protect them from more than just invaders—**they keep out things that should never set foot in Terasil.**
Men-Kal is not a place for the faint-hearted. **Only the hardiest Orasians are sent here, bound by oath to hold the mountain and the pass against whatever may come.**
Economy
While rich with iron, the nature of the stone has proved to difficult to mine for economy.