Geology of the Old World

The Old World as it appears now, started out as a series of independent islands that collided together.

The Wendarian Range is the oldest of the mountain ranges. It is the result of a smaller island colliding into the mainland. Recent expeditions out to the Wendarian Range shows that they are actually composed of gneiss, not basalt as has been previously reported. The gneiss is a result of previous rocks being changed during the collision. Offshore, coral reefs grew in abundance.

Further to today's south, the Ierendi and Minrothad islands were forming through the calm eruption of lava onto the ocean floor. As time went on, these islands grew with the eruption of more lava, forming islands made of basalt.

Long ago these islands started to move towards the Wendarian Range. When the "northern"-most island collided with the coral reefs, the reefs and ocean floor rose up the side of the island forming the Cruth Mountains. As more islands collided the Black Peak Mountains grew. The northern foothills of the Cruth Mountains are limestone in composition, and then switch into gabbro with layers of diabase. As the Cruth Mountains change into the Black Peak Mountains, the rock type changes from gabbro to basalt. The gabbro contains large hornblende crystals. Previous explorers have noted the presence of hornblende in the Cruth Mountains. It is believed that collision did not continue for very long, as the Cruth and Black Peak Mountains are relatively low (4,000' to 4,500').

As time went on, coral reefs continued to grow in the shallow ocean between the Wendarian Range, the Cruth and Black Peak Mountains, the Ierendi and Minrothad islands.

During this time, it is believed that a large island to the "east," with a large mountain range composed of gneiss, was shedding sediment into the surrounding water forming sandstone. This mountain range is the present day Makkres Range. Further away from the shore of the island, coral reefs grew in clear warm water. The ocean between the Makkres Range island and the Black Peak Mountains began to close. This was accomplished by a crack forming in the ocean floor to the east of the Black Peak Mountains. The ocean floor to the west of this crack was then swallowed up and melted. The resulting molten rock then rose and formed the Altan Tepes through explosive volcanism. As the Altan Tepes continued to grow, the Makkres Range moved closer and the ocean shrank further. Finally the Makkres Range collided with the Altan Tepes, crushing the sandstone and coral reefs (limestone) in between, forming the Sardal and Hardanger Ranges.

All was quiet for the numerous unknown years. Sediment was eroded form the Altan Tepes, Sardal, Hardanger Ranges, and Makkres Massif, filling the space between the Altan Tepes and Hardanger Range, allowing it to rise above water level.

Years later, the "southern" mountain ranges started moving "northward" and the sediment (sandstone) and coral reefs (limestone) started to get crushed and pushed above water level. Volcanism was also associated with this "collision." During this collision, the Kurish Massifs, Glantrian Alps, and Colossus Mountains were formed. The Silver Sierra Hills also formed at this time. The ocean that existed between the Wendarian Range and the "southern" mountain ranges dried up.

The whole continent then shifted northward being covered by glaciers, and the water level dropped, exposing the southern volcanoes (the tips of which are the present day Ierendi and Minrothad islands).

At BC 3000, the planet shifted, placing the continent in warmer climates and the glaciers started to melt. All remained quiet until BC 1700. At this time a great explosion occurred. This event cracked the surrounding land and built up the Silver Sierra Hills into the Silver Sierra Mountains. The Broken Land Mountains were also formed at this time.

To the southwest, the Hardanger Mountains appeared to grow higher. What was actually happening is the land to the north and south was falling. The Ierendi and Minrothad islands were formed by the cracking of the earth and submergence of the land, leaving only the highest peaks above water.

Mountain Range Descriptions

Altan Tepes

Average Altitude: 8,950'.

Rock Type: Granite and andesite.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Result of ocean closure and resulting volcanism.

Appearance: Peaks have been described as jagged, and the range itself is broad. Areas composed of andesite appear blackish-brown to greenish in colour, while the granite areas appear pink or white/grey in colour.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Passes are infrequent. Where present they are the result of glacial erosion of former river valleys. These passes are wide U-shaped valleys that follow anything but a straight line, usually branching outwards as the centre of the mountain range is approached. The length of passes are hard to determine, and they can end rapidly by climbing upward, ending with steep sides all around. This results in the travellers usually being forced to backtrack. Passes that remain broad with little change in elevation, such as the two located near Selenica (notably the King's Road to Karameikos and the valley pass to Ylaruam), offer the best chances of crossing the range. Rumours claim that the Darokin Tunnel of Rockhome is also such a pass and not a tunnel as its name implies.

Cliff faces are smooth and steep. Landslides are relatively uncommon, except in areas where the rocks appear to have numerous fractures crisscrossing the surface, and occur more often in andesite than in granite.

Minerals and Mining: Gold, silver and iron ore is present in the southern regions. It is also believed that the Altan Tepes may contain significant copper deposits, although none have been found to date.

Volcanism: Only one active volcano is present in Northern Rockhome, near the ruins of Jhyrrad. This is an explosive volcano often spewing ash into the air. Every so often it explodes, sending huge chunks of hot rocks into the air, and hot landslide roar down the side of the mountain wiping out anything in its way.

Black Mountains

Average Altitude: 15,000'.

Rock Type: Reported as gneiss by previous expeditions.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Unknown.

Appearance: Is known to contain lots of glaciers.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Avalanches and earthquakes have been known to affect the area.

Minerals and Mining: Unknown.

Volcanism: Unknown.

Black Peak Mountains

Average Altitude: 4,500'.

Rock Type: Basalt.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Collision of the "southern" region with the coral reefs surrounding the Wendarian Range.

Appearance: Peaks are ebony in colour and often jagged. Pillow-like shapes are often visible in cliffs, as well as numerous tube-like caves. The rocks are sharp, with lots of black glass around.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Passes are usually in the form of narrow chasms, with steep sided walls that may extend hundreds of feet into the air. These passes usually form long lines that gradually become shallower, with their extent being related to the height of the surrounding walls. High pass walls indicate that the pass will continue for quite a distance. Pass walls are solid, but rocks may be knocked loose on rare occasions.

Travellers should be wary of steep slopes, as they are usually composed of loose rocks. Avalanches are easily caused by travellers knocking down rocks as they scramble along steep slopes. Falling is not suggested, for the effect would be the same as falling down a hill of broken glass.

Caves are tube-like in form and wind randomly. Elevation changes within caves are generally gradual. Walls are smooth, with the roof showing small stalactites. Cave floors are often littered with broken rocks, but other than that, are quite passable. The caves form a branching pattern, combining with other branches and becoming larger, as one travels inward.

One final warning to travellers... Although the ground may appear solid, thin crusts of rock can easily give way, depending on the traveller's weight. The poor victim may fall into a chasm or into a cave, either way they will be cut by the sharp edges of the crust.

Minerals and Mining: Unknown.

Volcanism: None.

Broken Lands

Average Altitude: 10,000'.

Rock Type: Sandstone.

Age of Formation: BC 1700.

Formation: The Broken Lands are the result of a great explosion that cracked the land.

Appearance: The Broken Lands are high, rocky, and treacherous hills. The area is brownish in colour.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Passes in the area should be frequent due to all the fractures. These passes are usually straight, with steep-sided walls that are very prone to rockslides. Two main passes/trails lead through the area following the Streel and Vesubia Rivers.

The Broken Lands are full of caves and tunnels. The caves are usually the result of wind erosion. The walls are smooth and rounded. Tunnels were probably formed by rivers at one time, through most are dry now, and are gently sloping with rounded ceilings. Travellers should beware of abrupt breaks-in tunnels. Many tunnels are also blocked off due to collapsed roofs. It is believed that these tunnels existed before the formation of the Broken Lands.

Climbing should be relatively easy in the Broken Lands. Although there are lots of cliff faces, many contain abundant ledges that can be followed. It is also easy to travel from one ledge to another. The traveller should be watchful for unstable ledges that can give way.

The landscape is littered with rock pillars standing on wider bases and smooth curving arches. There are many places to hide. Paths, where they exist, usually follow wide, deep cracks in the land, making it difficult to get off a path in a hurry. Land between paths is difficult to move through, and will require climbing, lots of jumping, effort and time.

Minerals and Mining: Copper, gold, tin and jade are mined in the area. Most of the copper, gold and jade are found near old river valleys.

Volcanism: The area is still volcanically active, as lava has been noted beneath the surface. Minor non-explosive volcanoes are present, occasionally erupting small lava flows composed of basalt.

Colossus Mountains

Average Altitude: 18,500'.

Rock Type: Schist and marble.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Collision of southern mountain ranges and the coral reefs and sediments to the south of the Wendarian Mountains.

Appearance: The Colossus Mountains resemble a series of sheets that have been folded and then thrust into the air, forming steep, smooth cliff faces. The mountain range is dark grey to whitish in colour, appears silver in some areas when the sunlight hits it.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: There is one known pass which crosses these mountains: Skullhorn Pass. There are also two main river valleys that extend a good distance into the range. Travel is extremely difficult, unless one is following a river valley or pass. There are numerous small streams in the area, as well as many waterfalls, all leading into the larger rivers.

Rocks are smooth, and make climbing very difficult. The treat of landslides is very high, as huge slabs can break off and slide down steep cliff faces with little warning. The exception to this is where marble is located. In theses areas the rocks are more rounded, often light in colour, and more stable.

The landscape is beautiful and bands can be seen in the cliffs, where the rocks change from marble to schist and back.

Minerals and Mining: Quarrying of marble, and mining for minerals such as garnet, siliminite, and jadeite occur in this region.

Volcanism: There is one known active volcano in this range. It is explosive in nature and lately has only erupted ash clouds into the air. It is believed the treat of an all-out eruption is nearing and that travellers along Skullhorn Pass should be on alert. A major eruption of this volcano would result in lots of molten rocks being thrown into the air, and an extremely hot rock and gas "landslide" would roar down the side of the volcano, at incredible speeds. This "landslide" would follow the valleys. It may even end up extending as far as the settlements of Skullhorn in Bramyra.

Cruth Mountains

Average Altitude: 4,000'.

Rock Type: Ultramafic and mafic rocks such as: peridotite, hornblendite, gabbro, and diabase.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Collision of "southern" islands with the reefs and ocean floor to the "south" of the Wendarian Range, resulted in the ocean floor rising up the side of the islands forming the Cruth Mountains.

Appearance: The range is black in colour with a distinctive greenish tinge. Mountaintops are rounded in appearance. Landslides are very common in regions where the rocks are soft, and very green, due to weathering.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: There is one main known pass that crosses the range (the road from Darokin to Shireton). The rocks are soft in many areas and passes are not uncommon. Travelling along the smaller passes is often dangerous, due to the frequency of landslides. Smaller passes can often be blocked by these same landslides.

Caves are extremely infrequent. Where present they are often irregular in shape, and have jagged entrances that are well hidden. The cave floors are littered with broken rocks. Individual caves can on occasion be linked to other caves by tunnels.

Travel is fairly easy if one stays to the beaten path. Climbing for the inexperienced is not recommended, and proves very difficult and time consuming even for the experts. If you must climb it is suggested that you try to find an area where two river valleys meet. The slope between the two rivers will be the best method of reaching a ridge. Once one is on a ridge they are broad and easy to follow. The only disadvantage is that they are at a higher altitude, meaning colder weather with higher winds.

Minerals and Mining: Unknown.

Volcanism: None known.

Diamond Spurs

Average Altitude: 4,500'.

Rock Type: Basalt.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Old volcanoes that formed underwater, were exposed and then recently flooded.

Appearance: The mountains are made up of a series of cone-shaped volcanoes. The rocks are dark grey to black in colour with large pink feldspar crystals.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Travelling is relatively easy if one stays off the cone-shaped volcanoes. Volcano slopes are not that steep, but the surface is made up of broken pieces of rock that are easily displaced to start landslides. These rocks contain a lot of glass and will cut deeply if someone falls on them.

Minerals and Mining: Unknown, although metals should be present.

Volcanism: The volcanoes are active and explosive in nature. Presently only erupting ash, they can erupt hot chunks of rocks, and glowing ash clouds that can roar down the mountain at incredible speed destroying anything in their path.

Glantrian Alps

Average Altitude: 20,250'.

Rock Type: Schist and marble.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Collision of southern mountain ranges and sediments to the south of the Wendarian Mountains.

Appearance: The Glantrian Alps are very similar in appearance to the Colossus Mountains. They resemble a series of sheets that have been folded and then thrust into the air, forming steep, smooth cliff faces. The mountain range is dark grey to whitish in colour.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: There are no commonly known passes through this range, although it is possible that some may exist. The traveller should assume that passes are scarce to non-existent and that passing through the range will be extremely difficult.

Rocks are smooth, and make climbing very difficult. The treat of landslides is very high, as huge slabs can break off and slide down steep cliff faces with little warning. The exception to this is where marble is located. In theses areas the rocks are more rounded, often light in colour, and more stable.

The landscape is beautiful and bands can be seen in the cliffs, where the rocks change from marble to schist and back.

Minerals and Mining: Marble building stone is quarried in the mountains. Gold and precious gems are mined.

Volcanism: The Glantrian Alps contain one active explosive volcano, which occasionally spews ash clouds into the air. No other activity has been noted recently.

Hardanger Range

Average Altitude: 10,000'.

Rock Type: Limestone and sandstone.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: The collision of the Makkres Range with the Altan Tepes crushed the sandstone and coral reefs (limestone) in between, forming the Hardanger Range.

Appearance: The range is grey and yellow/brown in colour. Peaks are sharp and appear as through a series of sheets were thrust into the air. The region is riddled with huge caverns.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: The main pass through these mountains is the road from Cinsa-Men-Noo to Castellan. There are no other widely known passes, although following streams may offer travellers another method of crossing the range, but with the effect that they will have to travel at higher altitudes.

Caverns riddle the range, mainly in the limestone sections of the range. These caverns are huge, and are connected through extensive tunnel systems. The roofs often display stalactites, and stalagmites are present on the floor. Size changes between caverns and tunnels can be abrupt and drastic. Travellers should keep in mind that even though a tunnel starts out large it can rapidly narrow and become impassable.

Minerals and Mining: Flint is present throughout the range. Limestone is also quarried for building stone.

Volcanism: No known volcanoes exist within this range.

Icereach Range

Average Altitude: 14,000'.

Rock Type: Gneiss.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Unknown.

Appearance: The mountains have been described as tall and hard-edged.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Unknown.

Minerals and Mining: Iron.

Volcanism: Unknown.

Ierendi Uplands

Average Altitude: 9,000'.

Rock Type: Trachyte and alkaline basalt.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Old volcanoes that formed underwater, were exposed and then recently flooded.

Appearance: The mountains are made up of a series of cone-shaped volcanoes. The rocks are light grey to greenish (trachyte) and dark grey to black (alkaline basalt) in colour.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Passes are very abundant in the area. Travellers just have to go around the volcanoes or between then. Those attempting this should read the section on volcanism below though.

Climbing up volcanoes is tricky due to all the loose rocks on the surface. Falling is not recommended as the rocks contain lots of glass.

Minerals and Mining: Unknown.

Volcanism: Numerous active volcanoes exist in the uplands. These volcanoes are usually explosive and therefore very dangerous. Explosive eruptions seem to be preceded by huge clouds of ash, spewed into the air. Less explosive lava flows also occur and are usually black in colour. Travellers are warned to stay away from active volcanoes as they can erupt with little warning.

Kurish Massif

Average Altitude: 12,500'.

Rock Type: Andesite, sediments, granite, and marlestone.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Collision of southern mountain ranges and sediments to the south of the Wendarian Mountains.

Appearance: The range appears worn down, with lots of passes. Rocks are black, grey, pink, and white in colour.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Travel is easier than in some of the adjacent ranges, since the Kurish Massif has been worn down for a longer period of time. Passes are frequent and have been widened by glaciers, in broad U-shaped valleys that change little in elevation.

Caves are not very common, except in the marlestone. These caves are not extremely stable and commonly have the roofs collapse inward.

Valley walls are steep and difficult to climb. Rockslides are common along valley walls soon after and during the spring meltdown.

Minerals and Mining: Unknown, although the mountains should contain numerous ore deposits.

Volcanism: One active ash volcano exists. At present the only activity has been ash erupted into the air. Travellers should stay away from the volcano, as it is explosive in nature and can erupt anytime, killing everything in its way.

Makkres Range

Average Altitude: 13,800'.

Rock Type: Gneiss.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Unknown.

Appearance: These mountains have been described as inhospitable and resembling teeth, with no known passes. The mountains are grey, white, black, and light pink in colour.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: A few important words: INHOSPITABLE, NO KNOWN PASSES, and TEETH, need anyone say more.

The peaks are steep and treacherous. Climbing is nearly impossible. The area is also prone to landslides. If you must travel, stick to the valleys and get a dwarf as a guide. The valleys and the existing roads are the best way of getting through the mountains.

The area is also known to contain numerous tunnels. Once again ask the dwarves.

Minerals and Mining: Mining of precious metals, and iron ore is common.

Volcanism: Two active volcanoes are present within the range. Both are explosive in nature. It is assumed that if they were to erupt they could cause significant damage through "landslides" of hot rocks and hot clouds of ash flowing down the mountainside. Recently they have only erupted clouds of ash into the air, nothing more.

Silver Sierras

Average Altitude: 17,000'.

Rock Type: Phyllite.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Collision of southern mountain ranges and the sediments to the south of the Wendarian Mountains.

Appearance: The range is red to purple and brownish-grey in colour. The peaks are jagged, as though a series of sheets were thrust up into the air.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Passes are infrequent and travelling is difficult. Cliffs are steep and smooth offering few handholds. Deep valleys are U-shaped and probably had rivers flowing through them before the glaciers moved in. Shallower V-shaped valleys also exist, but do not make good passes, since they rise quickly.

Caves are present, but not very large in extent.

Travellers should be aware that huge slabs are commonly knocked loose by earthquakes, and slide down the steep cliff faces. Mudslides are also common in the area, especially after spring runoff.

Minerals and Mining: Precious gemstones, silver, coal, sulphur, are rare ores are mined from the region.

Volcanism: No known active volcanoes are present within this range.

Wendarian Range

Average Altitude: 11,300'.

Rock Type: Gneiss.

Age of Formation: Unknown.

Formation: Unknown.

Appearance: The range is worn down with valleys and passes frequent. The rocks are pink, grey, white, and black in colour. Veins cross-cut most areas within the range.

Passes/Travelling Conditions: Passes and valleys are frequent, making travel easy. The valleys are broad U-shaped due to erosion by glaciers.

Travellers should stay away from valley walls soon after the snow melts, since the cliffs may be unstable and landslides are frequent.

Minerals and Mining: Unknown. Although numerous veins cross-cut the area, it is not known whether they contain any mineralization. Gold and precious metals should be present within the area.

Volcanism: One active ash volcano is present, but not much is known about it. It is assumed to be explosive in nature, and travellers should beware.