Marching Mountains The Marching Mountains were a heavily forested mountain range on the northern border of Calimshan . Geography . The Marching Mountains ran east to west and , together with the River Agis , which flowed west from its peaks , formed the Calishite border with Tethyr . Geographical Features . The mountains were surrounded by foothills , and these southern hills were the site of many manors ; due to the cooler temperatures at higher elevation , rich Calishite s would rest here during the hot summers . The tallest mountain in the range ( Mount Gommat ) was 8 , 500 feet , while the average was just below a mile . The taller peaks , ( all those above 6 , 500 feet , ) were in the interior of the range , and the lower mountains were broad . The variation in elevations was wide , so the Marching Mountains were full of many hidden valleys and ravines . The mountains contained iron of a particularly dark hue , and this was used to craft " shoonring s " with combat or defensive properties . In the winter , snow would cover the tops of the higher mountains , but only exceedingly rarely would the snow ever reach below 6 , 600 feet . The Calim River , River Agis , and Bakkal ' s Creek and the Two Falls River , which merged together to form the River of Ice , were all fed by melting snows from the Marching Mountains . Flora and Fauna . Except for within 1 , 300 feet of the summit of Mount Gommat , the range was entirely covered in from the Forest of Mir . The Marching Mountains were home to a wide variety and high populations of birds of prey . Of note among such birds was the green kestrel , a hawk only found in these mountains and prized by Calishite falconers . Wyverns lived in the mountains and would prey upon the herds of mountain goats also present there . Pegasi of chestnut coloring were once extant in the mountains but were hunted to extinction during the Shoon era . Trade and Travel . The remains of ancient dwarven bridges from the days of Shanatar still existed as late as the fourteenth century DR from where they used to cross the treacherous ravines , but the only passage across such places in later times required paying tolls to the ogre s who guarded rope bridges . To descend into the valleys and bypass the toll bridges was to risk landslides , monsters , or getting lost . High winds made most travel by air over the peaks dangerous . By 1369 DR , the Twisted Rune had placed a magical gate in the area to allow for instantaneous movement to other locations . History . The Marching Mountains received their current name around - 5960 DR , when the Axemarch Stone was dedicated at the founding of High Shanatar and dwarves marched into the plains north of the mountains in what later became the kingdom of Tethyr . Rumors and Legends . Some folk claimed that pegasi still lived in small numbers in the Marching Mountains , yet most folk dismissed this view . A story was told that on one of the easternmost foothills of the Marching Mountains , called Argentor , King Strohm III of Tethyr and his general fought an army of drow in the eight century DR . Supposedly , the two by themselves slew 5 , 000 drow during a that lasted two days . Rumored to be the children of the gods , perhaps the most legendary tales of the Marching Mountains revolve around the Abbalaya r , a human tribe who had gained innate powers of divination . If one could find their hidden city of Ul ' sahab , one would find peace , love , and infinite knowledge . In 1370 DR , a rumor began spreading about an enormous aurumvorax the size of a dragon in the area around Ruler ' s Ridge . It was also rumored that the Duergar had built a large complex in the mountains , which has since been abandoned . Inhabitants . Groups . The mountains were known to be home to orc s and ogres , in addition to other monster races , such as goblin s , kobold s , and sylvan folk . Fomorian giants and deepspawn are among the more deadly monsters known to have existed in these mountains . The Janessar had several bases there ( as noted above ) . Many hin had holdings in the hidden interior vales and on the northern slopes . These frequently moving communities would keep in touch with each other through use of messenger pigeons . While not as legendary as commonly believed , the Abbalayar did in fact live on the holy mountain of Mount Abbalayat , though only they knew the secret way into their city .