Vryrol Mountains

== Overview ==
The Vryvol Mountain Range lies on L'keill's western coast, forming a natural border against the ocean. They make up one of the tallest mapped mountain ranges in Atherion, and are very rich in minerals and metals, giving many cause to brave their sheer heights and deep caverns. The rock face is hard as bedrock but brittle and prone to cave-ins if too much force is applied, making man-made tunneling very impractical. 
== Mining ==
There are a large number of mining operations going on in and around the Vryrol Mountains at all times of the year, leading to several skirmishes between the Order, the Guardian Remnants, and sometimes independent forces. The caves are rich in metals rare and common, along with certain key ingredients for strong alloys used to make airship armor and similar substances. 
The foothills around the mountains are valuable enough, but in addition to the metal and mineral mines, there are a surprising number of Aura Crystal filled caves in the higher reaches, making the area even more valuable.
The complex nature of the cave systems combined with the hard-to-reach cavern entrances and chance of finding hostile forces make mining risky enough without factoring in the weather or the Grimm that seem drawn to the raw Crystal.
== Climate ==
The foothills around the mountain are often subject to high winds and sudden storms, but the weather is bearable year around. Up where the true wealth of resources is, however, the paths are few and sheer, and many areas are too dangerous to navigate by foot or air alone, forcing miners to traverse difficult paths in a lower oxygen environment. This often leads to death by falling, rather than more mundane hazards like enemy gunfire or Grimm. During the winter, the higher paths are nearly inaccessible due to the heavy snowfall and gale-force winds.
== Risks ==
Other than death by falling, hypothermia, severe frostbite, falling rocks, competition, or murder, prospectors in the Vryvol Mountain must also contend with wildlife and Grimm. Territorial Stonetalon eagles make their aeries in the middling heights, and do not take kindly to trespassers. Beyond that, Grimm birds make their roosts in the higher peaks, where the only creatures that ever go higher than them are Dragons or Phoenixes. Once one finally makes it into the caves, they must then contend with Grimm and other, less pleasant creatures of darkness, while avoiding pitfalls and watching out for the possibility of crossing paths with other mining groups.
Category:Locations