The Knifepoint Mountains

The Knifepoint mountains are a broad range of high mountains that form Iskloft's southern border. Their snow-capped heights have little flora and fauna, and those that choose to live here often rely on raiding to survive. Even the safest of passes are a gauntlet of jagged rocks, icy slopes, and dangerous weather. This region once formed the heart of the ancient dwarven empire, and is still riddled with abandoned mines and ancient subterranean cities.

Reachwind
Often called the gateway to Iskloft, Reachwind is the first port of call for traders heading for Iskloft. The riches this provides mean that while it is far from the larger cities the Jarl of Reachwind still has significant sway over the nation's politics. While there are areas of farmland south of Reachwind, and the forests to the north contain some game, the vast majority of the town's requirements are met by the caravans that travel through.

The Redhill Cidermill is famed throughout Iskloft for it's delicious and potent drinks. Those that are looking for a strong drink will often ask for Redhill.

Volksgorod
Under the Knifepoint mountains' highest peak lies the ancient dwarven capital Volksgorod. The city once housed tens of thousands of dwarves, living and working deep beneath the earth. It was once the primary exporter of metals and magic in Iskloft, until it's fall over a thousand years ago. The city's mining and metallurgy were powered by ancient and powerful magic, kept secret by the King's lineage. Flues and conduits to direct magical energy from a hidden source provided the power to open portals to the outer planes, but could also be re-directed to fuel their defenses.

For reasons unknown outside the oldest of dwarven families Volksgorod was abandoned, its people fleeing an unnamed evil and spreading far and wide. The city has been sporadically re-populated by disparate groups, with areas now bearing no resemblance to their original construction due to centuries of modification. While some of the myriad secret entrances have been discovered, there are still countless hidden passageways that may lead to the treasures of the ancient dwarves.

The People of the Knifepoints
The knifepoint mountains are home to a wide variety of races, though some are significantly more prevalent than others. The southern foothills are dominated by humans, with a mixture of Nordic and Aquilan ancestry. Higher into the mountains scattered populations of dwarves and mountain elves make their homes, while roving bands of orcs migrate between their ancestral strongholds. More frightening still are the mountains' more monstrous residents, including families of trolls and ogres, that demand tribute from those attempting to cross the high passes.