Canonfire! Forums-viewtopic-The Mountains of Oerth

Sun Nov 08, 2009 2:01 pm The Mountains of Oerth

Does anyone know where I can find or does anyone have/has done any work on the elevations of the various mountain ranges of Oerth? Outside of White Plume Mountain, are there any famous or noted mountains?
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Sun Nov 08, 2009 5:11 pm

I know this has been discussed on the forums before to no certainty. It is a very intriguing topic to be sure. I guess to accurately do such a thing you can do it one of two ways...1. Research how mountains (and volcanoes) are formed and make educated elevations based on how the Flanaess must have formed. Or 2. do what Gygax and co. did and wing it.

As for named mountains, that seems like a pretty good exercise to list. Off the top of my head I can only think of the Pomarj ones, Mt. Drakenkopf, Drak Aloos and Mt. Hakentos (iirc Hakentos is the smallest). I suspect Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth may have a few.

Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:12 pm

In the real world, Colorado has over 1000 mountains that are higher than 10,000 feet in elevation.

So Greyhawk should have some pretty awesome stuff. Cool

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Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:16 pm

mortellan: the Lost Caverns reference jolted my memory - Iggwilv's Horn. There's another named peak.
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Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:28 pm Elevations

Unless I am mistaken, Anna has done some work on this, or similar. She's accustomed to seeing elevations from high altitude, and so she's got a good idea of how they look ... obviously, her maps show the product of this IRL experience. She has decided some of it in relation with the known geography, some of it is based on her own experience and what it should be like.

If memory serves, some of her maps have marked elevations listed on the for the largest of the mountains.

Idea

You might check out her maps, or contact her (via PM?), or post in her "Atlas of the Flanaess" forum thread. I am certain that she would be more than happy to discuss geography with you, and any canon sources she's familiar with for named mountains. Personally, I'd love to see her get to geek out a little bit on a topic like this. ... you know, because, she's as big a geek as I am. Shocked

Icarus
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Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:49 pm

Considering that most of the mountain ranges of the Flanaess are called "lofty" I always assume the majority have peaks averaging between 6,000 and 14,000 ft., with only the Lortmils and Glorioles being what would be called low mountains. The Lortmils are described more like the Appalachians though I assume there are a number of considerable mountains in the range, probably between 5,000 and 6,000 ft. The Glorioles are visible from Kalstrand, which is about 40 miles away from the nearest, so I'm guessing there are some decent sized peaks in that range of between 5,000 and 7,000 ft. Considering how the range made up by the Yatils, Barrier Peaks, Crystalmists, Hellfurnaces so effectively divided the Flanaess from the rest of the Oerik we might consider them to be more Himalayan-sized, having numerous peaks over 23,000 ft., especially in the Crystalmists, which are the highest. The "big" mountains of the Drachensgrabs being volcanic, I like to assume they are of considerable size (9,000 - 11,000). This is all just me guessing though, so take it for what you will.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 12:26 am

Expeditious Retreat released a very nice manual that discusses geography ad world building according to a realistic point of view:
http://www.xrpshop.citymax.com/catalog/item/3906392/3605505.htm
Could be a good read.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:44 am

I have used a wing it kind of rule that every hex traveled towards the center of a mountain range is 3000' average increase in height. Giving the largest mountain ranges about 15k' to 18k' in height at the centers. Individual mountains of course are as large as the DM cares to make them.

This has no basis in reality or any other form of existence with the exception of my mind.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 2:53 am

Actually Kaltronas that is a good rule of thumb in game and I'm positive I've done it that way too. Mountains are pushed up at plates or somesuch so it seems logical they are highest at the middle. It's the same principle as the ocean depth gradient on the Darlene map.

Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:58 pm

So far, I've been going with real-world analogues: the Crystalmist-Hellfurnace-Sulhaut ranges equate to the Rockies, the Lortmils equal to the Appalacians, the Yatils equate to the Cascades, and the Rakers-Griff ranges equate to the Scandinavian Fjällen. For smaller ranges like the Abor-alz or the Glorioles, I look to the Alps and Pyrenees. Further out to the west is where I place ranges similar to the Urals or Himalayas.
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Greyhawk is dead; long live Greyahwk! It is not heresy; I will not recant!