Mountains of Copper

The Mountains of Copper were a mountain range in the Hordelands.

Description
The Mountains of Copper were a small mountain range that formed the northern border of Murghôm, and were known for the large amount of copper ore found within.

Having been mined for hundreds of years, the mines in the mountain were deep and extensive, with some shafts going on for miles, many breaking into even older abandoned shafts, and forming a maze-like system of galleries.

The centuries of frequent mining resulted in large numbers of mine shafts being unmapped, and improperly taken care of, making collapses frequent. The lack of supervision on these old mines also allowed creatures of the Underdark, as well as bandits, to move into many of the tunnels.

On the surface, the ages of mining resulted in many slopes becoming deforested, as well as toxic chemicals from old mines to leech into the rivers and streams, making the water unfit to drink. Several peaks were covered in clouds of black smoke from the numerous smelters.

The settlements of the region were small, and covered in soot and dirt from the smelters. Stone walls or wooden stockades surrounded the towns. Mine entrances were usually located in the center of a town, with smelters surrounding it, and the homes and shops of the people surrounding those.

Murghôm was unable to properly control the area, causing monsters and bandits to be a serious problem in the region, and most towns were ruled by local miner's guilds, rather then by Murghôm itself.