Galuil Mountains

The Galuil Mountains were a small isolated mountain range in the north of the realm of Ulgarth, standing beside the Golden Water, in southeast Faerûn. They were commonly called the Mountains of Gold for their appearance, but might be better termed the Iron Mountains for their primary resource.

Description
At sunset, sunlight reflected from the Golden Water fell on the peaks of the Galuil Mountains, illuminating them with a yellow sheen, almost as if made of gold—hence their nickname, "the Mountains of Gold". Furthermore, from the coastal city of Surbar in the southwest, the Galuil Mountains were particularly picturesque at sunrise in spring. Thus travelers knew the Galuil Mountains to be the most beautiful in all the Shining South.

Industry
The business of the Galuil Mountains was mining. True to their name, the eastern slopes held gold mines, but a great deal of iron was excavated in the range, such that "Iron Mountains" might be a more appropriate name. These mines were not especially rich, but they were profitable. The gold and iron ran through Ulgarth's capital city, Orvyltar.

Settlers in the mountains also cultivated lumber and fruit that suited the cooler climate found at the higher elevation of the mountains. These were traded to the low-land cities.

Locations
The mining city of Dralpur stood on the eastern slopes of the mountains, while the coastal city of Surbar lay away to the southwest.

Inhabitants
By 1358 DR, many Ulgarthian citizens had settled in the hills and lower slopes of the mountains. They worked in the eastern mines, and in the fruit and lumber trades.

A small number of dwarves also lived in the mountains, working the mines and prospecting for veins. Many were employed by Ulgarthians, but mostly they remained apart from Ulgarth's feudal society except when they came to trade, and even then stayed only briefly.

However, deep under the very center of the Galuil Mountains, was a tribe of gray dwarves, bitter cousins to the surface dwarves. Not knowing the surface land to be inhabitants, the gray dwarves were pursuing the same veins of gold as the surface dwarves and Ulgarthians. At their rate of progress, they were projected to encounter one another around 1361 DR, and this would almost certainly lead to conflict.

From the mid–12th century on, the Ulgarthians had actively driven monstrous creatures out of the mountains, so few monsters and no tribes or other groups remained by the mid–14th century. Nevertheless, griffins remained and preyed upon horses in the surrounding plains.

Reputation
Despite their settlement and mining, the Ulgarthians actually knew very little about the mountains. No explorers had journeyed into their center.