Nether Mountains

The Nether Mountains were a chain of dark peaks that once marked the boundary between the ancient empires of Netheril and Delzoun.

History
Many travelers avoided these peaks, because several orc tribes laired in the region, such as the Thousand Fists and the Ripped Gut tribes who fought ferociously over the Moon Pass, a large gorge that split the mountains into its eastern and western ranges. Around 1372 DR, the orcs made an uneasy truce, making them an even greater threat to anyone traveling the region.

Geography
The greatest danger within these mountains were an entire clan of blue dragons known as the Morueme which resided in Morueme's Cave on the high slope of the mountain peak aptly named Dragondoom. The dragons' threat was only enhanced by the servitude of a large tribe of hobgoblins called the Red Flayers, who maintain the Doomspire, a citadel carved into the rock, and protect their masters with an almost deific reverence.

Mountains

 * Dalagar's Dagger
 * The highest peak in the northeast. Also known as a Dragon's Graveyard.


 * Orcsblood Peak
 * Found just east of Dalagar's Dagger; the orc fortress Baraskur was located here.


 * Dragondoom
 * Located in the eastern end of the Nether Mountains; Morueme's Cave and the Doomspire were located here.


 * Ladypeak
 * Located at the westernmost end of the mountains.


 * Mount Ieldroun
 * One of the tallest mountains east from the Moon Pass.


 * Mount Thorog
 * The other of the two tallest mountains east from the Moon Pass.

Caves and caverns

 * Morueme's Cave
 * Home of the Morueme clan of blue dragons.


 * Thousand Maws
 * Home to the Thousand Fists orc tribe.

Valleys

 * High Thorog
 * A valley located between Mount Thorog and Mount Ieldroun.


 * Moon Pass
 * An ancient gorge through which the River Rauvin flowed splitting the eastern and western section of the Nether Mountains.


 * Silverymoon Pass
 * This pass separated the two sections of the western end.


 * Turnstone Pass
 * The pass which the road from Sundabar to Ascalhorn, but around 1372 DR, it was a wilderness area.

Settlements

 * Baraskur
 * A stronghold of caves containing the main settlement of the Ripped Gut orc tribe, found on the southern slopes of Orcsblood Peak.


 * Doomspire
 * A hobgoblin village guarding Morueme's Cave.


 * Rauvincross
 * A small village within the Moon Pass.


 * Hilltop
 * A tiny settlement located west of Ladypeak.

Other locations

 * Lady's Hand Monastery
 * A temple dedicated to Loviatar on Ladypeak.


 * Telkoun's Tower
 * A wizard stronghold.


 * Tombs of Deckon Thar
 * Seven tombs named after the first bandit chieftain buried here.

Inhabitants
The peaks were also home to dozens of other dangerous monster species making them one of the most inhospitable wild regions in all Faerûn. There were even suggestions that portals or deepspawn were responsible for the amazing abundance of monsters roaming the higher slopes of the Nether Mountains. For those daring enough to brave the dangers, gold, silver, and copper could be mined in quantity. Finally, many adventurers hunted the mountains in search of the legends of lost caches of Netherese magic.

Following the destruction of Hellgate Keep in 1369 DR, five tribes of displaced tanarukka began to wander these mountains, numbering over 1,200 in all.


 * Blood of Morueme : A clan of blue dragons that laired in the easternmost peaks.
 * Ripped Gut : An orc tribe which lived on the northern slopes.
 * Thousand Fists : The orc tribe who resided on the southern slopes.