Ghyll:Sarfelogian Mountains

Located in the northern region of known Ghyll, the Sarfelogian Mountains are the oldest mountains on our world. Green and ancient, they stand like a stony crown on the maps of Ghyll. From the foothills of the Evesque Valley north to Jorvyll, this range is the much-eroded remains of a great mass formed by folding. Consisting of primarily sedimentary rocks with folded bands of light-and dark-colored minerals, they have been compared to the folds and swirls in a marble cake.

Its highest peak is Kluvat Peak (70.7 lunanits) located at the south-western edge of Jorvyll. The mountains are rich with Pziqq trees which generally mark the sites of rich mineral deposits. There is an ongoing debate about the ecological decline of the famed "mountain meadows" as a result of the mining and counter-mining of these (mostly) worthless materials in the Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement.

The term Sarfelogia is a name that applies to parts of the region that have long been characterized by marginal economy, isolation of its people from the Ghyll mainstream, and distinctive folkways. The Sarfelogian repeating musket is a distinctive and highly accurate weapon in the hands of a practiced marksman. To date, there have only been three individuals positively identified as Sarfelogians and they were the target of much ridicule and scorn (which may explain why it has been so difficult to identify more of them).

The scenic ranges also abound in trails, paths, passes and crude roads built by the Keglacians over the centuries. Many of these routes feature breathtaking vistas and are popular spots for camping and recreational travel. Roads leading to Nesting caves are constantly well-maintained and were it not for the relative safety of travel on the well-constructed highways, the practice of "Natural Nesting" might well have gone the way of autocannibalism as a viable practice.

If not for the efforts of clever natives, the mountains would probably be impassable as there are almost no natural routes through the range. Travel around the range is generally the preferred method, although the only places to go out there are villages like Dŵplat – and who wants to go there?

Citations: Endlessly Rising Staircase Movement, Nesting, Orthogonality.

--Dr. H. L. Ackroyd 14:58, 23 Feb 2005 (EST)