Kharakun

Kharakun
Capital	Sunspire Mascezel
Ruler	Various
Government	City-level monarchies united under the Council of Above and Below
Demonym	Kharakunan
Adjective	Kharakunan
Languages	Dwarven, Jotun
Religions	TODO

Kharakun (pronounced kah-rah-KOON) is a nation within the Khurazar Mountains. The cities of Kharakun tower high into the heavens, massive spires built on top of the mountain peaks. Sun giants live alongside the largely dwarven population of the region. Deep underground, the caves under the mountains provide a bounty of gems and crystals.

Geography, flora, and fauna

Geography and climate

Kharakun lies entirely within the peaks and foothills of the Khurazar Mountains, on the western side of the mountain range before it reaches the Gulf of Aserdus. The climate of the region varies greatly, from the cold, snow-covered mountaintops, to the temperate valleys and alpine meadows, to the foothills bordering tropical Brightmarch or the arid desert of the Sangora Desolation. The mountains vary from rocky ridges and summits free of vegetation to tree-covered slopes.

Flora and fauna

The flora of the mountains varies greatly. Tropical forests grow in the western foothills, while grasses, flowers, and evergreen oaks are common on the mountainsides and in the valleys. In drier parts, giant groundsels and lobelias can be found. At the highest peaks, there is frequently little vegetation aside from mosses that cling to the rocks.

Animals as varied as macaques, leopards, mountain goats, badgers, lions, ibises, bears, elephants, and hartebeests can be found wild in Kharakun. Among magical creatures, drakes, tatzlwyrms, ankhegs, and ankhravs are particularly common in Kharakun.

Crystal caves

Beneath the mountains, extensive cave systems run for countless miles. In many of these, large multicolored crystals protrude from all surfaces, like the inside of a geode expanded to a massive scale. The border between the Material Plane and the Plane of Earth is remarkably thin in much of the region, and crystals that formed in an extraplanar environment have been shunted across planar boundaries. These caves have an alien beauty to them, but they come with their own dangers. Travel can be treacherous and slow, and any lights lit to guide the way can allow dangerous creatures to hide amongst the reflections and refraction caused when the the illumination reaches the faces of the crystals.

Many creatures can be found in the crystal caves, some of which are native to the Plane of Earth. Carnivorous crystals are a constant hazard in the underground, able to hide amongst the crystal outcroppings. More of a nuisance than a threat, the scorpion-like crysmals are common as well. Once in a rare while travelers or miners in the caves might stumble across a crystal dragon, though fortunately for all involved these dragons usually prefer to remain near their lairs deep underground.

Demographics

The majority of the inhabitants of Kharakun are dwarves. Though they are highly influential in the culture of the region, sun giants account for a much smaller segment of the population. Much smaller numbers of individuals of other ancestries, particularly humans, fetchlings, and ratfolk, live within the cities of the dwarves, while elves are somewhat common in the sun giant communities.

Many kobolds live under the Khurazar Mountains within Kharakun as well.

Some mountain trolls are known to live in particularly remote parts of the mountains. As long as they are afforded the proper respect, these trolls are known to aid passerby at times. Rather more aggressive and less intelligent, rock trolls can be found across the crystal caves.

Some pechs live in caverns within the crystal caves, dwelling in small communities carefully hidden from outsiders. A few pechs work alongside the dwarven miners of Kharakun, but most want little to do with the broader world.