Mindspin Mountains

For another meaning of "Mindspin", please see Mindspin.

The Mindspin Mountains are a range of mountains that begin on the Storval Plateau in eastern Varisia and stretch south for several hundred miles before petering out north of the Menador Mountains.

Etymology

Belkzen orc legends claim that the mountain range earned its name from a monumental pub crawl that Cayden Cailean lead a group of orcs on, which spun their very minds.

Geography

As a natural barrier, they form the border between several nations. In the south, the mountains form part of the western border of Nirmathas and separate dark Nidal and Molthune. In addition, the newly founded hobgoblin nation of Oprak is located almost entirely within the southern mountain range. In the north, they form the border between Varisia and the Hold of Belkzen, Nirmathas, and Nidal.

Inhabitants

The northern section of the Mindspin Mountains, particularly between Varisia and the Hold of Belkzen, is considered a death-trap to all but the most experienced explorers. They are filled with giants (including fire giants), ogres, trolls, and all other manner of dangerous beasts. The abundance of such unpleasant life may be one of the reasons that the Mindspin Mountains form such an effective border between the two nations. The Broken Spine orc tribe occupy an abandoned keep in the eastern foothills of the Mindspin Mountains within the Hold of Belkzen. The northern Mindspins also contain a number of important Thassilonian ruins including the ones called the Sleeper and Sech Nevali.

The mountains are also populated by dwarves—mostly trappers and miners—who have settlements in the area. They explore the mountains, eager to uncover evidence of their old ancestral homes. Troops from nearby Janderhoff also patrol the region in an effort to ensure the security of locations that interest them, such as Crystalrock. The sky citadel of Kraggodan can also be found in the southern Mindspins.

The central reaches of Mindspin Mountains near the Bloodsworn Vale are inhabited by the flame drakes who escaped the taming of the Vale in 4707 AR. These violent draconic creatures have begun conspiring with both giants and evil fey to wreak a terrible vengeance on the Bloodsworn Vale's civilised inhabitants. The Hellknight Citadel Vraid of the Order of the Nail is also located within the western spur of the mountains.

The southern tip of the mountain range, between the nations of Nidal and Molthune, is home to Tintavex, a unique half-dragon griffon born from a magical accident. The range is also home to the Juggerloathe, the hellish spawn of a bulette and Lamashtu's divine herald Yethazmari that has menaced the regions for centuries, sometimes regurgitating its victims as terrifying undead bodaks.

The red dragon Tsazgatherax lairs below the Mindspin Mountains and entrusts her eggs to the protection of the Embermaw clan, a tribe of particularly strong red-scaled kobolds.

References

Paizo published a major article about the Mindspin Mountains in Forge of the Giant God p 64ff., and a large poster map in the Giantslayer Poster Map Folio.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.