St. James Mountains

(return to Jerimiah Highlands)

The Mountains of the South
The St. James Mountains have existed in Geros since civilization first took a foothold in the region. It's one of only two distinct mountainous regions in the south-east area of Geros, and home to some of the oldest ruins.

The Early Days
The first humanoids to settle the land where the St. James Mountains were a large tribe of nomadic dwarves known as the Khal-Dakvir, lead by their leader Hustanvu who came south from the province now known as The Reach, the first place that was said to be settled. When Hustanvu lead his men down through the mountain valleys it was said that the great planes in the south mesmerized him greatly, and when he saw the cluster of mountains spiking up in the Jerimiah Highlands he thought they looked like a great whale's spine, coining the name The Vertebrae Peaks.

A Land of Gods
The St. James Mountains were an anomaly due to their proximity to the coast in the middle of such great and vast plains, and as such people believed that different gods put them there as a means for the gods' followers to reach them. For this reason, many churches dotted the landscape of the St. James Mountains.

St. James and his Clergy
Approximately 650 years ago a very old and wise dwarven bishop for the god Moradin who was in a pilgrimage across Geros spreading the good faith of his lord to all those who would listen. He was rich from donations to the different churches that he operated across the southern towns and cities in Geros, and was making a push eastwards to build more monuments and spread his influence. Once he reached the mountains whom had not been named to his knowledge, he decided that at the base of the tallest peak he would create a fantastic temple to Moradin to dwarf all other temples in the south. In addition to this temple, he also founded the town of Barrowhill, building first a small church to Moradin and an adjoining inn which was named St. James's Place which offers a free night's rest to anyone who follows a faith of good, even if it isn't Moradin. The temple at the base of Steady Reach took nearly forty years to build, but once it was completed it was really a masterpiece of dwarven architecture. During it's construction, passers-through the mountains and by St. James's Place to the east ended up settling down in what started as a small village, and eventually built up into what is know the town of Barrowhill. St. James lived for another two-hundred years and made monthly pilgrimages up to the mountain temple, eventually making his last pilgrimage at the old-ripe age of 678 years old, sickly and feeble. He died upon resting for the night upon arriving at the temple, and people from then on knew of those mountains as the St. James Mountains.