Rietic Mountains

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Rietic Mountains
Rietic-from-lugida.jpg
Rietic Mountains seen from the Lugid side in Tiracho, Metni
Highest point
PeakMount Ramiel
Elevation5,480 m (17,980 ft)
Coordinates31°33′23″N 0°27′02″E
Dimensions
Length2,000 km (1,200 mi)
Width160 km (99 mi)
Geography
LocationSoltenna
Countries Kadya,  Naea and  Lugida
Range coordinates40°N 0°E

The Rietic Mountains are a mountain range in East Soltenna, forming the boundary between the Central Basin to the west and the Rietic Basin to the east. Stretching 2,000 km (1,200 mi) between the Amiyant Sea and Belfan Valley, the range extends from north to south across three countries: Naea, Kadya, and Lugida.

Along their length, the Rietic are split into two belts; the main Rietic range spans from Southern Kadya into the eastern border of Liosol, while the Eastern Rietic is located wholly within Lugida, separated from the main range by Retuk Pass. The highest peaks in the Rietic are Mount Ramiel on the southern edge of Eastern Rietic, which rises to a height of 5,480 metres (17,980 ft) above sea level; nearby Mount Sherun at 4,143 metres (13,593 ft); and Mount Metni on the Kadya-Lugida border at 3,595 metres (11,795 ft).

Name

The name Rietic derives from the Iris Ṛŵyet “high place”, comprised of ṛŵ “high, upper, great, supreme”, and yet “place, site”. Ṛŵyet was used to refer to the dry eastern highlands of Ancient Iris which are primarily inhabited by Kadic tribes. The word is loaned into Rudanian as Rûyet, which ultimately became Lithian Riyet. Riyet by itself is used to refer to the mountain range. The Rietic ethnolinguistic group takes its name from the mountain range.

Geography

From the Amiyant Sea, the Rietic Mountains run northeast up until Mount Basend, before which the range is separated by the Belfan Valley. The southern portion is split into two, the lower, westward parts of the main Rietic chain, sometimes referred to as the Little Rietic, and the higher, eastward parts of Eastern Rietic Mountains into Lugida. The "Eastern" in its name refers to Lugida. The Eastern Rietic includes Mount Ramiel, the highest peak of the Rietic Mountains.

The Rietic Mountains feed many rivers in the region, including important rivers such as the Acre, Meryth, Lithiya, Romit, Oriel, and Mel rivers. The eastern, windward half of the Rietic, including the Rietic basin, is notably wetter and thus more densely forested.

Notable peaks

Geology

The Rietic orogeny began with the collision between the West Soltennan Plate and the Rietic Plate approximately 90 million years ago. Initially both plates collided to form a faultline along its convergent boundary. The Rietic Plate would slide southwards along with the larger Mirarian Plate. As the Akulanen Plate broke off from the Baredinan Plate, it began to move northwest at high velocity against the Rietic Plate while opening the Gulf of Sharkunen. Rocks along the Rietic faultline were in turn forced upward and the boundary ceased to become a faultline, starting the process of mountain formation in the area.

Both the Rietic and the Akulanen Plate would continue to move northwards and fold towards each other. This made the Rietic Plate's slightly mountainous landscape. Ultimately the plate would merge with the Soltennan Plate.

Approximately 65 million years ago the Akulanen Plate started to subduct under the Rietic Plate. During this time volcanic and tectonic activity on the area increased. Volcanism would form most of the southern Rietic Mountains including Mount Ramiel and the Xynden Islands. Much of tectonic activity along both boundaries have subsided, however the southern parts remain to be active and in recent times have caused a number of major earthquakes, such as in 872 and in 1730 off the coast of Eldin and Hariyav respectively.

History

The Rietic formed a natural barrier between Central and Rietic Basin. Crossing of the Rietic Mountains is practically limited to a few passes, most notable ones being the Kado Pass located near modern Tosed, Kadya; the Retuk Pass at the northern edge of the Eastern Rietic; and the Kuridan Pass near Mount Metni. Regional tribes and Rietic language branches are often split by the mountain range, with Acre branches to the west side and Merythic and Melo-Ferekhan to the east side. Kadic tribes originally inhabited western highlands of the Rietic.

Culture

See also