The Orphanridge Mountains
LOCATION
The Orphanridge mountain range dominates the green hinterlands of Savasha, with four great volcanoes and dark green-brown stone, and high white peaks of snow. The sun burns far and wide across the region, but the mountains are hidden by a great mist and winds blow a dark plume of smoke and fire from the deep calderas of the active and watchful peaks of the Black Orphan and Scorchmount of the eastern peninsula, and the steep and intimidating giants of Mount Nyamongaro & Mount Ignaro. Plumes of smoke rising from the various ranges. The largest, and believed to be the oldest, is Mount Nyamongaro, it's crater emptied and stands as the only dead volcano. It's regions now overtaken by warm vegetation.
NATURE
Surrounding the mountains are a mixture of highland forests, savannah plateaus and a thickened river-fed jungle to the west, before reaching to the warm tropical coastline. The mountains of the north-west and so high and unknowable they remain undiscovered and unknown, disappearing into the cover of mist. The rocks sharp, broken by years of mist, waterfalls and arid heat - with rain and storms breaking into the mountains in the warm-wet season. Here the spirits of nature and the rage of the mountains have been quelled, and more forgiving, granting forth springs of life to not only the subcontinent of Savasha but also feeding into the deserts divide at Ankh'hera. The mountains that spread toward the east are less forgiving and seasonally rage, bringing forth smoke, ash and an occasional quake, bringing down rockslides and plumes of lava. The stone the colour of ash and dark smoke, the ridges smoother and old mountain paths traversible to the peaks and burning calderas. Most avoid the region due to the legends of the mountains.
ECOSYSTEM
The Orphanridge mountains are the central-most dispensers of water for the entire subcontinent and peninsula, feeding though great gouts of water and rivers that stretch for hundreds of miles, even beyond the borders of the land. The creatures native to the mountains are the vicious birds of prey like the Blood Hawks, native Harpies, Giant Vultures and monsters such as the Manticore. The western mountains appear to be filled with more vegetation hanging over the stone walls and ridges of the mountains, filled with a multitude of plants and animals that nestle on the steep and high peaks. The eastern mountains appear more barren and dark, its stones regressing from the greenery of its western neighbours, instead are colourless until the heat of the summer arrives and the ash-fall grants a boon of beautiful blooming flowers and sparse rock-gardens that alight only during the rage and rumble of the volcanoes.
WEATHER
The weather amongst the mountains is one of the great phenomena of the region. Only upon its highest peaks does it rain and even at times, blossom into snow, during the wet-warm season. The rainfall descends down to the valleys and foot of the mountain through the great rivers. But towards the east, the ashfall gathers and turns the lands into a dismal grey, with blackened clouds and plumes of smoke gathering over the volcanic calderas. Sometimes giving rise to acid rain that brings ruin to the soil and the vegetation within the east. Subterranean water channels often erupt across the mountain range, giving rise to unpredictable plumes of hot steam across the east.
MYTHS & LEGENDS
The Orphanridge Mountains were granted its name long ago, when the goddess of the Gnolls, Hyana the Surrogate Huntress, abandoned her children. The Gnolls revered her by the spirit of her strength, but also feared her might and savagery. In ancient times, she was kinder and a loving and loyal mother, until she felt the desire to hunt and prove that she was greater than the other gods and goddesses - bringing her kills back to her children, allowing them to feed on the blood and bones of her prey. Time and time again, she left for the hunt and returned with a fresh kill, but each time there was less, and her lips and fur were more bloodstained, her eyes more ravenous and hungry - longer her hunts lasted, and the hungrier her children became. But as they got bigger, some joined her in her hunts. They were enriched with the bounty of her wisdom and witnessed her strength and savagery, proud and terrified, they learned quickly not to get in her way. At times, when she hunted the Minotaur of Asterion, she could not distinguish between friend or foe in her savagery, consuming those that tried to earn her kill. Soon she could not tolerate the weak, and left them abandoned upon the mountains - hoping that the fires of the mountain would consume them, and extinguish their weakness. But the instinct she instilled in her children was underestimated even by her, and they survived, suckling at the waters that poured from the great mountains, hunting and scavenging in the wilds in the ways that she taught them long ago. Hyana returned, dark and laughing maniacally one day, and demanded that the strongest follow her to face the Horned King - to finally prove that they are stronger than the great bull. But first, they needed to prove their loyalty to her, and kill their weakling brothers and sisters - to which the Gnolls erupted in a bloody war between themselves, or call it as they believed... a culling. But one of the greater Gnolls, one of her prized huntresses since times long past, Rei-Gnar (Big Sister) - stood up against the goddess, defying the image in which she had turned into a ravenous demon, and called upon the spirit of the Shapeless One, the father of all beasts, Gazenaroc, to aid them. The hulking beast-father, punished the ravenous culling of dark and cruel Hyana and dealt her a mortal blow - thrusting her form into Mount Nyamongaro, breaking down the mountain and swallowing her and the land into a storm of fire and ash. The goddess survived, her once great hide now burned and blackened, her eyes turned red with fire, and her rage unknowing - and thus, the demon Yeenoghu was born. Gazenaroc banished the beast into the Abyss, believing it to be a fitting torment for the once revered mother & protector that turned to satiate her bloodlust and ate her children. They quelled the rage of demons that spew forth from the mountains, and the blasphemers that drank of Yeenoghu's blood to grant them power. It was through the efforts of Gazenaroc, and Rei-Gnar, that the Gnolls survived and free from her demonic bloodlust - remaining the proud, loyal and only line of Gnolls that was not tainted by her dark hunger. The remaining Gnolls were scattered and hunted across the world, in their desire to prove themselves the greatest and to cleanse the world of the weak (all but themselves) - a dark shadow hung amongst the gods and goddesses of the Primordial Green. The Gnolls gathered at the Black Orphan, now children of a dead goddess, acknowledging that their proud mother, Hyana was dead, and that she had been consumed by the spirit of bloodlust and destruction, Yeenoghu - and swore to avenge her, and to protect those weaker than each other, working as a family. Rei-Gnar, her name immortalised as the protector of the line of Hyana, became the recognised name of broodmother to all the remaining Gnolls not tainted by the demonic bloodline. Forever more, the Gnolls would be martialled to strength and honour the hunt, be loyal to their families, and to never give into savagery. But all remember when the Gnolls retreated from the bloody burning conflict between Gazenaroc & Hyana, their fur speckled and burned by the falling ash and fire - earning their dark spots. All will remember when their mother goddess was happy and loving, laughing freely as she charged through the wilds, laughing through fear and sadness. Hence the Rei-Gnar continues to laugh, and the Gnolls laugh alongside them. Remembering the joys. Those who saw their brethren slaughter each other remember their laughter, madenning, savage & utterly devoid of compassion.
Type
Mountain Range
