Haverlea Mountain

From a distance, the wooded slopes of Haverlea Mountain belie its rugged challenge to would-be travelers. Perched near the middle of the Wellincook Range, the only direct pass through the peaks is in its shadow. Eastern and western weather fronts clash over the mountains here. The summit of Haverlea lives in a perpetual cloud. The weather can be erratic and storms are fierce and frequent. Stories of entire caravans disappearing while attempting the pass make regular rounds through the bards. Songs tell of spirits and ghosts living in the swirling clouds rushing down to harry travelers. Tales say it is them that fling hail and lightning and topple trees to block the road. The need to detour is common and many become lost at least for a while. Finding bodies and the wreckage of carts and wagons is a frequent occurrence. Sometimes the faces of the dead bear terrible expressions as though they had been experiencing some fright or terror. Superstitious travelers have erected cairns and shrines in memory of those that died around Haverlea in the hope of appeasing the spirits and gaining safe passage. A dozen years ago a particularly bellicose merchant was traveling the pass when a storm swirled up out of nowhere. Shouting and shaking his fist at the sky he drove his wagon harder. Terrified, his son lept from the wagon and hid between some rocks. He survived and found the wagon crushed under large trees. His father was never seen again. Recently a cleric has constructed a chapel at the western end of the pass. They maintain a registry of travelers and a few times a year they take the journey through the pass, leaving prayers at all the cairns they find. It is said that foul weather never strikes while the cleric is on this pilgrimage. Travelers from the west often stop at this chapel to read the registry. Some build new cairns dedicated to someone they think may have gone missing because they think it will bring rest to the spirit and be blessed with a safe journey.