Mountain of the Gods - Sil Ventarsan
Important
This article is considered Old and will eventually be deleted or completely changed because it isn't at the standard I want. It is being left up for now either because the new article isn't ready, or this article was a challenge entry.
What's the highest summit in your world? Has anyone ever reached the top?
Table of Contents
Sil Ventarsan is the highest mountain on the Planet Collena, and the second highest in the Delvi system. It is the highest point in the Reteal Range. The range was formed around 250 million years ago when the continents of this world smashed together to form a supercontinent. Then when the continents broke back apart, the tectonic rift was far enough away to preserve the range. It is suggested that the Mountain was originally much taller, maybe as high as 12,000m, the maximum height that is thought to be allowed with the specific gravity and composition of the planet Collena.
The Mountain is considered by numerous religions to be a holy place, which made surveying the mountain anywhere from difficult to impossible throughout history, and even when teams were finally allowed to climb the mountain, there were numerous failed attempts before they were finally successful. The first person to climb to the top was Greko Fal
Geology
Sil Ventarsan consists of 4 different layers of geological formations, created as a result of continental crust being thrust and folded over each other over several million years. The composition of two of these layers is some variation of granite, the second highest layer is slate, and the highest layer is composed of limestone, indicating that the highest point on Collena used to be at the bottom of the ocean, likely at the edge of one of the continental plates that smashed together.
A large number of gemstones and minerals have been found at various elevations of this mountain. Gold, copper, silver, and tin have been found as well as large deposits of Iron, Germanium, and Cobalt. Gemstones include Amethyst, Corundum, Carnelian, and Quartz.
Life and Climate
Sil Ventarsan quick reference by Chrispy_0
At the lower elevations on the eastern side of the mountain is a tropical rain forest, and a wide variety of any type of creature may be found there. On the western side of the mountain there is a semi-arid grassland and biodiversity greatly decreases.
Above 1000m the grasslands turn cooler, and the eastern side of the mountain turns into a more oceanic type of climate. Above 3000m, the western slope turns into a cold desert and the eastern side turns into an even cooler oceanic climate. The climate briefly transitions into a cold continental climate above 4500m. Above 5000m there exists tundra and above 6000m the mountain is covered in glaciers on the north side, with the south side of the mountain generally more exposed year-round. At elevations above 7000m, it is entirely unforgiving. Oxygen levels drop to below 30% and no Regalti or any other planetary life can survive above 8000m without some sort of additional oxygen.
The North Side of the Mountain at elevations below 4000m is a transition zone between dry climate and wet climates. It is a tropical savanna at sea level and transitions into a mediteranean climate before becoming an oceanic climate above 3000m.
Very little life exists at the highest elevations. The Tundra is covered with short grasses and mosses, and is inhabited mainly by rodents and birds. Above 6,000m there is an extremely rare flowering plant, found clinging to life on the cliffs on the southern side of the mountain.
Climate types and biodiversity level by elevation
| Elevation | Western Climate | Eastern Climate | Biodiversity Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Level | Hot Semi-Arid | Tropical Rainforest | Very High |
| 1000m | Cool Semi-Arid | Warm Oceanic | Very High |
| 2000m | Cool Semi-Arid | Temperate Oceanic | High |
| 3000m | Cool Desert | Cool Oceanic | Medium |
| 4000m | Cool Desert | Cool continental | Low |
| 5000m | Tundra | Tundra | Very Low |
| 6000+m | Ice Cap | Ice Cap | Non-existent |
History
Early History
Through Collena's history, every civilization that came and went through this section of the world revered the top of the mountain as the home of the gods, or just a singular god. Artifacts have been found at nearly every elevation from multiple periods of Regalti history. Neolithic and Chalcolithic era copper mines have been discovered, as have Bronze and Iron age mines. Carved Quartz statues have been found depicting various animals, people, as well as the gods.
The highest temple in the world lies at the 5000m mark, on the edge of the high desert and the start of the tundra and glacial cap. This temple is over 6,000 years old and has been abandoned for half as long. Their cult involved the old and sickly of their world venturing further up the mountain to join the gods in paradise. The temple had a ritual chamber where the person was bathed and clothed. There was also a feast chamber, believed to be the place where these people often had their last meal until they would join the gods, then be sent on their way. This is related to the discovery of hundreds of mummified remains of Reglati under the ice. The vast majority of these were either very old or had some sort of medical condition. Many of these remains are still buried under the ice, anywhere from 5000-8000m up the mountain, and are often confused for the frozen remains of a much more recent mountaineer that failed to ascend the mountain.
There is a temple, also in the high desert, around the 4300m mark. This was built around 2,900 years ago, and is still in use by the Vethra faith. They don't do anything as horrific as sending elderly and sick to their deaths. Instead their temple is a marker, where during the evenings of the summer and winter solstice, the star Ventar passes just over the top of the summit, in an event the Vethra refer to as the holy convergence. They believe it is a time when the leader of the Gods himself visits Collena, and sits atop his throne on the highest point in the world, and looks down on his creation. He only does it for a moment, before he is forced to ascend back to heaven or draw the attention of the great darkness.
Recent History/ Summit Attempts
Starting in 600 B.E. the Nrevel Empire started mining the Reteal Range, much to the annoyance of those that worshiped the mountain, including many Nrevelans. There were many who were against mining the holy mountain, but many more who argued that the riches were theirs to take. that's why the Gods created Collena!
Some wanted to climb the mountain. Ancient measurements of its summit have calculated it to be the tallest in the world, and many wanted the honor of climbing it themselves. They often turn back once they hit the glaciers. Numerous attempts were made to climb the mountain. Here are several of the more notable ones out of hundreds that were made:
| Name | Year | Attempt Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raxa Club | 513 B.E. | Discovered several possible Summit Paths. Turned back due to lack of climbing equipment. Made it to 6313m. |
| Raxa Club | 509 B.E. | Stopped due to a blizzard. Didn't even make it to previous point. Made it to 6009m. |
| Syr Enra Ven | 506 B.E. | Using Raxa club maps, made it significantly further. Turned back due to difficulty breathing.Made it to 6500m. |
| Raxa club | 504 B.E. | Stopped due to another blizzard, despite being peak summer month. Made it to 6650m. Next year, it happens, blizzard or not. |
| Raxa Club | 503 B.E. | Corpses of Raxa club were discovered in 398 B.E. at the 7600m mark. |
| Syr Vanaba Elbern |
475 B.E. | Made it to 7300m. Few notes were made of expedition. |
| Syr Enra Ven | 473 B.E. | Last summit attempt in his career. Made it to 7500m. |
| Greko Fal |
470 B.E. | Was part of Syr Enra's many expeditions. His teams first try made it to 7500m, same as Syr Enra. |
| Greko Fal |
466 B.E. | First team to pass the 8000m mark. |
| Vretana | 458 B.E. | Made it to 8400m. First team to use oxygen tanks. |
| Greko Fal |
454 B.E. | Made it to 8848m, then oxygen supply ran low. |
| Vretanna | 454 B.E. | Passed Greko on the way up. Abandoned attempt. Oxygen supplies also ran low. Made it to 8854m. |
| Anna Qin | 448 B.E. | Made it to 9000m. Turned back due to frostbite. |
| Greko/ Vretanna |
440 B.E. | Combined team made it to 9631m. Avalanche killed Vretanna. Total Casualties: 12. |
| Greko Greko II |
415 B.E. | Greko summited the mountain alone. Made it to 9909m. Scattered the ashes of Vretanna and Syr Enra. |
| Greko II | 412 B.E. | Successfully summited the mountain. Scattered the ashes of his father Greko Fal. |
The mountain was successfully climbed in 415 Before Exodus. The team consisted of over a dozen experienced climbers, Greko Fal and his son, Greko II. They survived an avalanche and a leopard type creature wandering into their campsite at 6500m. At 9800m, they were running low on Oxygen. Here, Greko II gave his father the last of his oxygen supply and left the mountain on his own, so his father could finally realize his lifelong dream. Once at the top of the mountain, Greko scattered the ashes of his wife Vretanna, and the ashes of his mentor and life-long friend Syr Enra.
This summit attempt was done just over 800 years ago now, and while a majority of Regalti now live in space, and even structures on Collena have been built that are taller than Sil Ventarsan, successfully climbing this mountain is something that fewer than 500 people have ever done since Greko Fal achieved this. It is simply too tall and balancing the necessary oxygen to achieve this with other supplies is nearly impossible.
View from the High Desert by Chrispy_0
Elevation
Collena Measuremen: TBDEarth Measurement: 9,909m (32,509ft)
Stellar R. Translation
Sil = MountainVentarsan = Place of Gods
Fefarrik Translation
Zeal Phentria(Zeal = Mountain
Phentria = home of God)
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