Melancholy Mountains | E. Christopher Clark

Melancholy Mountains

The Melancholy Mountains of Eden are one of the Seven Wonders of the Post-Apocalyptic World. A mash-up of the most beautiful peaks from the pre-apocalyptic universe, this range forms a natural border between the sub-continents of Nunya and The Reek.

 

Named for the feeling they conjure in the hearts of refugees of The Calamity, the Melancholy Mountains are the subject of frequent border disputes between The Democratic Republic of the Reek and The Free Cities of Nunya. While the Republic wishes to preserve the natural beauty of the place, the Free Cities are united in their wishes to mine the mountains for natural and supernatural resources which might one day help to reboot reality.

Geography

Amongst the many peaks to be found in the range are Earth’s Matterhorn and Everest, Gadalla’s famed Ik Dal Noct and Ik Dal Mol, the twin peaks the elfs call The Fangs, and the holiest of dwarven mountains: Mother’s Rock.

 

In the southwest, the range rises up from the plains of Nalké until it reaches its highest point (the aforementioned Mother’s Rock) near the middle of its expanse. The range then loses height steadily as it traverses the Desert at the Edge of Existence in a northeasterly direction, until it reaches The River Without End and is lost beneath that body of water’s ferocious rapids.

Ecosystem

Though the range is home to many species from across the whole of space and time who have found themselves marooned here by The Calamity, it is perhaps most notable for the ecosystem found in its Vale of Thunder—a wide, deep valley that is home to all of Eden’s extant dinosaur species.

 

Anti-Reekian groups throughout Eden claim that this valley was artificially deepened and fortified by Reek scientists trying to keep these ancient animals (and the resulting tourism) all to themselves, but representatives of the Republic have made no comment on these claims. They’ll say only that they’re glad these creatures have been kept apart by nature from species they were never meant to mingle with.

Localized Phenomena

While these peaks are well-known for the sadness they evoke from a distance, travelers along the Apocalyptic Trail swear that the mists spilling off Melancholy Mountain streams evoke a powerful sense of euphoria—owing, perhaps, to a high concentration of The Waters of the River Without End.

Type
Mountain Range
Location under
Owning Organization
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Comments

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Jan 20, 2021 16:52 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

These sound beautiful. I like the conspiracy that the valley has been artificially deepened.

Emy x   Etrea | Vazdimet
Jan 20, 2021 20:20 by E. Christopher Clark

Yeah, I haven't decided if the conspiracy has any truth to it or not. But I'm so glad to have finally figured out where all the dinosaurs are. I'd known I wanted them somewhere in this world, but hadn't figured out where they would go until now.

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