Mount Etna
"The Gods of Olympus are known for their great power, and while most of it is thanks to their nature, some of it is thanks to the great works of craftsmanship that they possess. The vast majority of these items are forged by Hephaestus deep within the heart of Mount Etna." ~Balen Flowers, Overseer of the Northern Arcane Affairs.
Geography
Mount Etna is a large, active volcano with a thick stream of black smoke pouring our of the main vent. There is a tunnel in the volcano that has been turned into a long hallway, which acts as the entrance to Hephaestus' Forge. The land surrounding Mount Etna is filled with volcanic rivers of lava, hot springs and sulfuric vents. The ground is completely white due to the large amount of ash in the air. This region is often referred to as the "Ashlands".
Climate
Ash constantly showers from the sky in the Ashlands, and if you were to take a quick glance, you would first assume it to be snow. It is rather hot in the Ashlands, and the smell of smoke lingers in the air constantly. Embers linger in the air, giving a small source of light at night.
Fauna & Flora
Flora
Tindertowers are large slender trees that exclusively grow in the Ashlands. They are constantly smouldering at a slow rate, and only manage to survive because they grow slightly faster than they burn. Their bark is partially converted into charcoal and is slightly brittle. They bear large coconut-like seeds, that have thick shells and a milky liquid inside them. Crimson Saw-grass is a stemless plant with thick red leaves than have serrated with small teeth. Leaves are long and slender, and overall the plant bears a striking resemblance to aloe vera, only larger and bring red. Crimson Saw-grass has a thin black sap, that has a sugary sweet flavour. Some in Tiryns have taken to mixing this sap with lemon or orange juice in order to create a sweet refreshing beverage. Blue Carpet is a particularly hardy species of moss that grows in close proximity to hot springs in the Ashlands. Its colourful appearance is a welcome additon to the biodiversity of the Ashlands, due to the white, red and grey colouration of the scenery. It grows at a leisurely pace, but is utterly fireproof. Some of the citizens of Tiryns that spend large amounts of time in the Ashlands wear clothing fashioned out of Blue Carpet in order to protect them from burns.Fauna
Boiler Shrimp are the largest shellfish found on the mainland of Eregost. Over three metres long and with shells over three inches thick, Boiler Shrimp are incredibly dangerous predators. They hide in deep hot springs and wait for prey to walk by, before jumping into action and pulling their prey into the hot spring, boiling them alive. Boiler Shrimp have ten limbs, and will use all of them to grab onto and restrain their prey until they've boiled to death. If their prey is particularly stubborn, the Boiler Shrimp will pummel its prey with its four front legs until it is too weak to resist the Boiler Shrimp, at which point it will drown and boil its prey in a hot spring. Tirynic Coyotes are medium sized canines who act as scavengers thoughout the Ashlands. They travel in large packs of up to thirty members, and can take down almost any prey immaginable when working together. They have even been known to hunt dire-bears, by simply overwhelming their behemothic prey through sheer numbers and aggression. They strip the flesh off of their prey's bones while they are still alive, and will even eat the bones if food is dire. Tirynic Coyotes have light brown fur with a black fur on the spine and tail. All attempts to domesticate Tirynic Coyotes have ended in failure. Their most common prey are the drakes found in the area. Pike-backed Snapping Turtles are massive reptiles with dark green scales. They typically weigh over 180 kilograms, and their body is over 1 metre long. They have a sharp beak, and their thick shells have a razor-like spine in its centre, in a similar shape to the edge of a pike. Their large shells make them incredibly hard to hunt, to the point where even Tirynic Coyotes leave them alone. They feed primarily on Ash Crabs, though they are also known to eat blue carpet and crimson saw-grass.Natural Resources
The volcanic rivers of the Ashlands is the only place where Corundum can be found. It is harvested by the Church of Hephaestus, who use it to create the signature armour and weaponry possessed by the Areites. One must be extraordinarily skilled in metallurgy in order to obtain raw corundum from the volatile rivers produced by Mount Etna.
History
Originally a mundane mountain on the other side of Eregost, Mount Etna became a volcano when Zeus lifted it up and threw it at Typhon, imprisoning him deep within the earth. The earth around him heated up due to Typhon's divine power and his tendency to breathe fire. The intense pressure from the rising heat caused the top of the Mount Etna to crumble away, causing it to become a volcano.
Seeing the potential utility from the intense heat of Mount Etna, Hephaestus decided to convert the volcano into his personal forge and home. It is thanks to the intense heat of Mount Etna that Hephaestus can melt divine metals such as Adamant with ease.
Tourism
The Church of Hephaestus regularly visits the Ashlands, both because they consider Mount Etna to be sacred and because it provides them with a plentiful supply of many rare materials, such as corundum. The Church of Hephaestus does not attempt to enter Hephaestus' Forge, as it is guarded by the various constructs of Hephaestus, created specifically to stop people from interrupting him while he's working.
Hunters from Tiryns occasionally come to the Ashlands seeking to hunt Boiler Shimp. Harpoon guns are the most effective weapon to use against these colossal beasts, as normal muskets have a difficult time penetrating their armour. While some of these hunters find success in hunting Boiler Shimp, more often then not their flesh is boiled and eaten by a massive crustacean and their boned picked at by Tirynic Coyotes.
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