Ancient Rest
Difficult to survive and even more difficult to navigate, Ancient Rest has been a part of our history for centuries now. It's been the subject of many myths and legends, as well as numerous expedition attempts, all unsuccessful. Though some have managed to get deep enough into Ancient Rest to see the tall arches of Kathe's Ribs, to this day no one has successfully provided a sample, or touched the gemstones. Resolution falling the deeper one goes, hope steadily ebbing away, health dropping due to the constant rain, and Fiear the Merciless hounding one's every step makes it hard to believe that anyone could accomplish the theft of a piece of an Ancient's bones. At least, as far as we know.
History
Ancient Rest was once just another part of the land, large enough to cover most of an old, now-dead country. The Ancient of Everything, Kathe, was killed by an unknown force. They fell from the sky and their body crashed onto the land, creating the crater that Ancient Rest now resides in. As their body melted away and their bones were used to create the Divines, all that is left of Kathe are dozens of massive arches of pale yellow gemstone known as Kathe's Ribs. Many people entered Ancient Rest, at first to worship and mourn, and then to steal pieces of the bones.
A woman once attempted to use her own piece to break down the Borders of Kollark, undoing all of Jusicial's work to contain magic and laws within certain areas of Kollark. Part of the Border nearly shattered, and the Divines were forced to protect Ancient Rest from being entered ever again. Aulia the Masked wept over the bones so it would rain constantly, and Kako the Deep set his Divine Servant, Fiear the Merciless, inside to protect Kathe's Ribs.
Records of those who had accomplished the theft of a piece of Kathe's Ribs were burned, and memories were stolen. The Divines made it clear to their Servants that they were to not allow the truth to circulate as anything but another myth, and no one was to know that anyone had ever succeeded in approaching. The legends, however, were deeply embedded enough to draw attention from those who continued to worship the Ancients even long after. One of these groups, the Church of Ancients, has several protections set up around Ancient Rest to deter intruders.
Geography
There is a massive crater is settled mostly in Dolanom, with some passing over into Hiruese. The crater's edges begin with a steep 2,134m1
Roughly 7,000 feet.
drop that is difficult to descend and even more difficult to climb. The crater flattens out into a dry desert for several miles before one reaches the edge of Ancient Rest.Ancient Rest itself is an open expanse with pale, leafless trees reaching mangled branches high into the sky peppered through the land. It rains hard and often, making it difficult to traverse without getting hopelessly lost. The ground is covered in 10cm2
Roughly 4 inches
of a black liquid which, other than the color, has all the same properties as water.There seemed to be no end to the rain. I had gotten turned around at least thrice, always back the way I'd come even though I was so sure I was walking forward. As if the Rest was giving me a chance to leave, warning me away. It was difficult to sit and rest because of the black stuff, whatever it was. It chilled me down to my bones and the rain didn't help. I was cold, soaked, and exhausted. The rain got lighter when I got to the edges of the Rest, but when I tried to use this to my advantage for navigation, it just started raining harder. I never made it far. I don't know how anyone could. I had to leave, before my rations ran out, or before I died of hypothermia. I don't know. I don't know! It was... The entire place felt awful. It felt like there was no point to being there. I thought, maybe, I was just... Losing hope. But when I got out, I realized it was that _place_. It makes you feel... Empty. It makes you feel like there's no reason to fight, even if you _need_ to fight. I'm not surprised that many people don't come out.
Deep in the center of Ancient Rest are dozens of enormous half arches that reach over 120m3
Roughly 394 feet
into the sky. They are made of a pale yellow gemstone that is able to be chipped away by human or Suplum bone. The gemstone crumbles only in small pieces no matter what the size of the bone is or what it's been sculpted into. These half arches are called Kathe's Ribs. There are many contrasting legends of what the powder of the gemstone actually does, but even those are often enough for people to risk life and limb in an attempt to get to it.Some of the most popular legends of Kathe's Ribs often involve healing or immortality of some sort. A personal favorite of mine is that powder, when ingested, stops all change to one's body, therefore preventing them from growing, becoming ill, or injured, making them immortal. However, some have brought up that this would also render the user infertile, any injuries or illnesses currently taking place would be locked into the user's body forever. Another legend tells of Kathe's Ribs healing any who touch it of any and all ailments, or turning them into a Divine or even an Ancient. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some believe that Kathe's Ribs were a trap laid by the murderer, and that ingesting the powder will bring you to them, where you will be struck down. One legend claims that the mortal body can't handle the power of an Ancient's bones, and anyone who ingests it will instantly combust. Of course, all of these legends are nothing more than that; myths and stories. To everyone's knowledge, no one has successfully retrieved or used powder made from Kathe's Ribs.
Fauna & Flora
Despite the crater having rich, fertile soil, no plants grow except for pale gray trees with thick, twisting branches. They're an average of 15m4
Roughly 50 feet
tall and have no foliage. The trees grow sparsely throughout the crater, and are smooth and cool to the touch, like stone. Though these trees are wood, they are difficult to break and impossible to cut down. Pieces of the trees that have managed to be broken off are often used to create powerful weapons such as the sword Pote's Blood and the bow Stonstikal.Ancient Rest is devoid of any sentient life except for one being; Fiear the Merciless, the Divine Servant of Kako the Deep. Fiear was placed in Ancient Rest to stop those who did get too close to Kathe's Ribs from reaching them.
When I first saw Fiear, I knew immediately he was the feeling of despair and hopelessness that had been encroaching on me as I traveled deeper. I saw him and I knew there was no point in trying to go further. There was no reason to try and fight him. There was no possible way to sneak by, or try to make it past him. He was standing perfectly still, and despite the heavy rain, he wasn't wet at all; the water rolled right off of him. He was facing me as though he'd been waiting for me, and I knew he had. He knew the moment I touched the crater's edge that I would be here, and he would be there, and we would be staring at each other. I was calculating him at the time, trying to gauge what could and couldn't be done, but he knew. He knew, before I even entered Rest. He knew I would turn and run. Like a coward.
Purpose
For many people, Ancient Rest is merely another scar that the Ancients left after Kathe's death. To some, it's just a story that's been the subject of many books, poems, songs, and plays. To others, such as the Church of Ancients, it is a sacred space that needs to be protected from intruders. They believe that the Ancients are not gone forever, merely resting and working to resurrect Kathe. Kathe's Bones must be untouched, for they believe that the more that is chipped away, the more difficult Kathe's return becomes. The Church of Ancients will perform certain rituals around or nearby Ancient Rest, and will never enter the crater itself. Ancient Rest is avoided by most, or otherwise protected. Those who dare to venture into it use it as their final chance at whatever they believe it may do.
Type
Crater / Crater Lake / Caldera
28,000sq m (30,139 sq ft)
Biome
Rainforest
Weather
Light to heavy rain
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Fiear the Merciless
Now that is what I call meaty. Yum! What a vivid tale you have painted.
I definitely tried for more meat this time :D