Mountain Hideout

In the western mountain range, hidden inside a snowy peak, is the headquarters of the hania organization. It's here that spirit binding experiments are conducted, spy reports flow in and out, and secret meetings are held that could change the course of the world.

Geography

The hania hideout is a network of caverns deep within a mountain of the western mountain range. It was carved out by an ancient river long ago, and a few streams still dip in and out of a few caves. Most caves in the western mountains are small, cramped, crooked things not typically suitable for a permanent residence and headquarters, but this one is different. There are many caverns with huge arching ceilings overhead and slits in the walls and ceiling that let in large amounts of natural light. Other caves are kept lit by growths of mysterious glowing crystals crowding the walls. At the center of it all is the Heartstone, a huge orange stone with jagged sides that form the rough shape of a human heart. It seems to pulse with the mountain range's heartbeat and is warm to the touch. Blood split on it is absorbed. Without a doubt, it's the heart of the mountains and a holy place of the Great Spirit.

Fauna & Flora

The largest creatures that live in the mountain hideout are rats, bats, and some lizards. There's a particular cavern that took explorers almost a moonturn to reach that has a slimey pool and hundreds of croaking toads. The twin streams in the caverns have some fish, but they're so small and few in number that it's not worth the effort to catch and eat them. Some caves grow a lot of edible and poisonous fungi, but that's all the flora that can grow there.

Natural Resources

Crystals continue to glow for roughly a moonturn after being removed from their home cave, but leech the heat from its surroundings, not making it a good tool for winter explorers. Certain mushrooms can be safely consumed, while others can be turned into poisons for enemies. The caverns are oddly warm in winter. Whispers suspect the Heartstone is behind that. Deykeh, despite undoubtedly knowing about the mountain hideout, seem to avoid traveling near any of its entrances. Perhaps also due to the Heartstone. Spies sent from the Makkah Nation have repeatedly failed to find the mountain hideout, keeping the many secrets of the mountain tribe safe. If all else fails, the mountain hideout has been prepared as a last-resort haven for all of the mountain tribe to retreat to if the Makkah Nation or deykeh packs ever defeat the hania. There are many secret entrances to get in and out of the hideout, many caves cached with food and clean water in the case of an emergency, and, of course, the Heartstone.

Alternative Name(s)

Heartstone Cavern

Type

Cave System

Location under

Western Mountains

Owner/Ruler

Dezba

Related Ethnicities