The Crucible
Geography
The Crucible is a relatively flat stretch of land with occasional rolling hills, encompassed by a near circular border of mountains, called the Ashen Slopes. The Ashen Slopes were named for their light grey granite and the sand like dust which coats the summit and surrounding area. The four highest peaks of the Ashen Slopes each have a major river coming off of them, which merge and meet in the centre of the crucible. The only point the mountains break is with the Sierra river, which leads out from the crucible down towards the southern coast of Perria. The peaks and river divide the outer rim of the Ashen Slopes into vaguely even sections. The central mixing point of the rivers is relatively small, only taking up 1/3 of the overall size of the Crucible, ignoring the islands that litter the central lake, Lake Ernoc otherwise known as Tear Lake. The regions between cities and rivers is roughly even between forest and other features such as farmlands and natural plains, though most of the forests are thoroughly covered with roads and routes. The Crucible is roughly 520 miles in diameter.
Whilst the Ashen Peaks offer the region a sense of separation, the centuries it has been occupied have left marks of the mountains. There are many passages through the peaks, either carved into the ashstone itself or paths marked to take you over. The rock at the ground is far to hard to carve out but the higher up it can be broken, with sufficient time and will. The most well used and protected passage tend to be in the south east, heading towards the Darkwood and eventually onto the Central Fiefdoms on the Eastern coast.
Whilst the Ashen Peaks offer the region a sense of separation, the centuries it has been occupied have left marks of the mountains. There are many passages through the peaks, either carved into the ashstone itself or paths marked to take you over. The rock at the ground is far to hard to carve out but the higher up it can be broken, with sufficient time and will. The most well used and protected passage tend to be in the south east, heading towards the Darkwood and eventually onto the Central Fiefdoms on the Eastern coast.
Fauna & Flora
The Crucible is known for limited hostile wildlife. Whilst many mundane predators such as wolves and bears are present more powerful entities are rare to non-existent, except when brought through the passages or river intentionally. Prey species are abundant and oft hunted as sources of easy food and pelt to exported to other, less calm regions.
Notably whilst young dragons and other powerful creatures may either come to the Crucible, willingly or not, just before maturity they almost always leave and rarely return if ever. This is believed to have caused the creation of the Tale of the Mourning Dragon, as well as the alternate name for Lake Ernoc of Tear Lake.
Notably whilst young dragons and other powerful creatures may either come to the Crucible, willingly or not, just before maturity they almost always leave and rarely return if ever. This is believed to have caused the creation of the Tale of the Mourning Dragon, as well as the alternate name for Lake Ernoc of Tear Lake.
Natural Resources
The region is known for being almost all either fertile ground or coast, making the region valuable. It is not the best for farming, but the region is almost always able to export excess food, though they do still rely on importing for salt, clay and most metals. They have just enough iron that if imports ended the region would be able to maintain defensive capability, but almost all nations inside the Crucible work towards defending the Sierra river from being blocked due to fears of prolonged blockades. Historically massive pillars of shear, brittle rock were forced out of the earth with magic to provide bastions from which naval forces could defend the river's firth. Given the name the River's Claw, they have been left abandoned as of recent with no nation willing to risk the potential war that policing the Sierra River could cause.
History
The Crucible has been the centre of modern civilisation for as long as records exist. The region has always been hotly contested as it is highly defensible, fertile soil and has the existing infrastructure as well as the obvious prestige of holding the "Centre of Civilisation". The Crucible is the heart of most things, including the language of Common, with it's use having been spread to just over the majority of the continent.
Countless civilisations have risen and fallen despite the protection forged from the Ashen Peaks, either from violent revolution or other would-be empires within the cradle of civilisation.
It is believed that the biggest group of first generations within the Crucible was Gnomes, though it is believed that the region has never been taken to be an exclusive homeland or ancestral nation.
Countless civilisations have risen and fallen despite the protection forged from the Ashen Peaks, either from violent revolution or other would-be empires within the cradle of civilisation.
It is believed that the biggest group of first generations within the Crucible was Gnomes, though it is believed that the region has never been taken to be an exclusive homeland or ancestral nation.
Alternative Name(s)
The Cauldron, The Shielded Cities, The Core, The heart of the Continent
Type
Crater / Crater Lake / Caldera
Location under
Included Organizations
Contested By
Related Myths
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