Sixteen Peaks of Peryknos
The Sixteen Peaks of Peryknos are a mountain range that forms the northern border of the Kingdom of Darklight.
These snow-covered mountains form a natural boundary to the territory held by Styx “civilzed” noble-boot-licking neighbors but they also constitute a de-facto independent realm of their own, the true size of which is largely unknown to the scholars of geography of the Academia Ars Magicka et Mundana.
There are simply too many secluded mountain pass villages, deep gorge sheltered monasteries and ancient ruins hidden between the peaks to accurately measure the territory by size.
What scholars know is that the region is a wild and frozen mountain frontier with what settlements there are being fortified against intrusion and attack from all manner of monsters, wild beasts and other scum that populate it.
The region is also called the Old North or "Yr Hen Ogledd" in the archaic Old Northern Tongue of the strange folk that dwell there.
Even the civilized places here, the villages and trade posts and even noble-held castles and settlements are only guaranteed relative safety by paying a seasonal tithe to the White Witch of the North who is said to rule all that lies north of the Vardwall. A guard of everly-veiled warrior women and dreadful spellcasters, the Yr-te’wynnesh’ai, the Thousand Daughters of the White Witch act as both personal enforcers and religious despots ensuring the proper veneration for the Witch Queen is upheld and tithes are paid in time.
The White Witch looms over the region like the mountains and the ever-shading snowclouds themselves and few would dare speak negatively of her highness the cold-hearted mistress of the north.
Stories of the Old North are abound with all kinds of horrors from the White Witch and her veil-guard to marauding Vukash'ai, mountain trolls, White Warg and the dreaded spirit of the mountain chain itself.
Peryknoš, also called the Mountain-Manifest is said to walk the valleys, gorges and peaks taking various shapes like that of an old man with a crooked back and silver-hued skin or a beautiful silver-furred stag testing the character of all he encounters and either rewarding them or punishing them with utmost cruelty should they fail him.
Some say that he is only being within Yr Hen Ogledd who can provide protection from the hexes and control of the White Witch but he can be as cunning, dreadful and malicious as any witch if doubtful of the good character of one he encounters.
What he hates is greed, selfishness and disrespect towards nature, and the name that he was given by the dwellers of the fortified towns that now don’t leave their walls anymore for fear of encountering him in the wilds. They call him Toilingthelms, a name that drives him into a murderous rage when called.
Peryknoš after whom the region is named is feared and respected alike, tales of the horrific fates of those that displeased him are many and tales of those rewarded by him are few. As such most travellers do not like to risk his wrath.
Few have sparked his wrath and lived but those that did describe a horrific fiend with a monstrously large fur-covered body, goat legs and cloven hooves, horns or antlers as well as a large and pointed hook nose, a wolf-like grin with too many too sharp teeth and a prehensile tongue that can lash at people drawing blood.
The mountain spirit is said to devour his victims.
There are also tales of a mysterious white castle that appears and disappears like the mountain mist itself, some say it to be the true residence of the White Witch.
The region has few large settlements with most being little more than mountain-pass enclosed and best-as-could fortified encampments, homesteads and monasteries bidding their fight against the constant cold and creatures of the north.
Notable settlements include Hastenbrügg, a trade town at the edge of the region, Taislenn a mountainside monastery that now serves as a travel rest stop as well as a home for seasonal mountain farmers and Castle Dolenrock, the worldly center of the region where the court of the White Witch has its seat.
Notably the White Witch herself has never been encountered there, only her veiled representatives.
There is also the Kharadin Lotyr Citadel, an ancient dwarven monolith city that is made up of a single monumental pillar reaching to the Cavern Sky as well as the rag-tag shantytown and added constructions that surround it. Yrhen is considered a center of technology, craftsmanship and trade within the region.
According to legends there was once a second dwarven city-state found in the Old North but its since been lost, perhaps waiting under the eternal freeze to be discovered.
The region is said to never experience Summer but some scholars at the Academia Ars Magicka et Mundana call this into question. Clearly the resident seasonally migrating farmers do take their herds of livestock down to different pastures when a little thaw hits the region in Spring.
There are also rumours that the White Witch has diplomatic dealings with the Forestfolk and the witches of the Leshivoi Greatwood.
The Kingdom of Darklight keeps a line of small towns surrounding hillforts in strategic locations within the foothills of the Sixteen Peaks as their defense against intrusions from the north.
Most of these so-called bastions are built with a ditch around a hill, an outer as well as inner pallisade wall and finally a belfry of stone on the hilltop itself that in times of danger the townfolk can flee to.
There are a total of 9 of these fortified settlements along the border to the Sixteen Peaks but the most notable of them are Koldunastrazh (also known as Witchguard in Undercommon), Dolboyansk, Sol as well as the monastery of Tarvalinsk which is dedicated to Saint Vashtilia the Merciful.
These snow-covered mountains form a natural boundary to the territory held by Styx “civilzed” noble-boot-licking neighbors but they also constitute a de-facto independent realm of their own, the true size of which is largely unknown to the scholars of geography of the Academia Ars Magicka et Mundana.
There are simply too many secluded mountain pass villages, deep gorge sheltered monasteries and ancient ruins hidden between the peaks to accurately measure the territory by size.
What scholars know is that the region is a wild and frozen mountain frontier with what settlements there are being fortified against intrusion and attack from all manner of monsters, wild beasts and other scum that populate it.
The region is also called the Old North or "Yr Hen Ogledd" in the archaic Old Northern Tongue of the strange folk that dwell there.
Even the civilized places here, the villages and trade posts and even noble-held castles and settlements are only guaranteed relative safety by paying a seasonal tithe to the White Witch of the North who is said to rule all that lies north of the Vardwall. A guard of everly-veiled warrior women and dreadful spellcasters, the Yr-te’wynnesh’ai, the Thousand Daughters of the White Witch act as both personal enforcers and religious despots ensuring the proper veneration for the Witch Queen is upheld and tithes are paid in time.
The White Witch looms over the region like the mountains and the ever-shading snowclouds themselves and few would dare speak negatively of her highness the cold-hearted mistress of the north.
Stories of the Old North are abound with all kinds of horrors from the White Witch and her veil-guard to marauding Vukash'ai, mountain trolls, White Warg and the dreaded spirit of the mountain chain itself.
Peryknoš, also called the Mountain-Manifest is said to walk the valleys, gorges and peaks taking various shapes like that of an old man with a crooked back and silver-hued skin or a beautiful silver-furred stag testing the character of all he encounters and either rewarding them or punishing them with utmost cruelty should they fail him.
Some say that he is only being within Yr Hen Ogledd who can provide protection from the hexes and control of the White Witch but he can be as cunning, dreadful and malicious as any witch if doubtful of the good character of one he encounters.
What he hates is greed, selfishness and disrespect towards nature, and the name that he was given by the dwellers of the fortified towns that now don’t leave their walls anymore for fear of encountering him in the wilds. They call him Toilingthelms, a name that drives him into a murderous rage when called.
Peryknoš after whom the region is named is feared and respected alike, tales of the horrific fates of those that displeased him are many and tales of those rewarded by him are few. As such most travellers do not like to risk his wrath.
Few have sparked his wrath and lived but those that did describe a horrific fiend with a monstrously large fur-covered body, goat legs and cloven hooves, horns or antlers as well as a large and pointed hook nose, a wolf-like grin with too many too sharp teeth and a prehensile tongue that can lash at people drawing blood.
The mountain spirit is said to devour his victims.
There are also tales of a mysterious white castle that appears and disappears like the mountain mist itself, some say it to be the true residence of the White Witch.
The region has few large settlements with most being little more than mountain-pass enclosed and best-as-could fortified encampments, homesteads and monasteries bidding their fight against the constant cold and creatures of the north.
Notable settlements include Hastenbrügg, a trade town at the edge of the region, Taislenn a mountainside monastery that now serves as a travel rest stop as well as a home for seasonal mountain farmers and Castle Dolenrock, the worldly center of the region where the court of the White Witch has its seat.
Notably the White Witch herself has never been encountered there, only her veiled representatives.
There is also the Kharadin Lotyr Citadel, an ancient dwarven monolith city that is made up of a single monumental pillar reaching to the Cavern Sky as well as the rag-tag shantytown and added constructions that surround it. Yrhen is considered a center of technology, craftsmanship and trade within the region.
According to legends there was once a second dwarven city-state found in the Old North but its since been lost, perhaps waiting under the eternal freeze to be discovered.
The region is said to never experience Summer but some scholars at the Academia Ars Magicka et Mundana call this into question. Clearly the resident seasonally migrating farmers do take their herds of livestock down to different pastures when a little thaw hits the region in Spring.
There are also rumours that the White Witch has diplomatic dealings with the Forestfolk and the witches of the Leshivoi Greatwood.
The Kingdom of Darklight keeps a line of small towns surrounding hillforts in strategic locations within the foothills of the Sixteen Peaks as their defense against intrusions from the north.
Most of these so-called bastions are built with a ditch around a hill, an outer as well as inner pallisade wall and finally a belfry of stone on the hilltop itself that in times of danger the townfolk can flee to.
There are a total of 9 of these fortified settlements along the border to the Sixteen Peaks but the most notable of them are Koldunastrazh (also known as Witchguard in Undercommon), Dolboyansk, Sol as well as the monastery of Tarvalinsk which is dedicated to Saint Vashtilia the Merciful.
Alternative Name(s)
Yr Hen Ogledd, the Old North
Owner/Ruler
Additional Rulers/Owners