Gunung Taur (ɡu.nuŋ taʊr)
"And beneath the Bull's Mountain lies the golden chamber, where all the gods of the earth gather in council."
Gunung Taur is the highest point on the island of Romaluku. It is located in the northwestern portion of the island, and sits in the heart of the island's gold deposits. It is also known for the Kuil Emas, an Eclectic Temples dedicated to the subterranean gods of the Great Ring.
Before Romaluku was claimed by the Kingdom of Gailo, it was a haven for a group of Kaphtori pirates. They who named the mountain Óros Táuros, for the peak of the mountain resembles the horns of a bull. While the pirates have long been driven from Romaluku, their name for the mountain has persisted, although slightly translated into Ma Lomoso.
Notable Spirits
The Hyang of Gunung Taur is Lembu, a god of buried wealth. Long before the presence of gold was widely known, the Pulawan who live near the mountain knew that great treasures lay beneath it, although they made sure to never tell the pirates about them. They would take offerings to Lembu into the caves beneath the mountain, and the god would bless them with good fortune in return.
More recently, Lembu has instructed his worshippers to construct a new temple, deep within the caves under the mountain. As news of the gold deposits spread and brought more people to Romaluku, Lembu heard of the existence of Eclectic Temples, those places dedicated to many gods who share a common interest, and wished to be a part of such a group. He selected one of the Pulawan as his avatar, a young woman named Rumata, and sent her out into the world to seek the temple of the earth gods so that a shrine to Lembu could be placed among them. After five years of searching, it was clear that no such place yet existed - Rumata found temples to the sea and sky and to magic itself, but not to the gods below the ground. And so, Lembu decided to build one himself. He selected a great cavern beneath the mountain for the task, and charged Rumata with the creation of the Kuil Emas, the Golden Temple. She brought the knowledge of the earth gods of the Great Ring home, and over the last forty years has made the temple into one of the wonders of the world, although few know it is there. Those few who have visited are prevented from learning exactly how to access the temple, for it is filled with treasures and Rumata fears that adventurers and thieves will attempt to loot it. The caves around the temple chamber have been turned into a labyrinth of twisting passages, and she has even gone so far as to invite an infestation of Dungeon Squirrels to live in the cave system.
Geography
Gungung Taur is a gently sloping mountain, with a distinctive double peak that resembles the horns of a bull. Most of the mountainside is heavily forested, with the rocky summit rising over the trees. Climbing the mountain is not difficult, and the forest is filled with animal life of all sorts.
Geographic Details
Location: Southern RegionLatitude: 5.84 degrees South
Longitude: 18.09 degrees West
Elevation: 2,352 ft
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This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
I really like the new background of your quotes! Also very interesting the name, Oros Tauros, really helps with imagining it :) If I was a player I would certainly want to explore this place and the temple!
Come visit my world of Kena'an for tales of fantasy and magic!
Or, if you want something darker, Crux Umbra awaits.
Thanks! I’m slowly tweaking my theme, and this was a change that I was happy with.