Istoríos (i.stoˈri.os)

The greatest gift of Istoríos is the time it gives you to think

— Callisthenes of Macris

Istoríos is the highest mountain on the island of Melosia in the Kaphtor Islands. It is the body of the god Istoríos, who is associated with the ideas of time and eternity. The mountain itself is ancient and timeless, and those who walk upon it feel a sense of connection to the vast and the infinite. The most notable effect of this is known among the Kaphtori as the stigmí, or the moment. When upon Istoríos, a person can stretch a moment indefinitely. Whenever someone focuses all their attention upon a single thing, be it a flower, a person, or an abstract idea, time stretches for them. They find that they have all the time in the world to contemplate and consider the subject of their attention, to examine it from every angle, and to think deeply and thouroughly about it. If their attention wavers, the moment is lost and the person finds that no time has truly passed - they are not hungry or tired, and nothing in the world has passed them by.

This gift of the mountain has been extensively written about by the many scholars who have spent time there. The village of Prono at the base of the mountain has long been home to the Akadimía tis Stigmís, a school founded for the express purpose of using the mountain's gift to explore the universe. Both the village and the Akadimía were destroyed by the earthquake that devastated Melosia, but there is a movement to recreate both.

Geography

The mountain is notably older than the others nearby, and has many caves that snake through its interior. Some who have contemplated the mountain itself believe that it is actually being lifted by the island beneath it, although how this is true is difficult for them to explain.

Ecosystem

The lower portions are covered in pine forests, and some of the trees are thought to be older than any others in the world. These forests are filled with life, many of which is not found anywhere else in the Great Ring. One of the most notable is the Melosian tortoise, which is resembles a large boulder when it holds still. Records indicate that some of these turtles remain still for years or decades, and there is no indication that they either give birth or die of old age.

Type

Mountain / Hill

Location under

Melosia

Geographic Details

Location: Southeastern Region
Latitude: 37.04 degrees North
Longitude: 42.89 degrees East
Elevation: 5,253 ft

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