The Plateau of the Soul Storm
The Plateau of the Soul Storm is a cursed place in the western northern Alps. Stormy weather is common there, and little life is found up the top of the plateau. Locals below it avoid the plateau due to the strange storms, and even stranger aspects hidden top to bottom of it.
Geography
The plateau is a windswept small mountain with a desolate top and piles of rock & dirt round the base. The top is flat layers scrapped into different heights by the wind, rain and snow. This is made worse, alone with large cracks and stream beds running along & down it, by sudden freezing drops in temperatures. The rain & snow also leads to the streams having a constant source of water with it being icy up to half the year. Thin patches of dirt & hardy plants survive where they can on the top, and more appearing down the sides the lower one goes. Small cave entrances can be found here & there around the bottom, and one or two chimney-like caverns are found around the sides & top. Rock falls are common, and patches of snow & ice can appear here & there at the highest points of the top & sides if there are any temperature drops. Around it is small valleys with little vegetation and rocky terrain with larger mountainous outcrops surrounding it, many of which have some snow year round.
Ecosystem
The plateau is constantly cooler than the surrounding with rain, wind, snow & ice being present for most of the year in some capacity. Only the most hardiest animals can survive in and around it. Short tough grasses, lichen, mosses, fungi, and moulds are regularly found at the top and sides getting more denser at the bottom. The odd mountain bird and small groups of goats take up residence on or around it for parts of the year, those these don't stay too long in the region and eventually move on. Nearly every other type of creature seems to avoid it outright, and the odd animal that does try to make it home here turns up mangled and dead. Some seems to have fallen and a few looks as if it has either been twisted out of shape or chewed up.
Ecosystem Cycles
Severe storms are common on top of the plateau and some overflow of this is found around it. Sudden drops in temperature are also common, and it appears as if the local weather patterns are stuck in late Autumn to late Winter patterns. This is one of the reasons animals and many plants generally seem to be non-existent on the plateau.
Localized Phenomena
Many strange phenomena are attributed to the plateau. Strange storms with cold spells preceding them or afterwards happen frequently. The storms are classed by those who see them a terrifying, as if the tortured souls of the underworld have been released all at once. Frequent strong winds batter those who view the storm and it feels as if they are being dragged by unseen hands towards the edges, while shrieks & screams can be heard in the storm. These storms appear out of nowhere at the same time. Drops in temperature are so common, there is regular snow & ice at higher levels with nits of it being found at lower levels.
Caves dot the whole plateau here & there with strange sounds like a rumbling being heard in & around them. Those who have tried to penetrate the caves report a tunnel system on down, with some parts collapsed, others penetrating deep down at strange angles. In some deeper in strange humanoid skeletons with shorter legs, deep chests, and thicker brows are found. Some of these have flint tools, and cave painting nearby. A rumour is that someone managed to get deep in to the caves many years ago and was driven insane by what he saw. Many of the cave paintings have a picture of a gigantic worm eating humanoid creatures, and they discovered an ancient twisted town deep below. It was made out of stone and some kind of dark metallic / semi-organic material. Heads seemed to be carved or grown out of this material showing the heads of Dwarves and others of a bulbous head with tentacled maws. No life existed there, but a feeling of being watched was there. Tremors coming from nearby & below drove them back to the surface, and they had nightmares of strange corrupted abominations for months later.
Others have reported that when on top of the plateau there are the remains of roughly built stone buildings a few metres across here & there at the centre. All are ruined and have some type of altar at the centre, shaped as if it was used to hold a bipedal creature in place on it.
Climate
Terrible stormy weather and cold temperatures are common here, and there is regular flash floods of the steams that pour down the sides. Hail stones are rare if at all seen, but thick snow and icy conditions are regular occurrences. Strange storms happen at the top are reported by those who have made it up to the top and a feeling dread is reported when the storms roll in. The latter seems to appear out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. Others report the sudden drop of temperatures appear preceding or just after a storm hits.
Fauna & Flora
Except for fungi, mosses, tough short grasses, lichen & moulds seem to take up root here, but nothing more. They generally don't grow to any size of bulk either. Same with the odd mountain bird or goats that sometimes take up residence around it. They generally move on quickly as if frightened of something related to the plateau.
History
The plateau has been there for millennia of not longer. Very little is known about it, but some say that it was claimed by Dwarven prospectors long ago. No-one has seen or heard from any Dwarves in the area in centuries, and they think they may have abandoned it. Except for the cave paintings, flint tools and skeletal remains, the area in and around the plateau is sparsely populated, in part to how high it is and for a sinister reputation, as most believe it's haunted or cursed. Many who have stayed any length of time have had horrible nightmares & visions, and others vanished. A few over the years has turned up dead, so badly mangled that they were near impossible to identify. The top of the plateau is generally viewed as off-limits as there is a better than normal risk of falling along with the strange tales of the storms there.
"I wouldn't go near that plateau. Strange things happen. The odd disappearance & unexplained death, and the storms too. Disturbing from what I've been told. And those caves. Too dangerous overall. Minimal animal life there too."
An unknown shepherd at an inn west of Salzburg.
Type
Plateau
Location under
Additional Rulers/Owners
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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