Rayiq Mountain Ring

Overview

The longest and tallest mountain range in Awldor, the Rayiq encloses the Oniruuru Desert. It is widely known to be impassable. Only a few avenues through these mountains can allow one to cross these mountains and into the desert beyond them: paying a high passage fine through one of the few gateway cities such as Vavahady, braving the cold-unforgiving slopes of the mountains for the chance to find a path over them, or by delving into the vast horror-filled labyrinth beneath the mountains.
The name "mountain ring" implies a circular shape to the mountain range but this would be a misconception. The continuous chain of mountains parrot the triangular shape of the Deshret Continent. This creates three chains of mountains that intersect one another at the corners of the triangle:

Geography

The name "mountain ring" implies a circular shape to the mountain range but this would be a misconception. The continuous chain of mountains parrot the triangular shape of the Deshret Continent. This creates three chains of mountains that intersect one another at the corners of the triangle:

Only a particular kind of fool would willingly build a cabin along the slopes of these mountains.

— Nenu Neisha, Climber

Vulkaniese Mountains

This set of mountains is located on the western side of Deshret. The Vulkaniese mountain range is made up of many volcanoes. Some of these volcanoes erupt with a mild explosion every so often. Others merely spill lavas over the rim of their cones or through tunnels drilled into their sides. At least once a year, one of the volcanoes erupts violently. As such, many have avoided constructing towns and villages along the slopes of this mountain range.
The constant eruption of volcanic materials from minor eruptions have the effect of slowly raising the height of the Vulkaniese mountains. In the case of more violent eruptions, the volcano undergoing such a violent event can partly or, in rare cases, collapse completely. Due to the continued geologic activity of this region, these collapsed mountains can rise again after many years.

Ubude Mountains

Located to the east, these mountains are known to be quite tall. The tallest mountain besides the Avon'Col, the hadi, is located among these mountains. These mountains cast long shadows across the Deshret landscape during the early morning hours.
In addition to their tallness, the peaks of these mountains chain together to create the appearance of the edge of a stony blade. This sharp peak of the Ubude is one of many reasons for why this segment of the mountain range is considered impassable by most. It is rare to see these peaks capped with a thick layer of snow. The snow instead settles along the sides of the mountains where various protrusions can collect it.
It is believed that the The Great Collapse is responsible for the sharpness of the peaks of this mountain range, an event that seems to have changed the properties of the rocks of these mountains. Many climbers have noted that the rocks along many slopes periodically "flake", an event that seems to continuously renew the sharpness of the rocks of the mountains. It is believed that because of this, the Ubude are getting shorter year after year, albeit by mere inches (or several centimeters).

It is not the geography of these mountains that is defeating, but the climber's will.

— Nharid Zekrihk, Climber

Huīsè Mountains

The southern mountains, they appear from a distance to be a giant, grey wall. Many who have attempted travel across the slopes of the Huīsè, or after a mere trek to climb a peak, always recall how unnervingly quiet and still those mountains are. The travelers and climbers say that the crunching of boots into the snow near the peaks of these mountains sound muted, and that the world itself seemed to turn into shades of grey. They also speak of how distant they seem to have become towards the world outside their minds, and how their dreams become despondent and sorrowful. Many have said they have given up their trek across the mountains because of a complete loss of motivation. Others were not so lucky to have returned from the ordeal.
Some believe the very rocks of the mountains mourn for the world that was lost at the onset of the The Great Collapse, others believe that specters inhabit the slopes of these mountains waiting to sap the high spirits of wayward travelers. Others believe that travelers and climbers have invented the experience as a way to explain their failed adventure.

Alternative Name(s)

Impassable Mountains, Tsy Minaike Mountains

Type

Mountain Range

Location under

Deshret Continent

Common Flora

• Shrub
• Blue Poppy
• Blue Pine
• Bamboo
• Rhododendron
• Mosses
• Lichens

Common Fauna

• Yeti
• Snow Leopard
• Red Panda
• Wild Yak
• Wild Goat

Typical Magic Fields

(ranked according to occurrence)

• Aero
• Poison
• Freezing

Consult Magic Fields for more information.

Note(s) from the Archivists:

I will defeat one of those mountains someday! - Archivist Bob
Yet you complain about fetching an artifact from the next room over. - Archivist Enna
That's different though. - Archivist Bob
I know. - Archivist Enna