Edagatsra Volcano

Edagatsra (Boiling Mountain)

Area: 2,619 km²
Elevation: 0m-500m
Climate Type: Warm Oceanic

Temperature Ranges:
Summer: 27-33°C
Winter: 8-22°C

Population: 800 Regalti
Notable Settlement: Tesra-Wreth

Notable Animal Species:
-none of note-

Sitting in the middle of the The Sunken Lands, Edagatsra, translated to English as the Boiling Mountain, is no longer a mountain. It is a large island, most of which is covered in volcanic fields that regularly erupt, sending ash to the east over the Ladgan Swamps and Keys. Formerly called Rensadsra, this mountain used to be as tall as 4000m, and was also the sight of the original capital of the Empire of Vefaria, but as the Sunken lands fell below sea level and Edagatsra had a devastating eruption, destroying the mountain. All that remains are volcanic cones on the eastern side of the island, while the west is flatter.

The destruction of the Imperial Capital, Wrethilin, is used as a cautionary tale about gods, and even if one doesn't believe in them, the story is about respecting the power of nature.

3000 years ago, the Imperial city was the center of the Empire, but the emperors for the last century had been declaring themselves gods on Earth. Many priests say that this angered the actual gods, and they would bring vengeance on the land. The first act of this vengeance was seen in the year 2,637 years B.E. (Before Exodus), when the city of Rethvalka was destroyed by a storm. Combined with increased earthquakes and more powerful storms, most Regalti living in the area were convinved that the Emperor had angered the gods.

The emperors, in an effort to show their superiority over the gods, kept the empire's capital where it was, they built further up the mountain, even as lands around them were sinking. They started dismantling temples in the city, and even on the mainland, for wood and to show they didn't need the 'old' gods anymore. In the year 2430 B.E., the Imperial Palace was built on top of the mountain, with a large city surrounding it going all the way to the coastline.

Also in 2430 B.E. The Mountain had started coming alive. There was even a volcanic fissure on the northern side of the island. The Empress of the time reasoned that this meant the gods were pleased, and were giving the Empire more lands to settle! Her son the crown prince, argued that it was a warning for the capital to be moved. The Empress ignored her son, and started construction of a monument in her likeness at her palace on the top of the world.

In the year 2429 B.E., the Empress's Statue was completed. It was to stand for all time, as a reminder of how this great goddess brought prosperity to the Fevarik people. Instead, on the day the statue was completed, the Mountain erupted. So large was the explosion, it was heard halfway around the world. Priests in the temples on the slopes of the Mountain of the Gods, Sil Ventarsan thousands of kilometers away, recorded an explosion in the air, thinking it was the voice of Ventar himself.

The ashcloud from Edagatsra covered the world, plunging Planet Collena into a two year period of colder temperatures. Crops failed, and many more people died than the 100,000 or so that lived in Wrethilin.

Several years later the Empress's Son completed the new Imperial Capital Barun Deth, far to the west on the mainland, at elevation in the mountains, but out of sight of the sea. The Empress's name was completely struck from the imperial records. The Son himself was so afraid of the gods, that he had his own name struck from imperial records and had a simple burial in a hidden location in the mountains. His daughter, Empress Tseserai, had a thousand temples and ten thousand shrines constructed across the empire during her reign, dedicated to the Gods, nearly all of which are still standing to this day.

In later history, the Island was a strategy site used by the Bevarians during the War of Purges in the year 263 B.E. They built a base and airstrip on the eastern half of the island. They had very nearly defeated the nation of Vefaria and put them under their complete control, just like half of the world, until they made the mistake of setting the Temple of Keltar-Enta on fire. This raillied the entire nation of Vefaria. While most of the country was under Bevarian occupation, revolts broke out across the country, and Vefaria's military made a number of advances from their defensive positions.

While it is debated whether the gods actually exist...shortly after the temple was set on fire, a volcanic eruption on the eastern side of the island destroyed the Bevarian's airstrip, cutting off supplies and the means of escape. The Vefarian military then moved in, capturing most Bevarian soldiers and starting a long chain of victories that would eventually see them regaining control of their whole nation.

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What remains?

The western edge of the island was all that remained after the eruption, relatively untouched by the cataclysm on the east side. Coincidentally enough, there was a shrine on this part of the island still standing. It was the Temple of Keltar-Enta, the merged God and Goddess of the Land and Sea and the personification of the Planet Collena.

In the thousands of years since the eruption, the eastern half of the island grew back, but the Regalti are afraid to build anything there, and for good reason, volcanoes still erupt on that side of the island. The Western half of the island has a city, called Tesra-Wreth, built around the original shrine, which was expanded over the centuries, and has now grown so large, it is one of the largest temples in the whole nation.

Tesra-Wreth had a population approaching half a million people before the Exodus, but now stands as a holy pilgrimage site and is mostly populated with temple priests. About 600 people still live here.