Titan's Range
The Titan's Range is the Westernmost region of the Kigura Mountains. It is a region free from the flags or claims of any state, inhabited by a mix of nomads and small independent towns. These groups clash on occasion, and have their share of grudges, but trading is more common than fighting for the most part. Conquest or slavery is uncommon here, as the Blood of Karn brutally enforces the status quo.
A volcanic cluster known as the 'Burning Titans' are the spiritual and cultural capital of the region. They are the center of tool-making, worship, and magic here. Many small settlements have cropped up around the base of these volcanos as sites of pilgrimage.
The Sendov Crags: These crags are rough terrain, and their inhabitants are isolationists with their own local culture apart from the rest of the region. The Prisms here traveled from far Eastern Garadel many centuries ago, and they speak their own language and keep their own gods. The rest of the region ignores them, but they send small expeditions to the volcanoes every year for their coming-of-age ceremony - in which they forge their mining tools at the mouth of the volcano from the iron of their family.
Old Promise: A strange town, the remnants of what was once the human and dryad counterpart of the Sendov Crag communities. It has old walls, which are built larger every year with the ashes of the dead mixed into the mortar. It is essentially run by a small cult, which is extremely exclusive but happy to trade with outsiders who keep to their assigned quarters.
The Lugara Valley: a large, densely inhabited valley of free farmers and shepherds. The Blood of Karn cult recruits heavily from here
The Temple of Karn: the "capital" of the Blood of Karn group, the Temple of Karn is a large wood-and-stone temple with a small surrounding town. It is kept by the Cult of Karn, a semi-Sarakan mystery cult who dress like rams and act as the supreme judges for disputes within the Blood of Karn.
Umgrana: A peaceful, reclusive valley that is insulated from the rest of the region by tall mountains.
The Oathhenge: A large stone circle in the center of the Umgrana valley, that is the gathering point for any major events, proclamations, moots, or holidays. Weapons are strictly banned within the circle on punishment of death.
The Elder's Spire: An old fortress and stone tower, tended by the remnants of the prism hold that built it. The city that built this once tried to conquer the region, but was nearly exterminated for the attempt. The city and spire are now essentially tombs: the spire is used for sky burials (where the corpse of the deceased is devoured by birds) for the most prestigious dead, and much of the city has been converted into tombs.
The Emerald Hills: Verdant hills and moors, the most humid part of the region. It has the most developed roads and waystations, as it is the main entryway for those seeking to trade with the neighboring Kingdom of Ezekos.
The Grudgehold: Many centuries ago, this fortress was used as the gathering place for those who sought to raid the neighboring Kingdom of Ezekos. More broadly, it was the Fortress of Vengeance - those who sought to avenge the death of a tribesmember would bring their case here, and if it was judged to be an unjust killing their name would be carved into the wall and the drums of revenge would beat. Ghosts would be herded into the lower levels, where the treasures, texts, and mementos of the unjustly slain were kept. After four hundred years of abandonment, the Grudgehold is only home to those old ghosts, who stew in ancient grudges and slay those who would trespass.
Drumhold: A large Prism-hold, well-populated and well-established. It marks the day and night cycle with a massive drum, and the city is built to echo that noise through the entirety of the town and the surrounding countryside.
The Emptied Marches: Hills that have been seriously depopulated by wars between the Blood of Karn and the Kingdom of Ukredo. Once, this belonged to Ukredan aristocrats and their serfs - now it is a graveyard of abandoned towns and castles, and the Blood of Karn lodges here are unusually violent and ruthless. Skirmishes between the Blood-brothers and the warriors of Ukredo are common here - the war is less large in scope, but it has not stopped.
Kirnad: A prosperous crossroads town virtually all Southern trade flows through. The closest thing to a traditional city-state the region has for non-prisms.
The Sheepstead: Shepherd's paradise in climate and politics, a fairly safe valley that has a lot of semi-nomadic herding tribes.
The kingdom of Ukredo is a struggling kingdom in the Southeast mountains. It started little over a century ago after its founder, Dwarn Steelbranch, invaded to seize access of a newly discovered platinum mine. After a brief stint of rapid expansion and prosperity, it has since been beaten down and isolated. It has been reduced to five towns:
The Titans are home to a number of welcoming settlements of note
Places of Interest
The Sendov Crags: These crags are rough terrain, and their inhabitants are isolationists with their own local culture apart from the rest of the region. The Prisms here traveled from far Eastern Garadel many centuries ago, and they speak their own language and keep their own gods. The rest of the region ignores them, but they send small expeditions to the volcanoes every year for their coming-of-age ceremony - in which they forge their mining tools at the mouth of the volcano from the iron of their family.
Old Promise: A strange town, the remnants of what was once the human and dryad counterpart of the Sendov Crag communities. It has old walls, which are built larger every year with the ashes of the dead mixed into the mortar. It is essentially run by a small cult, which is extremely exclusive but happy to trade with outsiders who keep to their assigned quarters.
The Lugara Valley: a large, densely inhabited valley of free farmers and shepherds. The Blood of Karn cult recruits heavily from here
The Temple of Karn: the "capital" of the Blood of Karn group, the Temple of Karn is a large wood-and-stone temple with a small surrounding town. It is kept by the Cult of Karn, a semi-Sarakan mystery cult who dress like rams and act as the supreme judges for disputes within the Blood of Karn.
Umgrana: A peaceful, reclusive valley that is insulated from the rest of the region by tall mountains.
The Oathhenge: A large stone circle in the center of the Umgrana valley, that is the gathering point for any major events, proclamations, moots, or holidays. Weapons are strictly banned within the circle on punishment of death.
The Elder's Spire: An old fortress and stone tower, tended by the remnants of the prism hold that built it. The city that built this once tried to conquer the region, but was nearly exterminated for the attempt. The city and spire are now essentially tombs: the spire is used for sky burials (where the corpse of the deceased is devoured by birds) for the most prestigious dead, and much of the city has been converted into tombs.
The Emerald Hills: Verdant hills and moors, the most humid part of the region. It has the most developed roads and waystations, as it is the main entryway for those seeking to trade with the neighboring Kingdom of Ezekos.
The Grudgehold: Many centuries ago, this fortress was used as the gathering place for those who sought to raid the neighboring Kingdom of Ezekos. More broadly, it was the Fortress of Vengeance - those who sought to avenge the death of a tribesmember would bring their case here, and if it was judged to be an unjust killing their name would be carved into the wall and the drums of revenge would beat. Ghosts would be herded into the lower levels, where the treasures, texts, and mementos of the unjustly slain were kept. After four hundred years of abandonment, the Grudgehold is only home to those old ghosts, who stew in ancient grudges and slay those who would trespass.
Drumhold: A large Prism-hold, well-populated and well-established. It marks the day and night cycle with a massive drum, and the city is built to echo that noise through the entirety of the town and the surrounding countryside.
The Emptied Marches: Hills that have been seriously depopulated by wars between the Blood of Karn and the Kingdom of Ukredo. Once, this belonged to Ukredan aristocrats and their serfs - now it is a graveyard of abandoned towns and castles, and the Blood of Karn lodges here are unusually violent and ruthless. Skirmishes between the Blood-brothers and the warriors of Ukredo are common here - the war is less large in scope, but it has not stopped.
Kirnad: A prosperous crossroads town virtually all Southern trade flows through. The closest thing to a traditional city-state the region has for non-prisms.
The Sheepstead: Shepherd's paradise in climate and politics, a fairly safe valley that has a lot of semi-nomadic herding tribes.
The Kingdom of Ukredo
- Lakoz, its capital settlement and major mining town. Virtually the only settlement still prosperous.
- Stalren, a Prismhold that was assimilated into the kingdom a century ago. Stable,
- Atkrama, a fortified trading settlement in the West. Constantly trying to push West, towards Ugrama or the Emerald Hills, and its population is militarized
- Kitkos, the epicenter of agriculture. A suspicious and slowly despairing town
- Finrez, a militarized castle-town under constant attack
Important Volcano Sites
- Kyarnhold, a Prism hold known for its sulfure mining and (nonmagical) alchemy
- Ram's Hearth, a grand castle-temple belonging to the Blood of Karn
- Tira's Gate, the ruins of a Prism hold that tried to burrow into the volcanoes. Now a holy site of sorts, that leads into its burning depths. Often used by the eccentric pilgrims of the Sendov Crags
- Gorovia, the town of legendary hotsprings, also has Way of the Open Palm hotspring monkeys
- Ironmoot, a large mixed Prism-hold and general town common for pilgrims. Largest settlement around the Titans
- Highforge, a Prism hold overlooking a critical mountain pass into the Titan area, known for its superior craftmanship
- Hornhollow, a party town known for its grand breweries and significant Blood of Karn presence
- Ruby Canyon, a sharp mountain pass/canyon with a gem mine in it. Slightly unstable, with lots of little side tunnels.
- Tilkra, a Prism-hold that mines around the volcanoes looking for precious metals and gems the volcanic activity revealed. Extremely prosperous but deadly, so they rely on newcomers seeking their fortune to mine the most lethal parts
- Ziskez, a town and Prism hold on a little plateau over the pilgrim's path. Has some good farms and herds, a little isolationist, and home to a number of retired sages and mystics
- Prophet's Gate, an artificial path for pilgrims that has been carved as a tunnel by a large prism settlement. The prisms here have their own cult religion and reject the sunlight
Geography
The Titan's Range is 275 miles West-East and 365 miles North-South. The terrain is made of many smaller mountains ranges and valleys that create a rugged, difficult-to-navigate wilderness. A network of rough paths wind through the land, but even these can be hard to keep to without a guide.
The tallest and most impressive mountains here are the Burning Titans: five massive volcanos that are all part of the same greater volcanic complex in the Northern section. These Titans are roughly 20,000 feet above sea level and erupt infrequently, but smoke periodically. Hot springs are fairly common in the surrounding areas.
Most of the area's climate is temperate forest.
The Titan's Range on a Political Map
Type
Mountain Range
Location under
Included Organizations
Owning Organization
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