Mountain of Souls

Located on an island off the coast of Denironia's largest continent, the Mountain of Souls is an active volcano currently used as a vault to protect the Amulet of Souls.

There is a reason why the Amulet of Souls is kept there. It is nearly impossible to climb and even harder to enter.

— A Denironian guard

Geography

The Mountain of Souls is a composite volcano on an island off the coast of Denironia's largest continent. It is roughly 10,000 feet high. Souls is currently active but has not had an eruption for over fifty years. The volcano takes up most of the island, with about a mile from its base to the shore. There are no trees or plants on the island at all.

by Lilliana Casper

From the very top of the mountain, a crater dips straight down for hundreds of feet with magma bubbling at the very bottom. It is estimated that this crater reaches at least halfway into the volcano, if not farther. The magma at the bottom rarely rises higher than 400 feet from the edge of the crater. Of course, the most well-known detail about the Mountain of Souls is that it protects the vault where the Amulet of Souls is kept. The vault is so famous that the volcano’s original name, Redim Mountain, was forgotten, and "Mountain of Souls" became the official name.

The vault itself is suspended in the center of the crater, roughly four hundred feet from the edge. Cables connected to each of the top corners support its weight. Both the vault and the cables are made of solid steel that was heavily enchanted by a mage who assisted in its creation. There is a door on one side of the vault, bolted shut but not locked. The only way down to the vault is the cables supporting it, each less than two inches in diameter.

History

The volcano was first discovered during the early years of the Age of Twins. At that time, it was named Redim Mountain. Because of its height and activity (it had regular eruptions during the Age of Twins), very few Denironians attempted to climb it or populate the island it was on. Some, however, noted that the interior of the volcano would be a good place to keep artifacts no one wanted to be taken.

Hundreds of years later, someone did just that. In approximately 2957 AT, the king and queen commissioned several metalworkers to design a specific vault. They had a powerful mage enchant the steel to prevent it from melting or breaking, and then had the vault placed in the mouth of the volcano. At least ten workers died installing the vault, but it was installed. Before work began in the volcano, the mysterious but legendary Amulet of Souls was placed inside the vault.

Lord Avasvaren himself has approved this undertaking! We must not allow the Amulet to fall into the wrong hands! Conorichal, you have built for us before. Now, I ask that you create something that will never fail.

— King Hezekirah

With the Amulet and its vault safely stored, no Denironian would be able to reach it. Many attempts were made over the years, especially after the Time of Kings began, but none managed to reach or open the safe. The volcano protected it perfectly. Over time, the name "Redim" was forgotten and the public began to call the volcano the "mountain of souls" after the artifact it holds. That title has remained to this day.

Alternative Name(s)

Redim Mountain; Volcano Vault; Death Mountain

Type

Volcano

Location under

Denironia

Natural Resources

Not many Denironians visit the mountain's island. If they did they would find not only the volcano and its famous vault, but abundant amounts of obsidian and gold, both of which are used as jewelry by wealthy Denironians. After the volcano erupts, additional minerals can be found once the lava flows have stopped. There is no flora or fauna on the island, making the gold, obsidian, and Amulet of Souls the only things of worth on it at all.

I saw veins of gold in the side. Imagine the inlays we could make with that much.

— A Denironian craftsman

Commissioned by a God?

The origins of the Amulet of Souls are unknown. It is mentioned in not only Denironian culture but also in legends from other planets. In one, the Celestial of forgiveness remarks that it is, "A vile thing and one that I despise. I don't know why he created it." On Denironia, it is mentioned often alongside Avasvaren, the Denironian god of assassins. Legend says he stole it from its creator and brought it to Denironia to prevent it from being used.
The king and queen at the time of its move to the volcano vault claimed that Avasvaren had asked them to do it. Their mage, Conorichal, believed that Avasvaren asked for it to be hidden, although not necessarily in the mouth of an active volcano.

by Lilliana Casper