The Eruption Of Mount Erebus
1138 UT
| On the continent of Norreven the Tempest Mountains create a natural border between the countries of Necris and Velellen. Given the great degree of seismic activity in the region, it is no surprise that the largest volcano in Undera lies within this mountain range. Towering over the nearest neighboring peaks, Mt. Erebus is almost perpetually surrounded by swirling, frozen winds which obscure the summit from view. Upon observing the mountain from the mist veiled country of Necris, it can be hard to imagine the horrific destruction the mountain rained down two-thousand years ago, but the eternally petrified forest of Darkmoor and the recently discovered ruins of a forgotten, ancient settlement on its borders serve as very stark reminders of what this mountain is capable of. |
Manifestation
Mt. Erebus violently roared to life one mid-morning in 1138 UT, after a six day precursor of smaller quakes, sending several thousand tons of super heated gases, molten rock, pumice, and volcanic ash miles into the sky. For nearly a full day, volcanic ash and pumice rained down over the surrounding areas; the majority pushed eastward by the summer winds. By nightfall the forest and settlement which were within several miles of the base of the mountain were buried under nearly 15 feet (4.5 meters) of volcanic debris, but the deadliest aspect of this eruption was yet to come.
Shortly after moon rise, the rising cloud of ash and pumice collapsed as the volcanic gases of the column densified, losing the ability to hold its more solid contents, and the first of three pryoclastic flows of volcanic gas and molten rock surged down the Eastern slopes of Mt. Erebus, further burying the area in another 20 feet (6 meters) of debris. The two subsequent flows hours later added another combined 12 feet (3.6 meters) of debris over the previous layers.
By mid-day, the following day, the mountain's rage had finally calmed into silence, and the sun shined weakly through the ruddy haze. In Necris, the land to the South of the mountain lay blanketed in a deep layer of ash, giving it an appearance similar to the lands of Velellen on the Northern side of the mountain; despite it being mid-summer. The land to East lay buried beyond recognition. The five following summers were colder than usual, and the winters were especially harsh for both Necris and Velellen lasting for several months longer than usual.
Localization
Over the following two-thousand years, the summer ice melts from Mount Erebus began to collect at the Eastern base of the mountain, slowly eroding away at the layers of debris and eventually connecting to the waters of the Glacial Ocean. The land surrounding this bay has remained gray, and eerily quiet to this day. Due to the nature of the pumice and ash, the forgotten settlement and the forest which once thrived at the base of Mount Erebus were petrified, forever frozen in the first hours of the eruption.
It is likely these relics would have been lost to time if several of the frost giant tribes of Velellen had not witnessed the event, and lived to pass down warnings of the mountain's dangers to their descendants. Thanks to the efforts of scholars from the historical colleges of Wardfell and Dracmount in 1358 CE, the petrified forest and the ruins of the ancient settlement were rediscovered. Dig teams from both colleges have been working cooperatively to uncover these archaeological marvels ever since.
Type
Natural
Mount Erebus |
|---|
|
Comments