Crown of the World
The Crown of the World is the Northernmost part of the world
of Garn. Where once stood the tallest mountain peak, Mount
Celetine, said to reach into Etheria, the home of the gods,
itself, now lies an impossibly huge crater with set of icy,
jagged stones rising up to the clouds with a rumored mystic
shrine at its center.
The rest of the land known as the Crown of the world is a
frozen wasteland, said to be the coldest place in all th world.
Little lives here and that which doesw fights for every day
that it is blessed with continued breath.
A very few bnds of roaming goliath and barbarians roam the
Frozen Wastes, having grim attitudes and grimmer yet
towards strangrs.
One settlement of miscreants and disposessed individuals
sits in the cold wastes of this gods forsaken land, under
constant danger from the elements and the few creatures
that call the Crown of the World home.
Cracks in the earth lead deep beneath the ice into darker,
deeper environs and even more harrowing dangers.
Life in the Crown of the World is hard and vry few are native
to the frozen wastes of the land with those who are, if getting
the opportunity to experience other places, being amazed
at how much easier life is in ther parts of the world.
Travelers to the Crown of the World are very few, the few coming to the frigid land in hope of discovering treasures or making a pilgrimage to the Shattered Stair, or hunting a rare creaqture for a uique trophy.
Whqatever the reason for visitors, they don't generqlly stay long, the ones who make it out alive.
Those wanting to travel to the Crown of the World will find no ports or shore towns but will have to take a smaller boat from a ship to reach shore.
Freetown
The only settlement to speak of in the Crown of the World, Freetown
is populated by the dispossessed and unfortunates of the world or
those who simply don't want to live under the rule of the King or
the Golden Order of Astron.
Freetown is not a stopping plaee for visitors and has little too offer
nyone not intnding to live there. There are no shops and only one
tavern which serves a very watered down mead and is simply
called Oleander's after the owner of the same name.
There is no inn, new homes simply built in the town when someone
new moves in or the home of a poor soul who dies given to the new-
comer as to not waste resources.
Ice fishing and frost bear hunting is the order of the day for those
hoping to make it in Freetown.
Some trade does hppen with the nomadic Iceblood goliath clan and
the town has even been aided by the goliaths to fight off the Frost
Giants though, luckily for the people of Freetown, the Frost Giants
don't take a lot of time raiding or attacking the small commuity,
concentrating instead on their outright war with Fror Agi, the
Freezing Terror, a frost linnorm of extreme age and power that
crawls through the Crown's Crater, killing all in its wake.
Icedrop Wood
These frozen woods surrounding Freetown have been so named
because of the ice-dwelling variety of piercers that drop from the
trees and cliffs to kill their prey. With the local knowledge of the
dangerous camouflaged monsters, the piercers are a little less
deadly for the locals and for what few travelers may pass through
as long as they visit Freetown before venturing into the woods.
Though these smaller monsters are well known in the area, a more
mysterious danger also stalks the Icedrop Wood, a creature that
has yet to be seen by any living witness. Whatever the creature is,
it is elusive and hunts for it remain unsuccesful.
The Icedrop Wood is the only source of wood in the Crown of the
World and, as such, lumber work has had to be done in larger
groups to avoid the creature stalking the wood.
Mount Frostbone
Mount Frostbone is the closest mountain to the settlement of
Freetown, to the misfortune of the residents there.
Mount Frostbone is named for the littering of frozen skeleons
strewn about the mountain.
These bones are the bragging rights and a warning to would be
tresspassers on the mountain. These all left by a family of ice trolls
dwelling in a cave structure in the upper peak of the mountain.
Luckily for the people of Freetown, the ice trolls are content in
hunting the mammoths who roam the Crown of the World in
small herds that are bginnig to dwindle (in no doubt due to the
overhunting by the rqvenous trolls) and the nearby town worries
about what might happen when the mamoth run out.Will the trolls
move elsewhere in the wasteland or will they turn to other prey?
For now, at least, the trolls keep to the mountain.
It has been observed, at least recounted in notes as the observer
has never returned from Mount Frostbone, that a ice troll witch
among the troll family is able to raise skeletons to do her bidding
as well. A magic wielding troll is not a bright prospect for anyone.
For the reason of the troll, Freetown has to travel very far for any
stone or minerals and, therefore. most of the weapons and armor
they craft are from wood or hides and animal parts.
The Vetri Tagh Mountains
The Vetri Tagh (or Winter Sword) Mountains are the most
dangerous mountains in the Crown of the World,being the steading
of the Frost Giants led by King Ludgi Ymir, dwelling in a cavern
fortress, known as Helfrost Keep, as cold as his frozen heart.
None dare set foot on or even within a few miles of the Vetri Tagh,
traveling for miles to avoid the wrath of the giants.
The frost giants of Vetri Tagh do not hide the entry to their realm,
a giant metal door covered in giant runes, after all who would be
foolish eough to try to invade their realm?
Aside from the giants are sevral dens of winter wolves, several of
whome are cptured as pups and trained to work for the giants.
One dangr of the mountain that the giants even seem to fear, is the
Ghost Wolf, tremendous wolf that has come to gather the winter
wolves under its protection, save those that the giants have already
captured and trained.
The Ghost Wolf or Draugr Wolf is a monster the frost giants have
not seemed to be abl to fell, often claiming a type of "witchcraft"
that protects the thing fro their attacks.
The creature seems to be at least as intelligent as the winter wolves.
speaking their language as well as the gian't it seems but it has not
demanded that the return of any wolves already under the giants' "care" but has demanded that no more wolves be taken.
Ruins of Nar'Amogg
This set of rune-covered stones was once a holy place of the frost
giants, now considerd cursed and possibly huunted.
The giants avoid the site, making a religious sign to one of their
giant gods if having to pass too close to the place.
It is said among the goliath that there is a rumored relic of the
frost giants buried within the ruins somewhere but that a raging
spirit of ice and cold calling itself Nar'Amogg also stalks the ruins,
attcking any who approach the place.
This montrous spirit is decribed as vaguely giant humanoid looking
shrouded in frost and ice with a touh cold enough to even freeze a
frost giant's blood.
Whatever the truth of this spirit or a rlic treasure that might lay
there, none willingly travel to the ruins of Nar'Amogg.
The Gaping Wound
The Gaping Wound is a large fissure in the icy earth of the Crown
of the World. The fissue runs for miles, as if some angry god
brought down an impossibly gigantic axe to splite the ground,
itself, open.
When anyone approaches this gaping hole in the icy ground,
strange ice scorpions pour from the fissure to attack anyone near
it.
Despite the danger of the ice scorpions, some claim to have reached
the edge of the fissure, claiming there is a dark, rocky climb down
into the depths. Unfortuntely, this downward, rocky "stair"
descends into darkness, winding out of sight or so it is claimed.
Kruuthak's Mountains
This mountain is practically ruled over by Kruuthak, an enorous
ice bear with freezing claws that leaves those it hits turning into
icy statues wich Kruuthak seems caqpabl of eating as easily as
meat as is evidenced by the half eaten frozen statues of his prey
which, thankfully, generally consists of the furry, giant goats local
to the Crown of the World.
It is forbidden by the frost giants to kill Kruuthak, seeing him as a
spirit sent and blessed by their god, Thrym, to test their strength.
Instead, brave frost giant warriors wnting to prove their strength,
either to increase their position in the frost giant clans, are pitted
against Kruuthak in a battle where one is expected to survive the
fury and icy wrath of the bear for a certain amount of time (the
time depending on what position the challenging frost giant is
trying to aspire to).
The nuber of have torn apart ice statues of frost giants shows the
danger of this challenge and that it is no light task to pit oneself
against Kruuthak.
It is said by the goliath in the area that is one is stupid enough to
try to attempt to ingratiate themselves to th frost giants then
taking the Challnge of Kruuthak is certainly the way to do so.
The Deepwell
At the foot of Kruuthak's Mountain lies a set of stone ruins not
known or claimed by any of the peoples of the Crown of the World,
including the frost giants.
Within the ruins stands a dais of stone with a hole that disappears
deep into the earth, further than sight will tell, much like the
fissure of the Gaping Wound but without monsters sppearing at
its entry nor any descent of stone into the large hole.
The Deepwell is a largely unexplored area as none have felt the
need to decend into its deep hole and though no apparent
monsters or beasts fall on those visiting the ruins, it is still a
disquieting enough site to not lend itself to a favored camp spot
nor a place to really tally at at all.
Deadwood
Near Kruuthak's Mountain and the Depwell is a tract of dead or
dying trees known as the Deadwood.
Covered in a chill somehow felt even in the coldest land in the
world, this expnse of twisted, clw-like trees is rarely traveled
(even more rarely than the rest of this frigid land).
It is said that traveling near the Deadwood, one is beckoned by
name and drawn into its twisted, half-dead trees to meet a horrid
fate, becoming one of the trees, themselves.
Many a brave skald among the barbarian folk scoff and laugh at
this notion, even as they tell this story, but their bravado seemss
like a mask ovr their fear and their lughtr sounds hollow. But,
they will add, there is something in the Dedwood that has been
witnessed by the lucky few that have been able to flee the place.
It is told there is a witch who flies through the Deadwood, calling
its twisted trees her "children". But a witch is not that frightening
to your typical clnsman or clanswoman, as the barbrians call
theselves. No, but the witch that haunts the Deadwood does so
as a terrifying spirit. A spirit that leaves her ecped victims
sleepless for nights after seeing her.
As such, any wise traveler is happy enough to leave the Deadwood
to the witch and her twisted tree children.
Nomadic Clans
The nomdic clans that roam the Crown of the World are made up
of the human barbarian clans such as Clan Icefang, Clan Winter
Feather, Clan Boarhide, and Clan Windtalon, or made up of
goliath such as Clan Gloomblade, Clan Jotunson, Clan
Stormhammer, and Clan Glciermane but never both, unlike the
clans found in the Northreach, the Clans of the Crown never mix
humans and goliaths in the same clan, though the clans often
cooperate with one another in the face of dangers such as a flight
of frost drakes or band of frost giants. However, in the face of
scarce resources or over a slight or insult, the clans are just as
likely to be found warring with one another.
If times are very tough for the clans, they will even raid the
Crown's only settlement of Freetown. Luckily for the assorted
folk of that small village, times are rarely tough enough that they
resort to raiding the "weak folk".
One other clan roams the Crown of the World, however, and this
clan is friend to no other clans, nor to the people of Freetown.
This is the clan of Frorgmog or "Frost Death". An orc clan that
takes what it wants from any unlucky eough to cross their path.
Though not as adept at fighting in the icy element as either the
barbarian or goliath clans, clan Frorgmog makes up for this in pure numbers which seem to replenish after every defeat. So hated is this orc clan that the other clans will work together to defend Freetown when the orcs get the idea to raid the settlement.
It is soe small blessing that of late, clan Frorgmog has been keeping to the Western wastes of the Crown.
The Shattered Stair
Not resembling stairs at all, but named for the moutain, the Godmount, which used to reach heavenward with a winding path that was said to reach to Etheria, the home of the gods, itself.
But this mountain was shattered when the peoples of the world attempted to make war with the gods and invade Etheria, causing the world's people and the gods to ever be separated, only comuning through prayer
henceforth.
The shattered remnant of the Godmount is the Shattered Stair, a great crater of jagged rock where th moutain once stood, the rising pieces still as tall as any earthly moutain but only a footprint of the mountain's prior magnificence.
The crater is not completely empty, however, but contains a large, glowing shrine made by the gods, themselves.
This sacred place known as the Godsmeet is the one place in the Crown of the World that is almost never empty as priests and worshippers from around the world make the very dangerous pilgramage to pray to the gods at this shrine.
It is told that when the faithful pray at the shrine, their god blesses them with an extraordinary blessing. But reaching the shrine is no small task for it is not only pilgrims that inhabit the Shattered Stair. Cryohydras and ice devils roam the crater, particularly interested in keeping anyone from entering the shrine. Their numbers seem only teporarily quelled and come back a few hours after being felled.
For this reason, even the most faithful rarely make the pilgramag to the Godsmeet Shrine alone, their copanions, hirelings, or whoever accompanies them distracting the monsters of the crater while the faithful completes thir prayer, none being able to spend as much time at the shrine as they would like.
Giants, orcs, and other monstrous peoples in the area have attempted to destroy the shrine but to no avail, the god-made materials of the shrine seemingly indestructable.
