Haupthorn's Crag

General Overview

Haupthor's Carg is a cliffside settlement, located on the western facing cliffs of the White mountain. it is areligious theocracy situated inside a series of caverns just above the cloudline. Oxygen is scarce and resources are even rarer. the paths that connect the various caverns are dangerous and traveling between them requires skill and knowledge of the paths within the mountain and on the cliffside. the community prides itself on a connection with wild griffins. the elite guard of the Crag are the Griffinriders.

The history of the founding of Haupthorn's Carg

the settlement was founded as an aftermath of the events of the failed invasion to from the continent of @@@. a small fleet of 5 ships were separated from the main armada. as the ritual of the coronation of the The Lich King took place the seas grew more and more turbulent.

the leader of the separated fleet named Haupthorn the thrice blessed (priest of @@) led them towards the sheer cliffs of the white mountain. as death was imminent a miraculous light broke through the cloud cover and shined upon an area on the high waves. the ships scrambled to reach the spot, and as they did a huge wave rose behind them .

the wave carried the ships safely to a crevasse that lead to a cave, high on the cliffside of the mountain.

there the first settlers fashioned a rudimentary settlement in the cavern.

in time they located more spaces within the mountain, whether directly connected to the original cavern or located on the cliffside nearby (connected by precarious walkways). the 5 miracles allow the settlers to sustain life and culture in the face of a severe resource deficiency. even so, fragility and the art of repurposing old things, are part of the way of life and culture of the people of Haupthorn's Crag

the 5 miracles of Haupthorn's Crag

1. The miracle of eternal fire- a bout that burns in perpetuity is located in the center of the main cavern. it is the source of warmth and life in the Crag.

2. The miracle of fresh wood- the remains of another boat are located in a different cavern- where the druids of the settlement reside. the boat sprouts fresh trees and other plants.

3. the shrine of clairvoyance- allows the priests to pierce through the shroud of the dark veil to gain some knowledge of the Kingdom of Angmar

4. the griffins nest- one of the boats was smashed into the mountainside far above the main settlement and was considered lost for a long time- until it was discovered decades later to be transformed into a nest for wild griffins. the nest is the source of the elite Griffin Riders patrol.

5. the forbidden alter- situated deep within the mountain- it's very existence and location a closely guarded secret- the shrine is a combination of the remnants of the smallest boat of the original fleet and a pre-existing temple of a culture long lost.

it is a source of dark magics and a potential portal into the Kingdom of Angmar (though at a horrific price).