Pearlknife Mountains
The Pearlknife Mountains are a rugged, dangerous mountain range separating Lyria and the Ebon Glade Forest. It plays host to many civilizations, including the tribal Sunchasers, the Kerah, and the massive Nokana Empire. It is regarded as one of the oldest regions on Atheryin, and retains this reputation with its vivid history.
Etymology
The name "Pearlknife" is known to originate from the Lyrian Nal'iaeng, meaning "glistening blades", however, it has been inferred that the name originated among proto-people in Celadon and Ebon Glade, using similar naming conventions as they did for the forest.
Geography
The smallest of mountain ranges on Atheryin Minor, the Pearlknife range resulted from the impact of the Earth-god Lurhasil, while falling to earth in an embryonic state. The same event created the well-known Raven's Maw, where Lurhasil himself is said to still live.
The Pearlknife Mountains are notably the most rugged of many of the mountains on Atheryin as well, most likely due to a combination of their unnatural inception and natural weathering. In the central, highest regions of the mountains, the areas are notorious for their large glacier fields, and thin, upright stone structures. Though, dwarfing these thin and rocky bluffs are massive peaks, reaching high into the skies. A few of the most notable of these peaks are Mt. Rokaio and Laeruna. Because of these dangerous weather conditions, only one pass through Arkhorn is advised for land travel, and even then, it is recommended for all traders to gather supplies in Whorn-ik or Eboncross before travelling the dangerous road north.
Ecology
For the most part, the Pearlknife Mountains look dead and barren. And, in truth, they are. The most dangerous things in the mountains are the weather conditions, however, there are a fair deal of predators in some areas, that feed off of seasonal berries and various fish... and perhaps the occasional careless traveler.
One of the few animals that live in the area are Nitis, though these Nitis are of a much hardier and colder subtype than those from the Ohkorra Desert. The Nitis here are less predatory on larger prey, and focus their attention on a more omnivorous diet of various mushrooms, berries, and fish. Challenging the prowess of the Nitis, in lower and slightly warmer tundra areas, are packs of gray wolves. In these areas, there plenty of larger game for the wolves to hunt, such as deer and elk. But, other than these occasional predators and general tundra fauna, the land is relatively desolate.
History
Before Man
Before the impact of Lurhasil, the Pearlknife region is known by the Collective to have been formless, like the rest of Atheryin. It was one of the first landscapes to be created from the shapeless mass that was the earth, and because of that, is regarded as one of the oldest and holiest places on Atheryin.
Lurhasil impacted the north-central area of the mountains range (where Raven's Maw now exists), and the land around him, which was already fragile and easily warped by magic, cascaded upwards so quickly that the land created a massive mountain range around the impact site, rippling all the way down to what would become Ebon Glade. The dragon god lived happily in the newly-created area while his spirit coalesced, and once he had grown enough, he ascended out from the chasm to greet the newly created Atheryin landscape, and to greet the men now flourishing upon its surface.
The Kerah & Sunchasers
Early Taryphos people, believing the Karophus Puzzle Box was an evil relic, fled to these mountains in search of a new holy sanctuary. What they found was hardship and biting weather, until the Taryphos, led by their Kerah prophets, reached a small, beautiful oasis on the edge of a bay, where they built their holy city of Ko'alurun. They have since lived an isolated and peaceful life, and its citizens are extremely pious amnd renowned for their beautiful craftsmanship.
The Sunchasers, an ancient people that has lived in the Pearlknife Mountains since nearly the beginning of time, were drawn to the area from Ebon Glade and surrounding areas, after the impact of Lurhasil. Upon Lurhasil's awakening, the Sunchasers greeted him with gifts and praise, and in return, the dragon taught them magic, and taught them about the gods and the inner workings of the universe. When the Sunchasers built a temple around the Anamnesis to contain Lurhasil's stored memory of the universe, the god was so happy, he looked to end the eternal darkness upon Atheryin. Fashioning a piece of his soul to a golden spear, Lurhasil threw the weapon into Silmun, setting the evil place aflame. Sun Giant was then imprisoned in Duniaer, condemned to pull the Sun across the sky for all eternity. From this flame the Sun was born, and the Sunchasers forever viewed it as a symbol of Lurhasil's love for man. Because of this myth the Lyrians believed that the Pearlknife Mountains were the center of the planet.
The Fall of Lyria
The Pearlknife Mountains were extremely important to the downfall of the Lyrian Empire. Because Akko Muraia had previously moved the capitol to Juruna, the Nokana forces were able to push the Lyrian forces to the base of the mountains, and corner them. And, by some luck, or some twist of fate, the Four Armies of Daín attacked at the same moment the Nokana had, and subsequently destroyed the remaining forces. Any remaining Lyrians were exiled to the Pearlknife Mountains, and the harsh weather conditions killed most of them. The mountains also slowed the communication between distant Lyrian states very slow, giving Nokana an advantage, since reinforcements from the Lyrian government were slower than the invaders' quick acquisition of new bandit forces.