Targon

This Article is in accordance with the version 0.94 of Runarcana RPG

“Mount Targon is the mightiest peak in Runeterra, a towering peak of sun-baked rock amid a range of summits. Unmatched in scale anywhere else in the world. Located far from civilization, Mount Targon is utterly remote and all but impossible to reach, save by the most determined seeker. Many legends cling to Mount Targon, and, like any place of myth, it is a beacon to dreamers, madmen, and questors of adventure. Some of these brave souls attempt to scale the impossible mountain, perhaps seeking wisdom or enlightenment, perhaps chasing glory or some soul-deep yearning to witness its summit. The ascent is all but impossible, and those hardy few who somehow survive to reach the top rarely speak of what they have seen. Some return with a haunted, empty look in their eyes, others changed beyond all recognition, imbued by an aspect of unearthly, inhuman power with a destiny few mortals can comprehend.”

Mount Targon can be broken into distinct regions, as delineated by patterns in the rock and a marked increase in hazardous weather conditions, difficulty of the climb, and increased death rate. The upper levels of the mountain expand and contract as if the land itself were alive, making it impossible to map a reliable pathway to the top. Each ascent is different, as the mountain magically stretches. Some climbs can last for months while others reach the peak in just a day.

The base of the mountain experiences a variety of weather, creating climates where the Rakkor can hunt and forage for food, herd animals, and sustain life. During spring and summer, flora and fauna thrive, making everyday life possible even on such steep slopes.

The vegetation grows lush on the supernatural surface of the mountain during the summer, when there is freshwater in abundance and when the shepherds lead their flocks to the pastures at the foot. To the Rakkor, these gargantuan patterns in the rock prove that divine beings forged the mountain.

A lake, frozen millennia ago, was slowly pulled up the mountain toward Targon Prime. No matter how well-trained the climber, the thin atmosphere, and countless perils of the mountain mean that nearly all who attempt to reach Targon's peak die on their climb. The bodies of the dead freeze where they fall, permanently-preserved in the thin, frigid air of the mountain and serving as a dark warning to those who come after. Some climbers face divine visions and tests of character and faith. Sometimes they see ghostly images of loved ones they had to leave on the hillside to continue their journey - or even personify their deepest fears. Others face grotesque beasts embedded in the ice with sharp stone teeth. Each journey to the top is extremely different, to the point that climbing can last a single night or several months.

Characters

When creating a character from this region, you gain the following traits:

Languages. Choose one between: Targonian and Rakkor

Skill. Choose one between: Arcana, Athletics, Stealth, Intimidation, Insight, Medicine, Perception, Religion, or Survival.

Activity. Choose two proficiencies from the following options: Dagger, shortbow, a martial weapon, khopesh, small chakram or a minor craft

The Mountain

The path that circumscribes the mountain was carved in the rock, creating shelters that protect the Rakkor, markets, houses, bridges, and ceremonial chambers were also shaped using the shapes of the mountain itself. The circular drawings of the stone vaults serve as a reminder of the celestial beings who created this place. Some families inscribe symbols on the rocks next to their houses to mark important events and thus record their stories generation after generation.

Using the natural curvature of rock, the Rakkor carved stone routes and stairs leading to the lower sections of the mountain. Thick woven panels supported by woven rope fibers offer shelter from wind and snow, and in certain enclaves around the mountain, trails have been opened in labyrinthine caves and tunnels inside the rock where they shelter from violent storms and other bad weather.

Rakkor

Living in the shadow of cyclopean structures of monumental scale, the Rakkor believe they were called to the mountain by mysterious powers. Some believe that the patterns in the rock were once a map of the realms beyond the heavens; others say the markings warn of a day when a great war will ravage the lands and set brother against brother. Despite such speculation, the true origin and purpose of these patterns in the rock remain a mystery.

The Solari

The dominant religious group in Targon, the Solari, believe that the sun is the source of all life. For them, any other source of light is, besides false, a threat to the future of their people. The Solari Temple is on the slopes of Mount Targon, where disciples are taught the scriptures of their faith. The warrior Templars, the Ra'Horak, practice for years under the most severe conditions so that they can defend the lands from invading armies and execute heretics with divine justice. The Ra'Horak, the Solari's elite warriors, have practiced for years under the most severe conditions. Under the belief of being blessed with the strength and virility of the sun, they train to be less susceptible to cold.

The Lunari

The Lunari, an ancient and hidden sect, have as their object of worship the sacred light of the silver moon. They practice their beliefs in secret, hiding from the Solari, who seek to expel the Lunari forever from existence. It is said that long ago, the two groups coexisted, living in peace and worshipping the many heavenly bodies as one people.

One of the Lunari's practices is to map the celestial movements to predict the future. Some priestesses wear glass-mirrored moon necklaces, believing that reflections can reveal even greater truths, while some Lunari seers seal their eyes during the day, training to see only in darkness, for only under the pure light of the moon is the truth revealed. Rare and forbidden, Lunari Weapons are forged from iridescent orb stone, they usually have an elegant design, subtle and easy to hide as one of the characteristics of this forbidden religion.

Temple of the Solari

The entrance to the Solari Temple on the eastern slopes of the mountain is carved from gold-veined marble. Windows are carved into the temples at precise locations so that the light of the sun floods the inner chambers during the solar equinoxes and solstices. Scribes and acolytes sometimes spend the winter sheltering in the relative warmth of temples, conducting divine rituals that invoke the power of the sun and mapping the movements of the stars. In difficult times, Solari priests can spend weeks meditating in the external tabernacle, without water or food, taking all their sustenance from the sun - the source of every form of life.

In this sacred space, aspirants seek a place among the Ra'Horak, the Solari Templars. If the aspirant proves himself worthy, he is admitted to the group of elite warriors. This sanctuary was built to display important celestial events, observable through its carefully positioned windows.

Mountain Test

The upper slopes of Mount Targon, relentless even for the most experienced climbers, are tormented by frigid winds, arctic storms and frequent avalanches. With its rarefied air, every breath is a laborious and painful act. Those who survive the climb describe the hard nights when they tried to shelter from the severe cold, where they say they witness strange visions of ethereal figures. The most dangerous elements of climbing are not its weather conditions, but the way it tests the character of each climber. The Rakkor see the climb as a test not only of strength and resilience, but also of spirit and soul; after all, the climbers encounter visions that distract them from their journey. Some are more benevolent, leading climbers to the safest path during a snowstorm or helping the exhausted stand up again.

Travelers sometimes climb in groups to help each other up. When a climber is seriously injured or exhausted to the point of being unable to continue, there is no longer any hope of rescue; any attempt would be a suicide mission. The corpses do not decompose at such an altitude, but seem to merge with the rock, gradually intertwining with the circular patterns and furrows of the mountain.

At the highest points, inclement winds and dangerous snow ravines challenge the natural cycle of the seasons, creating an endless winter. Here, supernatural forms create unusual patterns and rock formations that make up a strange and dangerous landscape for lost explorers. Plants and animals are rare in the rarefied atmosphere and cold climate.

The Pilgrims

With their daily migration across steep slopes, the tribes of Mount Targon carry as few belongings as possible. Heavy tools and equipment are stored around the mountain and repaired or remade when necessary. Tied pulley systems help transport belongings from bottom to top on the slopes.

The Peak

In the rare event when a worthy mortal successfully ascends Mount Targon's peak, the heavens open in a dazzling display of cosmic aurorae. Few ever bear witness to the radiant sight far above the cloudline and beneath the glittering stars, where a beam of light emerges from the peak. Beyond the mountain's summit, it is said that immortal godlike beings dwell in a city of gold and silver.

Almost all the survivors who reach the peak of Targon see nothing but an empty, rocky and charmless summit. However, on the very rare occasions when Aspects choose a worthy hero to act as their mortal receptacle, it is said the air itself sparkles with stardust while a portal opens over the mountain. Some say that beyond the veil, a ghostly outline of a bright golden and silvery city is seen, and that divine light shines in vibrant colors as heavenly beings descend from the Celestial Realm.