The biggest mountain range in Nexus, the Alabaster Mountains are named after the Alabaster Mountain, which is the location of the Alabaster Workshop. This mountain range also encompasses much of Dwarven society, as many of their communities are built within these mountains. Notable is the underground city of Mig Boldir, the primary hub for the Dwarves, located in the middle of the biggest mountains to the west of Alabaster Workshop. South of these locations is Mount Venture Mines, the biggest Dwarven mine, which is connected through the mountain range with underground tunnels/roads.
The Alabaster Workshop is the current name for the place where the ancient tradition of festivals of competitive metalworking and crafts between the elves and dwarves began. In the modern day, this place has been transformed into a beautiful stadium-like arrangement.
Built around a clearing at the foot of a mountain, the clearing has been taken over by a huge amphitheater constructed of gray-white stone mined from the adjacent mountain (hence the name “alabaster”). Within the mountain, there is a system of tunnels and caves that were mined out by the dwarves for the stone that was used to construct the amphitheater. Since then, those caves have been filled with various forges and masonries, places for dwarven smiths and craftsmen of various inclinations to finish their pieces before presenting them during the festival. Similarly, across the clearing, there has been constructed a system of buildings in the boughs of the trees above, a place for the elvish competitors to finish their works before the festival. The two areas are, of course, not restricted to those of either species, but most competitors are fiercely protective of their products and their secrets, so most consider going to the other side’s facilities to be an option of last resort. Despite the considerable competitive spirit of many of the participants, the festival remains a celebration of the different cultures and of their progress in their various crafts.
Tere and Mount Returner
Mt. Returner is a secluded peak within the Alabaster Mountain Range which stands at an elevation about 3,562 m above sea level. Returner is home to Tere the Ancient during the shrouding seasons who takes residence in a temple near its peak. The temple and the peak are both perpetually engulfed in a fog which makes them unviewable from the base of the mountain. The existence of the temple was hotly debated until the study of cyclone stone sensors at the Cellera Center allowed Troll researchers to accurately map the mountaintop from its base and found that the residence did indeed exist.
Tere the Ancient is considered to be one of Nexus’ deities — a magical immortal with control over their surrounding wind patterns who is theorized to share a connection with the cyclone stones. They are a recluse who lives atop Mt. Returner during the shrouding seasons, though they come down from their mountain during the emergence seasons. Seemingly, only they are able to ascend Mt. Returner as their consistent and powerful winds are able to keep the Inostere at bay. Specifically in modern times, they visit Argaton during Sprout, Starford during Bud, Fortone Market during Bloom, and the ruins of Swarfell during Harvest during a typical year.
Tere is able to communicate with members of the migrant civilizations of Nexus using the swirling green orb in their right hand which vibrates in audible (and inaudible) frequencies to produce spoken words. The produced voice is melodic and resonant; highly precise in its tones yet flowing like the wind. The red orb in Tere’s center hand is mysterious in nature, though it is thought to be the source of their magic as it swirls with intensity when Tere exerts magic waves. Finally, in their leftmost hand, Tere holds a stone similar in size and composition to a cyclone stone (though not a cyclone stone). Tere uses this stone as an origin point for their winds with any they generate originating from the vertices of the stone. Aside from these three hands, it is not known what Tere looks like beneath their robes.
Tere is referred to with a number of epithets. Their primary byname, Tere the Ancient — which stems from their supposed birth preceding the landing of even the elves — is controversial within research circles. Tere’s status as “ancient” is primarily assumed through their connection to the cyclone stones and backed up by their own insistence — however, skeptics have pointed to the lack of written evidence of Tere from before the Middle Past Era, even in texts detailing Mt. Returner. These researchers often opt for one of Tere’s other epithets, such as Tere the Mountain Spirit, Tere the Westward Wind, or simply Tere. Professor Johild, the current Cellera Vice Research Head, uniquely refers to Tere as “Tere the Ossified,” though she is on surprisingly friendly terms with them, so it is understood to be tongue-in-cheek.
Troll scholars initially theorized that Tere had created the cyclone stones, yet when asked, Tere responded in contempt before explaining the opposite — they had not created the cyclone stones, rather, the cyclone stones had created them. Due to the poor relationship between Tere and the Cellara Center (stemming from Tere’s consistent unwillingness to participate in research), this statement is not yet accepted as a compelling or definitive fact and is a point of frustration for researchers.
Tere has a serene demeanor and interacts readily and in a laid-back manner with anyone who approaches them. During the emergence seasons they frequent social spaces in cities and have developed good relationships with many communities as well as many friends throughout the ages.
It is generally accepted that Mt. Returner contains the majority of Nexus’ Inostere population. It is even theorized that there are as many as 3 times the recorded Inostere population from the entire rest of the continent (which was last recorded at between 12,000 and 16,000 individuals) inhabit Returner’s slopes.
Mt. Returner is known as an unclimbable mountain, not due to its steepness but because of its population of Inostere bombarding any sources of magic who enter their area with blunt force blows. Most who attempt to brave the climb do so brashly in the name of adventure or for the sake of reaching Tere’s temple at the top. Even Trolls, who could perform the climb without dying from the onslaught, cannot overcome the sheer number of blows without being pushed off the mountain. Every climber in recorded history has either turned back after being repelled near the foot of the mountain or ventured too far and were never heard from again — with one exception.
The Case of Gor Haksom is an incident from about 40 years after the arrival of the goblins on Nexus. A caravan of Unseelie fairies headed for Swarfell were setting camp 50 km east of the then developing Argaton when a troll fell from the sky, flattening the bonfire which they luckily had not yet lighted. Confused by the occurrence, the fairies questioned the Troll who identified himself as Gor Haksom, an aspiring explorer.
Haksom recounted how he had attempted the trek up Mt. Returner in the name of glory and achievement. Personally knowing counteless respected adventurers who had tried and failed to break through the inostere, he knew it was impossible for a rookie like him to reach the top — still, his troll regeneration meant he wasn’t putting himself in much danger by simply trying. Much to his own shock, he managed to push into the midst of the inostere and by pure chance was bludgeoned up the mountain path by their onslaught rather than off of it. As the account goes, Haksom’s memory of what happened after that was hazy, whether that was due to exhaustion from being battered all the way up the mountain or for some other reason is unclear. Haksom insists that he reached the summit of Mt. Returner and saw some sort of building before being approached by an (unclear) something and feeling his feet suddenly leave the ground. That was his final memory before waking up again in the middle of a fairy camp.
In modern times, people believe that Haksom must have encountered Tere at the top of Mt. Returner before they had started to regularly mingle with the migrant civilizations. Tere themselves has refused to confirm or deny this.
