L O S T
Name: The Crystal Caves of Kas
Image Source: [Link]
Classification: Crystal Cave
Location: Within the Daamias Mountain Range, specifically the Kas Peak, Draidori. (Solein)
Size: Extensive; the cave network takes up most of Kas' lower peak, with the central chamber being the largest cavern.
Population: None; perhaps a few stray animals can be found within. Most people who venture here do not stay for long.
Demographics: No permanent Sentients. Various Fauna
Points of Interest: The Central Cavern
Description:
Some parts of the Crystal Caves are so vast that many who venture inside wonder how the Peak hasn't simply crumbled away. It is even said that if you stand in the central cavern you can see to the very top of the mountain... Of course this is nonsense, a simple trick of perception. While the caves are sprawling, and make up a large part of Kas' peak, they are only part of the lower half of the mountain and much of what travelers see on the inside is actually underground.
Nonetheless it remains an impressive sight. Sparkling crystals line the floor and walls, formed over centuries. To the astute Force User it will sound as though the crystals are singing, in truth this is simply the formations resonating with the subtle vibrations of the earth and the flow of the wind which enters through the various entrances which pinprick the mountainside.
The Central Cavern is by far the most breathtaking, however its crystals are far beyond recovering for Jedi's purposes, having grown to mammoth sizes over the millennium. Here especially, with a gargantuan pool of water and a waterfall descending from the ceiling, do the elements have their way with the cave. The wind roars ferociously through the cavern, causing the feint of heart to flee the way they came from. This perpetuates the notion that the caves are inhabited by a colossal beast, of course this is just folklore.
Simple crystals can be found throughout the Crystal Caves; the most common colours are green and blue, as well as many white (though these happen to be too large to utilize effectively, even if chipped away at); there are also the illusive orange crystals, which are highly sought after by the Sith who make up the Order of Dusk. Once each year a group of Jedi will make a pilgrimage to the Caves in order to perform The Gathering - a Trial wherein Initiates are expected to meditate and seek out a crystal to use within their future Lightsabers. This is a sacred tradition, and even the Sith dare not impede the Initiates' progress.
History:
The Crystal Caves of Kas were supposedly discovered prior to the Expansive War, when explorers from across the Galaxy ventured to the planet without restraint. It is believed that the first people to step foot inside were Jedi, however there is no substantial evidence to back up this claim and many of Govoldeim's long time residents claim it has been a point of pilgrimage for millennia.
Regardless of how it came to be discovered, Kas' network of caves have since been used by both the Jedi and Sith presences' on world, being the only source of crystals since the fallout left the planet inaccessible. Once every year a group of Jedi will make a pilgrimage of their own to the Caves in order to perform an ancient Trial known as The Gathering, a tradition that has continued for as long as Solein's history has been documented.
Outside of this, however, the Caves have been left well enough alone, with regular citizens not daring to venture too close, believing that the Central Chamber houses a great monster.
Intent: To flesh out Solein and give life to the Mountains that [member='Ayvari Dorian'] grew up in. This will also expand upon the Order of the Dawn and Order of Dusk Force Traditions.
Links: [Solein] | [Govoldeim] | [Draidori] | [Daamias, The Ice Mountains]