Isig, Land of the Mountain

Isig is a land whose heart and soul are the mines of Isig Mountain. Like all the other nations of the High One's realm, it was settled during the early Years of Settlement. Danan Isig, the namesake of the land, has ruled it since the Years of Settlement. Kyrth sprawls at the roots of Isig Mountain is the major trade city of Isig from which goods travel down the Ose river to Kraal in Osterland. Then from there to the various trade-ports of the realm.

Kyrth
The trade-port of Kyrth is nestled within a single curve of Isig Mountain. The city is crowded with traders, trappers, craftsmen, and miners even in mid-winter. However, traders come to Kyrth in earnest at the beginning of spring. A road winding up Isig Mountain leads to Harte, Danan Isig's home and workplace.

Harte
Harte has rough, dark walls, with jagged lines, that are shaped as though by wind, weather, and the restless earth. Its windows are patterned and stained with color. The gates that form a dark arch serve as the entrance to Harte. The yard rests just inside Harte. It is filled with many forges and workshops. Here the craftsmen create stunningly beautiful works. Yrth created both the starred harp and sword here in Harte. The yard leads into the great hall of Harte. The walls of the hall are rough, still embedded with jewels of many colors. A stream cuts a curved path across the floor and a great firebed is suspended above it to warm the stones. Many miners, craftsmen, traders, and trappers work at Harte and will take there meals there. Most of these, however, only work at Harte and return to Kyrth at the end of the day.

The east tower once served as home to the High One in his guise of Yrth. His room, at the top of the tower, is completely quiet. The sounds from the forges below barely reach to the tower. The walls are hung with furs and tapestries. It also has a hearth to keep the room warm.

Harte serves as the entrance to the mines and caves of Isig. Only those permitted by Danan Isig may enter the mines. The greatest craftsmen of the realm come to train at Harte, to learn how to work with the metals and jewels of Isig. The craftsmen were once taught by Danan's son Sol; now, however, they are taught by Danan's other son, Ash.

Isig Mountain & its Mines
The depths of Isig Mountain are inexhaustible with minerals, metals, and bright, precious stones. Water runs through Isig, deep below its surface.

The doors from Harte lead into a wet, cool shaft that itself leads downward into the Isig mines. The high, dark walls of inner Isig are veined with torchlight. Readily visible in these dark walls are uncut jewels, described as crystals of fire and ice. These jewels range in color from midnight-blue to smokey-yellow and many more. Arched trails and high passageways wander throughout the mountain. Stalactites hang from the ceilings of many parts of the caves. Streams, with slow, imperceptible movements, that are as thin as glass deepen and fall into vast, measureless lakes. Tiny nameless things live in these lakes.

At the end of one river, there is a chamber of milk-white blue-veined stone. Three steps lead upward out of a pool of water to a dais on which two long cases of beaten gold and white jewels rest beneath a torch. These caskets contain Danan's wife Grania and his son Sol.

The Cave of the Lost Ones
The Cave of the Lost Ones is located deep in the heart of Isig Mountain. Its entrance is a door of polished green stone teared with black. The walls are massed with undiscovered beds and veins of jewels. It is here were the long dead children of the Earth-Masters' rested, waiting for the Star-Bearer.

The Land-Rulers of Isig 

• Ash - He is the son of Danan Isig and his land-heir. He is a tall, fair man with Danan's green eyes. His wife occasionally visits Caithnard.
• Bere - He is the ten or eleven year old son of Vert. He has blunt, black hair and grey eyes. Bere has broad shoulders and a grave, placid face. He trains under his uncle, Ash.
• Danan Isig - Isig is the land-ruler of the land that bears his name. He is well over a thousand years old, more likely over two thousand years old. He is said to have been as ancient as a tree when Lungold was founded. He is a shape-changer who often takes the form of a tree. He apparently has taught his children to change into this form as well. He is big, thewed like a tree; with hair and beard grey-gold. His eyes are gentle, mild and green, the color of pine. Danan has at least three children; Ash, Sol, and Vert. He also has at least a dozen grandchildren. Among the many things he crafts are swords for the lords and kings of An and Ymris.
• Grania - She was the wife of Danan Isig. She is buried in the mines below Isig Mountain.
• Kes - She is a grandchild of Danan Isig
• Sol - Sol was the son of Isig. He cut the stars for Yrth's harp. He was killed by Earth-Masters after seeing Yrth's starred sword. The starred sword was made long before he was born. He was murdered three hundred years before the start of Riddle of Stars.
• There is a riddle about him.
• Suny - She is the young daughter of Vert. She is a toddler with black hair.
• Vert - She is the daughter of Danan Isig. She has many children, amongst them a son Bere and a daughter Suny. She is a slender woman with hair the color of pine bark. Her husband is a trader and spends most of his time out at sea.

MINOR CHARACTERS OF ISIG

• Elieu of Hel - The brother of Raith, Lord of Hel, who came to Isig two years before Morgon first travels to Isig. He trains under Ash Isig. He has recently begun to do inlays, designs.
• Zec of Hicon, Herun - Around one hundred years before the founding of Lungold, he did the inlay for Yrth's harp. He was trained by Sol.