Inspiration: Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett
One of the lessons of The Stern Way concerns the husbandry and nurture of mountains. Though the art is open to all adherents, only stone giants have the longevity, size and patience to work on ranges, hills and cliffs.
Nestled in the Grey Mountains is a school where the craft is taught – one reason that those mountains are so formidable. Apprentices coax hills from the earth, while masters plan over many decades the rise and fall of mountains. Smaller and shorter lived races satisfy themselves with bonsai mountains, where the craft is to control their size while developing interesting feature.
The school has produced at least one rogue student, a reckless halfling who – frustrated with his short lifespan – shapes the land hurriedly. A hill takes no more than a day, and he can cause valleys and gorges to open up in an hour. However, these dramatic growths and collapses strain the earth, increasing earthquakes and vulcanism.
Hooks
- Where is the rogue halfling now?
- Who else has studied at the school?
- What is the long-term plan of the priests of the monastery?
- How do you convince a mountain to grow?
