Basics

Type

• Sacred mountain that pierces into the heavens.
• The peak of the mountain is a realm that exists between:
  • Heaven (Svarga),
  • Earth (Bhuloka),
  • Nether (Patalaloka),
  • and Hell (Naraka).
• Not reachable by all. Requires immense level of focus, motivation and dedication.
• Cannot be ascended in any other way apart from climbing up the steep mountain side, powering through the clouds.

Location

• It is where Ganga starts, amidst the Himalayan mountain ranges.
• There are no political boundaries defining its location.
• It is the intersection of the realms - the only one in all the realms.

Physical Description

Size and Scope

• It is the tallest mountain in the ranges. It has an odd shape of a pyramid, though its sides are extremely steep making it closer to a monolith.
• 
• The mountain is, in fact, just the lower region. The upper region or #The Peak is an entirely different environment. It spans the size of three large cities - which does not make sense spatially.

Landmarks

Manasarovar Lake

• 
• Situated at the base of the mountain and created of the glacier melts.
• Pilgrims circumambulate the lake, which is believed to cleanse them of their sins.
• Still unintroduced.

Ganga River

• The sacred Ganga River originates from the heart of the jungle, a mystical spring hidden deep within the dense foliage.
• It flows outward, nourishing the land, and eventually cascades off the edge of the mountain peak in a breathtaking waterfall that seems to vanish into the clouds below.
• The water is said to be pure and imbued with divine energy, capable of healing and purification.

Tundra Outer Rim

• A harsh, windswept wasteland encircling the peak.
• The ground is barren, frozen and rocky, with sparse vegetation clinging to life.
• The air is thin and cold but escalates into a pleasant warmth quickly, though blizzards infrequently sweep across the landscape.

The Plains

Farmland and Grazing Fields

• A vast expanse of emerald green grasslands, dotted with fruit trees, flowering plants, and cultivated fields.
• The air is warm and fragrant, and a gentle breeze carries the sound of birdsong and rustling leaves.
• This is the main living area for the #Inhabitants of Kailash, a place of peace and harmony.
  • The lands here are managed by grotesque creatures manifest, almost like Rakshasas. These are the Ganas.
  • Cows and other domesticated animals roam these lands and graze here as well.

Abode of Shiva

• There is also the household of Shiva and his family here.
• The river Ganga forms a large horseshoe bend within the plains.
• The house uses the river as a flank.

The Jungle

The Forest

• A dense, vibrant jungle teeming with life.
• Towering trees block out the sky, creating a world of shadows and dappled sunlight.
• Exotic flowers bloom in profusion, and the air is thick with the sounds of insects and animal calls.
• This is the most sacred and mysterious part of Kailash.

The Convergence

• At the centre, where almost no light touches the earth, exists an elevated plateau.
• The river starts from here, seemingly sprouting off from the soil.
• While the water flows downstream, flecks of ashy and wispy substances float upwards and back towards the top of the plateau.
• These are the souls of the people that are deposited into the river.
• The ash and wisps start to form ethereal figures when they become one with Shiva. Most then get sucked into one of the three open portals gaping above. Each leads to a different realm.
• Some that don't get sucked off are then dispersed. Some gain a physical form as Ganas and others remain in ghost form as Bhootas.
• Shiva must perform atop the plateau for the portals into the various realms to remain open.
• While he performs, the souls of deceased (floating in as ash) can become one with him. When he stops, they accumulate as piles of ash.

Climate and Weather

The Climb

• As you climb the mountain you are attacked by the thinning air, the cold and in the increasingly violent weather that acts as a physical and mental barrier against the ascent.
• Those without resolve and strength will eventually drop out at this point. Those that do will eventually reach the second half of the climb which is the large deluge of clouds.
• In here, the air is thick and suffocating. The concept of time becomes blurry as the scent turns into an endless rut that tests the patience and endurance. Those that work though it will eventually reach the so-called peak of the mountain.

The Peak

• The peak of the mountain is a paradox as there are multiple biomes and microclimates in this vast landscape.
  • There is a forest which embodies a tropical climate.
  • There is a plain that embodies a moderate climate.
  • There is a tundra that embodies an extreme climate.
• The tundra forms an outer circle in here. Coming inwards, in a concentric circle, we have the plains. At the very centre is the dense forest that grows denser as you approach the centre.

Flora and Fauna

• There is an entire assortment of creatures and plants in this region.
• Every creature that can be found on the mortal realm can be found here.
• Creatures of Heaven and Nether cannot be found here.

Sensory Details

Cultural Details

Inhabitants

Family

• Lord Shiva,
• Parvathy - Shiva's Consort,
• Ganesh, and
• Murugan.

Attendants - Ganas

• Ganas are souls given a physical form. Due to the abstract nature of the soul, the physical form is often grotesque and misshapen.
• Ganas serve in the outer rims.
• Ganas are formed when the souls of those that have worshipped and sacrificed their lives in service of Shiva become one with Shiva.

Attendants - Bhootas

• The Bhootas are the souls of the damned.
• The souls that are too far gone to reenter the reincarnation cycle. They are forcefully ejected from the cycle by Shiva when they become one with Him.
• They are cursed to roam #The Forest around #The Convergence and act as a line of defence, causing intruders to get lost.

Mounts/Animals

• Nandi - A large white bull that is free to roam around #The Forest and #The Plains.
• Vasuki - King cobra that resides around Shiva's neck. It swims in the river spring while Shiva dances.
• Dawon - A Bengal Cat with Tiger Stripes instead of Spots --> Can turn into a massive Tiger or Lion.
• Mooshik - A rat that can grow as large as a bear and back.
• Peacock - Does not have a name. Slightly larger than usual.

Architecture

Food

• Everything that is eaten is cultivated.
• Only vegetarian food is consumed here.
• Parvathy is the only one who cooks here.

Story Significance

Purpose

• He unknowingly begins his journey to this location in Chapter 4 - Another's Burden.
  • His journey starts because his nightmare visions indicate that the axe was received there.
• Kratos lands here in Chapter 11 - On Top of The World.

Miscellaneous