I convinced my brother to take the trek up Lone Peak again. We had fun and ended up talking a lot about fantasy.
My family Backpacked in the lone peak area last summer. That trip backpacking over 3 days was quite an adventure. This time my brother and I packed light and went quick.
Lone peak is one of the tallest along the Wasatch front. It is located south of Little Cottonwood canyon and can be seen from most places in the Provo and Salt Lake valleys.
We started at the Jacobs Ladder Trail head. which took us the most southern way up the mountain. there are 3 main ways up. the way we went is the most popular, then there is another route from the SL valley, and the most difficult is Bell Canyon. Jacobs ladder route is a 12 mile trip with over 5500 feet of elevation gain. And it took us five and one half hours to complete.
Brian recorded the trip on strava. See the details.
I like traveling quick like this because you get to see all the sights and experience the journey, but you get to still enjoy the rest of your day.
The plan was to run as much of it as we could. There is a point where it gets to steep to run, and a quick walk is more efficient. I wasn't sure how much running we would actually do. In the end it was much less than I had hoped. We made it up in good time to the top. 2 hours and 55 minutes. there were many people up in there area that mentioned something about our pace. We both felt great, except for maybe some heavier breathing due to the elevation. We kept tabs on how we felt and ate plenty. It was a great Trip.
Watch the video to get a sense of our adventure.
At the start of the run I asked Brian one question. This topic ended up being the conversation that spanned the whole rest of the trip.
I asked, "Brian, what is your Race...
...your Fantasy Race?"
He responded with "ORC" (in an orc-ish way)
and I responded with "Elf"
This started us on a conversation where we put together characters like one might for a D&D campaign but also included us developing lore with a world and applying it to the reason why our characters were on a journey to the top of a mountain such as Lone Peak.
Brian likes Tanky Characters that have lots of armor. I like Stealth and ability.
The world we put together involved humans who were coming to our land similar to the Europeans in the 14 and 15 hundreds. I was a wooded elf from some southern forested lands and Brain was from the Northern Orc country. between our lands were more orc peoples and cultures and to the west were High Elf cultures who traded lots with the Orcs. The Humans had found settlement and a foothold in the Isles to North East.
Brian put together his backstory. He decided that he was an orc of noble blood, who served his clan. His people had been destroyed by the humans while he was away with his father hunting. He had then been captured/more like taken by humans and brought to their land to be studied and understood. There he befriended a curious and friendly human who helped him, taught him and treated him well. Eventually he got away and made it back to the mainland. He no longer has place to call home, and no War chief to serve, so he travels the land and serves where he can. When he escaped from the Humans he took with Him a Tower Shield with special properties of Human Make. This makes him stand out. Orcs usually do not use weapons of this kind, but it fits his personality and sets him apart as the Orc he is.
The Humans are unlike the people of our continent. They still have magic but they use it in a very different way. They enchant items and put magic into their machines and technology using Runes and sources of energy. The Humans are in an age of Industrialism. (Think Steam punk where the scifi element is more fantasy) Magic in in the tech he humans use. They have large warships that give them advantage being among the Island of the land.
The Orcs more than the Elves can use magic that runs through them. Elves like the humans use magic in items but in a natural way. My character is a elf from the southern woods I decided to calll him Lukk'l (Pro: Luke-El). These elves are rough skinned (like bark) that range from grey, brown and green. They can use some magic though their body but find magic in natural things like tress and craft items from them. It is not uncommon for this kind of elf to have a wooden dagger that is enchanted. In our world magic is stored in minerals and natural places. My character is a specialist in being able to find these sources. Where my charicter is from there are lots of small groups of elves all over. My people are not settled in Grand Cities like the Orcs and High Elves. But where I am from is a Huge forest like the Amazon Rain forest so there are a fair number of us. We tend to stay secluded and on our own in our lands.
Early on in our trek up the mountain Brain decided he wanted to be a Tankie Fighter Character. I told him I was a Stealth Magic guy. Brian wanted to have a Big pole with an ax/spear on the end. It took me a while to decide I would wield a short sword of special enchantment I had gathered.
We had to figure out why our two characters were on a trek up a mountain. Brain wanted us to be on the hunt for a large beast or monster of some kind. We decided we would be out getting our hands dirty for some kind of mountain troll that had been demented by dark magic. We were out to take care of the magic and the Creature who was a threat to the area. Plus to make matters worse there was a Community of Goblins in the area who were siphoning the magic at its source and causing it to go dark. They had caused the magic (accidentally) to enter into the mountain troll.
So I being the elf Lukk'l being a specialist in the matter was brought in by the High elves to travel to the land in the North West to take care of the magic source. I had Brian there to come along to take care of the threat. Our Characters had met a year earlier on an attack on the Goblins in this area. This gave us both credit because were were familiar with terrain.
So we were on the way up the mountain. Which was a few days journey. We were traveling light ahead of our camp for stealth. Our mission was to find the magic's original source and draw the creature to it. We knew that if we were to just kill the creature, which the Orc definitely wanted to do the magic in it would fully be loosed and probably flair out as some kind of heavy magical elemental. Not a good outcome for our characters. Once the magic was back in the source others in our camp would be able to settle and suppress it further into the earth. The camp would consist of some elf soldiers, and elf magicians with work animals and plenty of provisions. They were a day or so behind us on the trail.
The magic was thick on the mountain. It emanated from the creatures. One of the problems about a source of magic like this going corrupt is that creatures in the area begin to absorb the power, which change them and cause them to go ferril and aggressive. Creatures with stronger will can overcome this. In the case of the Troll it was drawn to the source and overcome with the corruption. In essence the magic source then jumped into the Troll, it being powerful enough to hold the energy.
As the characters entered into one of the major saddles beneath the summit Lukk'l could sense both the demented creature and the original source of the magic. The source was at the Peak of the mountain. Lone Peak as it was called for how it geographical jutted upward a lone in these mountains. It was easy to find the creature and with Lukk'l's Magic draw it further up toward the peak. The Troll in the creature was slow and burdensome, but the magic corrupting it made the troll strong and agile. It could easily pass over the rough terrain to destroy the two heroes. As the two made it closer to the source the creature came upon them. The Orc fended off the Troll trying not to kill it while Lukk'l moved ahead to prep the source.
The Troll was thrown back out off the ridge of the cliff, The Orc was having fun playing with this creature, It had surprising ability to pass over this terrain which made it dangerous. With a quick gain from the fall the Troll came back over the ridge. Jumping above the Orc for an attack. The orc needed to rely on a strong footing, holding his Tower Shield up in his Left had for defense he swung his PoleArm behind him. The Troll leaped at him.
Lukk'l made quick work to the summit. The magic source emanated from deep below. Surly the Goblins of the land had reached the source from a cave far underground. Their strength over the past year had increased giving the High Elves close by a scare. Goblins with power like this were trouble, Luckily The high elves were notified of what the Goblins had been up to when the magic became corrupt, causing a rift in the area and a presence that was undeniable. Lukk'l liked this power and also respected it. It was natural and belonged to be that way. It took him time to search within, to dispel the corruption. He had to mentally search and heal the source, correcting the order of the magic.
"I don't want to Kill this beast prematurely... its a pesky one" yelled the Orc.
Lukk'l hear the complaint, and the creature scrambling all over below the peak. This would be a close one. With the Creature close enough to the source all it would take now is some time. The chance for a troll trophy would not be possible for the Orc. The Magic unfortunately, as it would draw back into the Mountain would absorb this creature too.
The Orc slashed at the Creature. The magic holding it limbs together. "If this was a normal Troll it would have died 10 times over by my Ax already." yelled the Orc up to the Elf.
The Elf finished healing the source and the creature began to slumber. Lukk'l hurried down next to the orc who gave the Troll a push back onto the edge of some rocks.
"Orc, the power is withdrawing back to the source. Keep him here and steady."
"Righ, I just have one question? Why do you always get to deal the fatal blow,"
These two would often joke about circumstances like this. The Orc dealing with the fight while the Elf used strategy and timing to strike. A good combination and perfect for each as they worked together. Their history showed that they could work well together and overcome any obstacle. Of course there were always surprises.
As the troll began to wither and fell to the ground a troupe of goblins emerged all around. Goblin Necromancers pulled the corrupted energy to them for an attack. Others scrambled toward the heroes weapons of all manner at the ready.
"Looks like you'll get the fatal blow on all these guys." The elf responded to the Orc. "Looks like they don't want us to finish our work and seal up the source."
Goblins came crashing down on the two. The Orc attacked back with swift powerful blows. The elf made an efficient attempt to make it to the goblin necromancers. They were absorbing the dark energy before it dissipated. Unaware of the Elf's stealth two were taken out by Lukk'l's poison sword. Then another before the others new what was going on. The goblins were a small party. Surely more were on their way. The Orc overcame the small attackers, but weary from the travel and the attacks from the Corrupted Troll he stumbled near the Troll. Magic flowed form the creature and was dissipating like sand. The Orc reached inside for his own magic which gave him vigor. and with a power blow smashed 3 goblins to pieces. Fear could be felt among the goblins. The few remaining cowered away just as the Troll and all the magic dissipated. The Orc and the Elf were left standing alone.
For now the hardest part of their mission was over. They would make it back down the mountain to their camp right before the goblins would attack again with a much larger force.
Of course our characters would survive somehow to live another day and tell their story.
It was fun just thinking it all up on our journey up lone peak.
We will have to revisit these Characters and this land some time. I have the idea to go on other trips like this so we can adventure and make believe.
Keep running and adventuring. Even if its only in your mind.
PS. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or weird English usage, Im not writer.
