Post by Sunshine Swirl on Dec 13, 2014 2:25:54 GMT
The Moovian culture was an advanced bovine civilization that thrived over a thousand years ago in this beautiful tropical region. Historians aren’t sure exactly what led to it’s decline and fall. The local oxen are a proud and friendly sort, mostly farmers. They know little about the Moovians, only fables, as there are no written records from that time.
The nearest population center is a bovine city to the east in Bullivia.
It’s a three day hike from Bullivia to the foothills of the region once occupied by the Moovians. This is mountainous country. The valleys are thick with jungle and tropical vegetation. Above that, you’ll find rich tropic grasslands, and bamboo forests. As one goes higher into the mountains, you’ll find rich woodlands, then scrublands. At the summits of the mountains, it’s mostly dry tundra or, on the highest of peaks, snow.
The largest of the mountains in this area is know in the bovine language as “Long Mountain”. It’s taller and broader than any mountain found in Equestria. It’s unusual for a mountain this size to have such a gentle slope. From a distance, it looks like a small hill that a pony could climb in an afternoon. Looks are deceiving though, as one gets closer, the full size of the mountain can be appreciated. A climb to the snow capped summit would take several days. One could spend more than a week just traveling around its base.
The smooth appearance of Long Mountain from a distance is also deceptive. It’s home to many geological rifts as well as deep gulches carved by erosion. The rift zones are the mountain’s most prominent features; three deep fissures left over from the mountain’s volcanic origin.
The eastern rift zone is a deep crevasse from the foot of the mountain half way up to the summit. The base of the eastern rift zone is a series of jungle filled gulches that twist back and forth on one another like a maze. The central rift zone is a broad fissure smoothed by centuries of water from the many streams and small rivers that feed into it. The western rift zone is on the dry side of the mountain. It’s a jagged, cracked rocky fracture and very challenging to cross at lower elevations.
Beyond the Long Mountain is another mountain without an Equestrian name. It’s name in the bovine language is "Old Peak"
Old Peak plateaus at nearly 2500 meters to a broad base with several sharp peaks. On the plateau is the lost Moovian city of “Moochu Picchu”.
This is where Esmeralda, a shop keeper from Canterlot, was heading. Why would a middle aged unicorn mare like Esmeralda travel all this way? Well, in her younger days, Esmeralda was a bit of an adventurer. The wonder of travel is something that gets in your blood, it settles deep in your bones. Every few years, Esmeralda feels the irresistible desire to escape the gilded towers of Canterlot and explore the world.
Esmeralda adjusted her heavy hiking pack, and checked her map. She had reached the eastern foot of Long Mountain. Almost half way to Moochu Picchu now. The ox who sold the map said that the fastest route was up a trail along the eastern rift zone, then across the central rift valley, and onward from there to Old Peak.
Calling Moochu Picchu a lost city, was a bit of a misnomer. It was clearly marked on Esmeralda's map, and most other maps of the region. It had been found nearly a century ago.
Due to the remoteness and difficult terrain, few ponies had ever seen the city with their own eyes. Although Moochu Picchu no longer held treasure or magical artifacts, Esmeralda wanted to see it. Not for adventure or gold, but for the joy of travel and the wonder of ancient places.
It wouldn’t be long now.
The nearest population center is a bovine city to the east in Bullivia.
It’s a three day hike from Bullivia to the foothills of the region once occupied by the Moovians. This is mountainous country. The valleys are thick with jungle and tropical vegetation. Above that, you’ll find rich tropic grasslands, and bamboo forests. As one goes higher into the mountains, you’ll find rich woodlands, then scrublands. At the summits of the mountains, it’s mostly dry tundra or, on the highest of peaks, snow.
The largest of the mountains in this area is know in the bovine language as “Long Mountain”. It’s taller and broader than any mountain found in Equestria. It’s unusual for a mountain this size to have such a gentle slope. From a distance, it looks like a small hill that a pony could climb in an afternoon. Looks are deceiving though, as one gets closer, the full size of the mountain can be appreciated. A climb to the snow capped summit would take several days. One could spend more than a week just traveling around its base.
The smooth appearance of Long Mountain from a distance is also deceptive. It’s home to many geological rifts as well as deep gulches carved by erosion. The rift zones are the mountain’s most prominent features; three deep fissures left over from the mountain’s volcanic origin.
The eastern rift zone is a deep crevasse from the foot of the mountain half way up to the summit. The base of the eastern rift zone is a series of jungle filled gulches that twist back and forth on one another like a maze. The central rift zone is a broad fissure smoothed by centuries of water from the many streams and small rivers that feed into it. The western rift zone is on the dry side of the mountain. It’s a jagged, cracked rocky fracture and very challenging to cross at lower elevations.
Beyond the Long Mountain is another mountain without an Equestrian name. It’s name in the bovine language is "Old Peak"
Old Peak plateaus at nearly 2500 meters to a broad base with several sharp peaks. On the plateau is the lost Moovian city of “Moochu Picchu”.
This is where Esmeralda, a shop keeper from Canterlot, was heading. Why would a middle aged unicorn mare like Esmeralda travel all this way? Well, in her younger days, Esmeralda was a bit of an adventurer. The wonder of travel is something that gets in your blood, it settles deep in your bones. Every few years, Esmeralda feels the irresistible desire to escape the gilded towers of Canterlot and explore the world.
Esmeralda adjusted her heavy hiking pack, and checked her map. She had reached the eastern foot of Long Mountain. Almost half way to Moochu Picchu now. The ox who sold the map said that the fastest route was up a trail along the eastern rift zone, then across the central rift valley, and onward from there to Old Peak.
Calling Moochu Picchu a lost city, was a bit of a misnomer. It was clearly marked on Esmeralda's map, and most other maps of the region. It had been found nearly a century ago.
Due to the remoteness and difficult terrain, few ponies had ever seen the city with their own eyes. Although Moochu Picchu no longer held treasure or magical artifacts, Esmeralda wanted to see it. Not for adventure or gold, but for the joy of travel and the wonder of ancient places.
It wouldn’t be long now.