Book One – Chapter 13

Because of this, no beast or humanoid could seek entrance into the Albweiss at such heights. The seal thwarted any attempt to break the stone by force. Even if one intended to shatter the rock with hand tools like pickaxes, the presence of Rothar would prevent any approach or incursion. The witch magic was absolute, ensuring that not anyone but nothing, like Midnight, could traverse its paths.

The witches’ barricade was not universally felt along the Snowtrail, likely due to the absence of immediate caves or tunnels at such altitudes. Here, the mountain’s stone was said to lay meters thick, impenetrable and devoid of passageways. The mountain range extended endlessly, an expanse of unyielding rock and ice. The few tunnels that did exist, such as the crevice Midnight accessed at the northern mountain face when first entering from the Northlands plateau, required exhaustive climbing and searching to access. Any major entrance a traveller discovered now had likely already been found and sealed by the witches.

Witches possessed instincts far surpassing that of wizards. While wizards were born utterly helpless and non-self-reliant, witches had an innate understanding of nature. After encountering several witch’s familiars, Midnight believed that from a wizard, you receive foresight, strategy and even magic, but with a witch, you become more of a beast.

Despite laying claim to vast expanses of the mountains accessible to humanoid peoples, the Shaira witches did not govern the Snowtrail. Here, travellers climbed along the southern side of the mountain ranges, moving from west to east and vice versa. The extensive forests and swamps at the mountain’s base did not permit safe passage, leaving humanoid peoples vulnerable to the toxic flora and beasts that inhabited these regions. Higher sections of the mountains were equally dangerous, as this was where the grand winged beasts roamed freely. With that, the Snowtrail was the average traveller’s only option for crossing the Northern Midlands from east to west. Since it was such a significant route, the path was regularly patrolled by adventurers or guild representatives.