Crystal Mountain

One mountain that rules them all!

Only those pure of heart with noble intentions can surmount this majestic mountain and obtain its secrets. What reward awaits Anabell and Tarragon at the peak of Crystal Mountain that will aid them in restoring the vitality of the Kingdom of the Lake at the End of the World, where clouds are born?

The concept of Crystal Mountain is an archetypal motif found in many fairy tales and folk tales. It is a mountain that reigns above all others, towering into the sky with steep slopes that make it inaccessible to ordinary people. Only with the help of supernatural forces can the hero or heroine ascend the peak to obtain their reward. Crystal Mountain is also associated with the idea of axis mundi, the central axis of the universe.

Crystal Mountain draws inspiration from real-life Mount Triglav in the Julian Alps of Slovenia. It is Slovenia's highest mountain and is affectionately called Očak, meaning "elder." Climbing Triglav is considered a rite of passage for Slovenians; it is believed you are not a true Slovene until you have conquered this mountain.

The mountain likely derives its name from the Slavic God Triglav. In more recent history, Triglav has represented an important milestone in the struggle for a separate Slovene identity. In 1895, the priest Jakob Aljaž purchased the peak of Triglav for one Austro-Hungarian gulden, enabling him to erect a tower there, now known as Aljažev stolp (Aljaž’s tower). This event marked a key moment in the emergence of Slovenian identity. Upon the proclamation of Slovenia's independence in June 1991, the flag of Slovenia was ceremonially raised at the tower.

1. Julius Kugy, Julijske Alpe V Podobi (Maribor: Obzorja, 1971) 38. The translation is attributable to Daniel Goulding.