Capricorn Tribe · Earth
Algadae
A world of towering mountain ranges and deep valleys where only the most resilient can thrive
Capricorn Tribe · Earth
A world of towering mountain ranges and deep valleys where only the most resilient can thrive
Algadae is a world defined by its colossal mountain ranges, deep glacier-carved valleys, and vast highland plateaus. The air thins as the land rises, and only the most disciplined and enduring can thrive at the heights the Capricorn tribe calls home. Stone and ice shape every aspect of life here — from the architecture to the philosophy of a people who believe that true strength is forged through patience and perseverance.
The spine of Algadae is the Titan Ridge, a mountain chain so vast it can be seen from orbit. Its peaks pierce through the cloud layer, their summits perpetually crowned with snow and ice. Between the great ranges lie fertile valleys fed by glacial rivers, where terraced farms cling to steep slopes. The Hollow Deep is a canyon system that plunges kilometres below the surface, its walls layered with mineral deposits that glow faintly in the dark. High-altitude plateaus serve as gathering grounds where the tribe comes together under open skies.
Deneb is carved directly into the face of the highest peak of the Titan Ridge. Its halls and chambers are hewn from living granite, reinforced with iron and illuminated by phosphorescent crystals mined from the Hollow Deep. At its heart stands the Summit Hall, built from the transformed hull of the tribe's starship. The city rises in tiers, each level connected by switchback paths and stone bridges spanning dizzying chasms. From the uppermost terrace, one can see the curvature of the world itself.
Life on Algadae is hardy and determined. Ironbark trees grow from crevices in solid rock, their roots splitting stone over centuries. Frostbloom lichen covers the upper slopes in silver-blue carpets, thriving in conditions that would kill lesser plants. Stonewool moss insulates the valleys, soft to the touch yet nearly indestructible. The fauna matches the land — Ridge Elk traverse impossible cliff faces with ease, Glacial Hawks ride the thermals above the peaks, and Stone Lynx stalk the high passes in silence, their grey pelts indistinguishable from the rock around them.
The Capricorn tribe values discipline, endurance, and craftsmanship above all else. Every member of the tribe undertakes the Long Climb at least once in their life — a solitary ascent of the Titan Ridge that tests body and spirit alike. Masonry and stoneworking are sacred arts, and the tribe's architects are revered as keepers of ancestral knowledge. The Solstice of Stone is the tribe's greatest festival, a time when the entire community gathers in the Summit Hall to honour the mountain and renew their vows of perseverance.
The Capricorn tribe believes the mountains of Algadae are the bones of an ancient earth deity who laid down to rest at the dawn of time. They call this being the Sleeper Beneath, and hold that the tremors that occasionally shake the peaks are its slow, deep breaths. The summit of the Titan Ridge is considered a sacred threshold — the closest point to the stars and to the divine. Those who reach it are said to hear the whisper of Zenoh himself, carried on the thin mountain wind.
Algadae serves as the unyielding foundation of the alliance in the Starpaths Saga. Led by the steadfast Amal, the Capricorn tribe brings discipline, endurance, and strategic patience to every campaign. Where others charge forward, the Capricorn hold the line — and it is their refusal to break that turns the tide when all seems lost.