So I took the “world building” concept of the contest and created a location art piece. Despite being a random sketch made on the fly, with the extra time I was able to spiff it up and add a decent back-story. So here it is!
Mount Iseko
Welcome to Mount Iseko, one of the many landmarks in the mountain ranges of Okoto. Located near the central divide between the Ice, Water, and Stone regions, it is one of the more diverse environments on the island. In addition to having elements from each bordering region, there are also tunnels that connect all the way through the Earth region, and a small forest that has formed at the base. There are also rumors of a magma pool (or perhaps an entire dormant volcano) buried deep within. The forest in particular is odd because it is a fair distance from the Jungle region, yet thrives by the convergence of the aforementioned bordering regions. That being said, if the rumors are true, Mount Iseko is an anomaly in how it potentially contains all the primary elements. The mountain itself holds no real significance otherwise. However, there is one more farfetched rumor about the mountain. Mount Iseko is said to be haunted, or rather inhabited by various spirits. Such rumors spawned from the idea that such an odd place like the mountain with so many elements acts as a beacon for “echoes” of the dead.
A shrine and bridge have been constructed on the mountain’s side by the villagers of Okoto as a sanctuary, but is usually pretty quiet. Every so often, it is used as a meeting spot for villagers of the various regions. Even the Protectors have met up here from time to time. Perhaps they have met in secrecy in hopes of contacting the spirit of Ekimu, or other deceased Protectors. The shrine itself is made up of multiple pillars surrounding an open area. The area itself is propped upon a cliff that protrudes from the mountain, where the bridge, crosses into the Water region. Other developments by the islanders include the carving of the Toa’s masks of power on specific parts of the mountain, as a tribute and connection to the many elements converging in one place. The reason the shrine is not at the peak is villagers still fear that if Mount Iseko is indeed a dormant volcano, it could one day become active again. The mountain’s three-pronged peak is relatively untouched, aside from the few flags and expedition remnants from previous trips. Ekimu and Makuta have also visited in their time as fellow Maskmakers.
Hope you like it!
Original sketch
I actually did a painting for it as well. I forgot to enter yesterday.