Hydaelyn

Forced to flee the Black Shroud for fear of the elementals and their boundless wrath, the Ixal settled the windswept mountains of Xelphatol more than five hundred and fifty years ago. Since that day, they have labored tirelessly to eke out an existence in these harsh and unforgiving lands, slowly but surely expanding their dominion over the entire region. Yet the Ixal have never forgotten that which was once denied them, and so they seek divine intervention once more─to summon Garuda and beseech her strike down their enemies. In the shadow of the First Mountain, the ritual nears completion, and only you and your comrades can hope to deliver the realm from destruction.

The mountains are jagged and steep, often shrouded in swirling snow and ice. Ancient stone altars can be seen scattered throughout, remnants of the Ixal's rituals and their desperate plea for divine intervention.