[IC] Cliffkill Keep: Sun & Moon

[Kesuke]

Known to most as nothing more than a stone skeleton among a lone cliff in Nogsol, it was home to swords and shields before undeath swept through in the night, leaving nothing but silence behind. It was Cliffkill Keep, but now it is an unavoidable mark of cold, eerie haunting that is just as forbidding in the day as it is when the moon shines.

Old, weathered slate roofing crowns the few short towers that rise from the limed-over masonry walls. Beyond that, nothing can be seen of the courtyard interior or the fortress itself, presuming it still mostly stands. The cliff itself is a monstrous thing, full of rocky outcroppings and jagged stone blades that twist and trail along the vertical rise in dizzying arrays. It must be some five hundred feet up before giving way to any actual soil. Surely either the gods themselves made such a pedestal for this keep to stand on, or respectable magical effort was brought forth long ago - perhaps by druids, who work the most adeptly with the natural world. With such a monumental place to rest, it would have to be no small feat of construction and effort to build a fortress here, and surely it was originally meant to guard something of importance, and it may yet still.

At the base of this great, circular cliff some five hundred feet high, a modest camp has been erected in the night. A gathering of strangers has arrived at the base of Cliffkill Keep, brought perhaps by its stark shadow against the night sky, or perhaps - more troubling - they know of the place, of its gruesome past and what horror befell it those forty years ago: the legends of the lich Ullusair and his murder of the military men and women who had held the fort as a bastion of security amid an unforgiving wilderness.

As the last vestiges of sunlight disappear amid the forests to the west, the travelers begin to inspect each other, and the cliff that denies any ease of access to the keep itself. It may be their only protection from the unnatural chill of the night in this place, and the beasts which may come prowling in the dark hours. It may be their only protection, but it may be far from safe.

[Mr Tumnus]

Jakob Weber

Jakob gathers up his staff and tips his cap backwards with it's tip giving a clear view of his face. Raising his free hand to his lips Jakob breathes to life a soft werelight which floats towards the center of this motley gathering and illuminates the faces of those gathered in the dark.

[Cleavon]

Wyran Brightstar

Seeing the light flare up in the small vicinity, it glittered off his shimmering plate. He kept his armor shined to the highest quality, and his golden locks framed his face perfectly. He looked about their little makeshift camp for a moment, then gave a smile.

"Looks like this is the place...we should attempt to scale the butte at first light. The sooner we get that over with the better. For any who might be curious, I am Wyran. Wyran Brightstar."

[Roguenewb]

Fynorn Silverblade

"Then I have arrived, finally. Many weeks of travel has it taken me to reach this place. For all this time, I, Fynorn Silverblade spellblade, have had nothing worth a challenge. I don't know who you are, but I will allow you fight alongside me tomorrow as I enter this place. I will start my scaling an hour after dawn. Be there and ready if you are strong enough. Fynarn says, without lowering his face for a moment from the keep high above on the keep. As night falls deeper, he waits, until finally he settles into a lotus position and starts his trance, replaying endless fights in his mind.

[Mr Tumnus]

Jakob Weber

Speaking with a very germanic accent Jakob introduces himself "Jakob, charmed is sure"

[Jacior]

Arbek shivered slightly in the cold. The rest of them were going on about heading up in the morning. He was more worried about surviving this blasted cold. He considered making the fire bigger, but then someone would have to go get more firewood and he didn't want it to be him. His ring helped with the cold, but it was still chilly. "Arbek. Arbek Blackiron."

[Cleavon]

Wyran Brightstar

The cold didn't seem to bother Wyran all that much. He looked up over his shoulder. The craggy rocks they had to climb looked as imposing as the keep beyond.

"Once we're inside the keep, stay close. We don't know what's up there behind those walls. If we keep our strength together we'll be able to destroy any evil that calls that place home."

[somethingrandom]

A man with a glowing halo above his head clearly illuminating his shining metal armor and golden blond hair approaches from the same direction as Wyran had.
"There you are Wyran. Sorry I got a little behind there. Ah I see you have made some friends. Hello I am Wyran's brother Beltin Brightstar."

[Mr Tumnus]

Jakob Weber

Jakob scoffs when a second fellow of angelic persuasion joins the congregation. "Heh, is halos for lights when blues rekkings'. Cliff is priority, if you is helpings then maybe can follow."

[somethingrandom]

"Sorry can you repeat that it didn't seam to make a lot of sense."

[Kesuke]

The campfire and the angelic light of dim halos above the heads of two of the arrivals helps to edge out the growing darkness as the sun continues to set, a chill wind continuing to make its rounds about the cliff side and through the makeshift camp. The shadows take on a disconcerting gloom, though they so far are held at bay.

[Ildu]

Akane

Gathering up her courage, Akane draws her hood over her face, sitting with the others, warming the tips of her leather-wrapped paws by the campfire when the radiance of the aasimars' halos brightens up the perimeter. A quizzical expression smears itself across her face and she looks to the Germanic-sounding aasimar.

"Light is good in dark places, it frightens the shadows, but steel yourselves, lest it anger that which knows no fear. I am called Akane, by-the-by; simply Akane, a delver of ruins and seeker of the occult. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintances. On Wyran's count of worry, I agree. We must make haste in reaching the keep at first light or earlier."

She expresses herself with a coy smile.

"We wouldn't want to keep our host waiting. Until then, perhaps we could whittle away time by sharing stories of ourselves? Why are you here?" She addresses the last at no one in particular, but crosses one of her legs over the other, adjusting her robes.

[Souhiro]

Dumah

A man with practical vestments, but with a visible holy simbol, and a huge scyte in his back, mumbles a small pray to himself, then he looks the skull

"It makes me sick to see this place, this foul stench of lich. I am Dumah, from Tain's clergy. To put the dead to rest, and the fix the living so they could fight another day"

[Jacior]

Arbek

Arbek sighs in the cold. "I suppose the next question is who takes watch? I only need to sleep a couple hours and we will all need to be rested for the morning." He looks upward at the cliffs they'd be scaling. "Very rested, I'd say."

[Mr Tumnus]

"Sorry can you repeat that it didn't seam to make a lot of sense."

Jakob Weber

Jakob looks at Wyran with a confused look on his face. "Is speakings too hard? Your is accent hardest to be understanding. Next is up tomorrow, govorit tor plokho. I not is sleepings with strangers about"

[Cleavon]

Wyran Brightstar

Tilting his head as he listened to the gathered people speak, he simply shrugged at Jakob. He had no time for such things. He turned, the light of the fire glinting off his hair, which shimmered like pure spun gold.

"Well, I suppose a bit of an introduction is surely in order. I've told you my name, and am glad to have yours. I serve the will of Lamaur, have trained in martial combat for many of my years. As A Warrior of the Holy Light, I have dedicated myself to stomping out the evil that resides in Cliffkill Keep, and I am sure in my heart that we will accomplish this goal."

He grinned wide as he turned to look at his brother. He glanced at the Witch before speaking.

"No need to worry yourself brother, that one seems a bit strange. Let him about his business and we'll simply hope he can hold up his end of this engagement."

[somethingrandom]

"I on the other hand serve Qaedien and in a less martial capacity than my brother serves Lamaur. For my years of devotion Qaedien have granted me the ability to perform miracles on her behalf. I because I care about my brother so don't not wish to see him come to harm and when he came to me to ask for my help in this mission I got the impression that Qaedien wished me to go.

[Souhiro]

"Well, I need some time to rest and ask the gods for the divine power to heal the worthy and scold the unworthy, so I must leave the honor of the guard to someone else...

I'm eager to put an end to the foul error that is the unliving that dweels here, aren't you?"

[Roguenewb]

Fynorn Silverblade

"I have named myself, and should take offense for your lack of proper respect for a Silveblade. This time, and this alone, shall I forgive you. I am Fynorn Silverblade, Spell-dancer of the Silver clan. I am from a forest far away, where the stars shine into our souls, and our spells move as fast as the wind of the farthest sea. I have mastered the art of working magic and blade at the same time. If you are strong enough to reach the keep with me, you will be able to see my fighting skill for yourselves." Fynorn says, staring meaningfully into the night sky above the keep. He stands with his back to the fire, paying little attention to the others.

[Cleavon]

Wyran Brightstar

Always seeking to be the calm headed diplomat in such situations, Wyran looked around slowly and spoke with a gentle calm in his voice.

"No disrespect has been meant, I assure you Master Silverblade. I feel we shall all reach the keep, as our worth both as a group and as individuals seems to be more than fitting for this climb. We all have our reasons for entering Cliffkill Keep. I would see all of our desires for it fulfilled, if I could.

[Jacior]

"Whatever. Everyone who wants to make it to the top, will. Whether by their own skill or help. we won't leave someone behind just because they aren't adept at climbing." Arbek says mildly, fingering his ring absentmindedly. "I'm here because I was asked to help. Help with anything and everything, I suppose..." He lifts his head to look up at the keep again.

[Souhiro]

"I agree. Whatever was the undead scourge that atacked here, it was strong enough to annihilate all the soldiers who lived here.

So we'll need to stick together if we want to survive this!"

Iskal pops up a rope

"So... what about if we start climbing?"

[Kesuke]

The night has fully settled in as Iskal produces his rope, the campfire still going strong enough to provide some measure of illumination around the immediate area, and the implied security that light seems to give seems a small but significant comfort. With their belongings secured and essential items taken from the camp, they begin their task of scaling the massive cliff-face.

Items available to take from the camp remains
(Take what you will and divide among yourselves as a team! Keep in mind you do not need to take everything. The weight listed is for the total of each entry.)

- Blank wizard's traveling spellbook (1 lb)
- 3 vials of ink and 1 inkpen
- scroll case
- 2 spare backpacks (4 lb)
- 2 waterskins (8 lb)
- Iron pot (4 lb)
- 4 loaves of bread (2 lb)
- 5 cans of trail rations (5 lb)
- 1 gallon of ale (8 lb)
- 200 feet of hemp rope (40 lb)
- whistle
- 4 torches (4 lb)
- 2 large tents (4 people per tent; 45 minutes; 100 lb.)
- compass (1/2 lb)
- 3 potions of cure moderate wounds


CLIMBING THE CLIFF
The base DC for the cliffs surrounding Cliffkill is 15 to move up to one-quarter your speed. Keep in mind that with a -5 to your check you can move up to half your speed. Other rules for any other method of gaining height against the cliff fall under the auspice of the method you choose to use. Please provide information in the OOC thread for what you choose to do.