Northern Cliffs

“The Windswept Frontier”

“The wind never stops here. It howls through the ruins, carrying whispers of what was and warnings of what might be.”
—A traveler’s journal

Quick Reference

Northern Cliffs - The Windswept Frontier

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Geography and Structure
• Key Locations
• Dangers and Hazards
• Points of Interest
• Quest Connections
• Related Topics

Overview

Northern Cliffs is a desolate wilderness island north of Skyport Eos, a place of ancient ruins, howling winds, and lurking danger. Once part of a larger pre-Shattering settlement, the island now stands alone—its population scattered, its structures crumbling, its purpose forgotten.

The cliffs are notorious as bandit territory. The terrain offers natural hiding places: ravines, caves, collapsed buildings. Travelers passing through are frequently ambushed, and Skyport Eos’s Council lacks resources to patrol the area effectively. It’s become the default lair for outlaws, smugglers, and desperate individuals who prey on merchant caravans traveling between settlements.

The wind never stops here. It howls through the ravines, rattles the ruins, and turns the broken windmill’s blades just enough to create an eerie creaking that echoes across the cliffs. Locals avoid the place, and those who must travel through do so quickly, armed, and in groups.

But the cliffs hold secrets. Pre-Shattering ruins suggest this was once a watchtower outpost, possibly guarding the approaches to what would become Skyport Eos. Scavengers occasionally find intact artifacts in the deeper caves. And some say the wind carries more than just sound—that whispers in the ravines speak truths better left unknown.

Geography and Structure

Island Characteristics

Size and Shape: - Small island, roughly 400m diameter - Irregular, elongated shape (oval) - Steep cliffs on northern and western edges (40-60m drops) - Gentler southern approach (accessible by airship)

Terrain: - Rocky, uneven ground - Thin soil (minimal vegetation) - Deep ravines cutting through landscape (20-30m deep) - Natural caves in cliff faces - Scattered boulders (erosion damage)

Elevation: - Highest point: The Windmill Hill (60m above base level) - Lowest accessible point: Southern landing area - Ravine floors: 20-30m below surface

Vegetation: - Sparse grass and scrub brush - Hardy plants adapted to wind - No trees (wind too strong) - Lichen on ruins

Climate and Atmosphere

Wind: - Constant, strong (20-30 km/h sustained) - Gusts up to 60 km/h - Sound: Howling, whistling through ruins - Makes airship landing difficult (skilled pilots only)

Temperature: - Cool (8-12°C) - Wind chill factor significant - Exposure risk at night

Visibility: - Generally good (clear Aether) - Occasional mist in ravines - Dust carried by wind

Psychological Effect: - Isolating, oppressive - Constant wind noise unsettling - Feels abandoned, haunted - Travelers report unease

Key Locations

The Old Windmill

Description: Landmark structure on island’s highest point, visible from Skyport Eos

Condition: - Stone base intact - Wooden upper structure deteriorating - Three blades remaining (one broken) - Mechanism non-functional but moves in wind

Historical Purpose: - Grain processing (when settlement existed) - Also watchtower (elevated position) - Signal station (fire beacon on roof)

Current Use: - Navigation landmark - Occasional shelter (dangerous—unstable) - Meeting point (bandits use for visibility)

Significance: Mentioned in The Lost Merchant quest—“near the old windmill”

Hazards: - Structural instability - Strong winds at elevation - Exposed position (visible to all)

The Ravines

Description: Network of deep cracks in island’s surface, natural hiding places

Formation: - Geological fracturing (pre-Shattering) - Erosion over centuries - Some ravines connect to cave systems

Characteristics: - 20-30m deep - 2-5m wide at surface - Narrower at bottom (some impassable) - Echo sound dramatically

Dangers: - Fall risk (fatal) - Flash flooding (if rain) - Ambush locations - Difficult to escape if trapped

Bandit Activity: - Hide in ravines - Ambush from ravine edges - Use rope ladders to descend/ascend - Store stolen goods in caves

The Ruins

Description: Scattered pre-Shattering structures, mostly collapsed

Structures Present: - Watchtower foundation (northern cliff) - Residential buildings (walls only) - Stone well (dry) - Paved paths (cracked, overgrown) - Underground cisterns (some accessible)

Architectural Style: Pre-Shattering military (stone, defensive)

Condition: - 70-90% destroyed - Stone elements survive - Wood long rotted - Metal rusted or scavenged

Scavenging Value: - Occasional artifacts - Metal fittings (valuable) - Stone unsuitable for harvest (too broken) - Underground areas more preserved

Dangers: - Structural collapse - Hidden pits - Unstable walls - Venomous creatures in crevices

Cave Network

Description: Natural and excavated caves in cliff faces

Types: - Natural limestone caves (western cliffs) - Expanded storage caves (pre-Shattering) - Shelter caves (shallow, wind-carved)

Major Caves: - Bandit Cave (northwest ravine, primary hideout) - Storage caverns (southern cliff, multiple chambers) - Echo Grotto (eastern cliff, acoustic anomaly)

Dangers: - Darkness (light sources required) - Unstable formations - Bat colonies (disease risk) - Bandits (territorial, violent)

Features: - Some caves connect to ravine floors - Water seepage in deeper caves - Pre-Shattering carvings in some chambers - Smuggler caches hidden throughout

Dangers and Hazards

Bandits

Description: Primary danger, organized outlaws preying on travelers

Numbers: - 10-20 active bandits (varies) - Organized in small gangs (3-5 members) - Temporary alliances (unstable)

Tactics: - Ambush from ravines or ruins - Target lone travelers or small groups - Demand valuables, supplies - Violence if resisted (often lethal)

Motivations: - Desperation (many are refugees) - Greed (some are career criminals) - Hiding from law (fugitives from settlements)

Deterrence: - Travel in groups - Hire guards - Avoid at night - Fast passage (don’t linger)

Environmental Hazards

Fall Risk: - Cliff edges - Ravine openings - Unstable ruins - Wind gusts (can push travelers)

Exposure: - Cold temperatures - Wind chill - No natural shelter - Hypothermia risk (especially at night)

Structural Collapse: - Ancient ruins unstable - Cave ceilings weak - Windmill dangerous - Underground cisterns flooded

Wildlife

Rot-Beasts (rare): - Occasionally wander from Murk - Rot-Hounds most common - Avoid populated areas but hunt in wilderness

Natural Fauna: - Sky-Rats (disease carriers) - Cliff-Nesting Birds (aggressive during breeding) - Snakes and Venomous Insects (in ruins) - Bats (caves, disease risk)

Points of Interest

The Broken Cart

Location: Eastern ravine edge

Description: - Merchant cart on its side - Silk scattered across ground - No bodies (taken or fled) - Recent (within days)

Significance: - Evidence of bandit attack - Part of The Lost Merchant quest - Shows bandit tactics

Investigation: - Footprints lead to Bandit Cave - Valuable goods stolen - Cart too damaged to salvage

The Watchtower Foundation

Location: Northern cliff edge

Description: - Large stone platform - 20m × 20m foundation - Excellent visibility (100km on clear days) - Stairs to lower level (partially collapsed)

Historical Purpose: - Defensive watchtower - Signal station - Garrison post

Current State: - Empty, windswept - Excellent viewpoint - Dangerous (cliff edge, wind gusts) - Sometimes used by scouts

The Echo Grotto

Location: Eastern cliff face

Description: - Natural cave with unusual acoustics - Sound echoes and distorts - 30m deep, single chamber - Dry, relatively safe

Phenomenon: - Whispers become loud - Echoes last 10-15 seconds - Some claim to hear voices (wind effect) - Superstition: “The Grotto remembers”

Use: - Shelter (if bandits not present) - Acoustic curiosity - Rumored fortune-telling location

Quest Connections

The Lost Merchant

Role: Stage 2 location for The Lost Merchant quest

Quest Elements: - Broken merchant cart discovered here - Footprints lead to Bandit Cave - Player investigates the cliffs - Skill checks involve tracking, prayer, or charging ahead

Outcomes: - Success: Find bandit hideout - Failure: Still proceed (louder approach) - Dynamic difficulty based on approach

Atmosphere: - Desolate, tense - Wind howling through ruins - Sense of being watched - Tutorial for wilderness exploration

Travel and Access

From Skyport Eos

Distance: 10km north

Travel Time: - Airship: 30 minutes - On foot: Not possible (void between islands)

Cost: - 5 Stamina (walking on arrival) - Time: Minimal

Route: - Visible from Eos docks - Follow constellation north - Windmill serves as landmark

Safety Considerations

Recommended: - Travel in groups (3+ people) - Hire guard if valuable cargo - Daylight passage only - Avoid lingering

Avoid: - Solo travel (high ambush risk) - Night visits (visibility poor, bandits active) - Carrying obvious wealth - Entering caves alone

Related Topics

• Skyport Eos - Nearest settlement (10km south)
• Bandit Cave - Primary bandit hideout on the cliffs
• The Lost Merchant - Tutorial quest set here
• The Bright Reaches - Regional context
• Outland Clans - Some bandits are displaced clan members

Location Status: Active (dangerous)
Designer Notes: Tutorial quest location, introduces wilderness danger and player agency

“The wind carries many things: sound, dust, whispers of the dead. Sometimes it carries your last breath.”