The Battlement Cliffs
"Gods... the whole bloody Elflands collapsed in on itself, looks more like a crater from up here... what in the Hells could've hit the mainland so hard? A meteor? -Dwarfish airship phonograph recording, Captain Faolin Strongbrow.
The Battlement Cliffs are where the land itself seems to have risen in defiance of the sea, a jagged, black wall stretching almost the entire length of Everwealth’s shores. They are not merely cliffs but the scar of an ancient wound, where the bones of the world tore open during The Fall. When the ground convulsed and the seas rose to meet it, the coast of Everwealth shattered, half its harbors drowned, the other half thrust skyward in ruinous tremors. From that cataclysm came the battlements themselves, and The Great Schism soon-after; A jagged curtain of stone marking where the land once ended and the ocean began. A terrible injury to the world that never truly healed. Even now, the sea gnaws endlessly at the cliffs’ feet, dragging new wrecks down to lie beside the ruins of drowned ports and sunken cities from the days Everwealth called the Elfese its master. From above, the coastline is littered with the carcasses of ships both ancient and modern, their ribs caught in the black surf like offerings to some vast, unseen god below. From above, the cliffs look like a labyrinth carved by divine rage, mile-high ridges twisting into the mist, their surfaces veined with ore that glows faintly in stormlight. The air there is never still. Winds scream through the crags like mourning spirits, and lightning stalks the horizon with unnatural regularity. Even in clear weather, the cliffs hum, a deep, ceaseless vibration that crawls through the bones of those who linger too long. At night, strange lights drift across the surf, said to be the souls of drowned sailors or worse, the lure of something ancient beneath the waves. Beneath the cliffs lie the ruins of Everwealth’s lost harbors, where the bones of ships and cities alike jut from the black water like broken teeth. Though most of the coast is barren and hostile, not all who dwell there are dead. The Cliffs shelter small enclaves of smugglers, bandits, and outlaws, scavengers who risk their lives to retrieve relics and artifacts from the submerged ruins. Their makeshift ports cling to the rocks like barnacles, half-hidden by fog and superstition. They trade in ghost-lanterns, shipwrecked gold, and the secrets whispered by the wind. To them, the cliffs are not a curse, but a god, unpredictable, cruel, and full of treasure for those bold enough to steal from its depths. From a distance, the Battlement Cliffs look eternal. But those who know the coast swear they shift, inch by inch, year by year, creeping further inland, devouring forest and shore alike. Some claim to have seen faces in the stone during storms, vast and half-formed, as though the cliffs are not only still rising, but watching every sailor's every move; Loming like a hungry beast waiting to strike.
Geography
The Battlement Cliffs are an imposing, labyrinthine series of mile-high rock formations stretching along Everwealth's coastline. Formed in the cataclysmic aftermath of The Fall their jagged faces and treacherous outcroppings rise sharply from frothing seas, making them almost impenetrable. The cliffs twist and spiral unpredictably, creating natural labyrinths of stone that often echo with howling winds. Beneath their towering faces lie shattered remnants of the past, drowned port cities, broken docks, and shipwrecks trapped in a watery grave, their treasures still glinting beneath the waves for those foolhardy enough to risk recovering them.
Ecosystem
The cliffs host a unique and hostile ecosystem. Seabirds nest in precarious crags, their cries lost in the wind, while hardy, salt-resistant plants cling desperately to the rocks. Predators such as native lanternwings or less-common Manhunter Beetle patrol the crumbling paths and overhangs, making every step treacherous. Beneath the waves, luminescent fish dart through submerged ruins, feeding on coral-like growths that thrive on magickal residue from artifacts lost during the Fall. The cliffs also provide a natural sanctuary for creatures displaced by Everwealth’s forests and mountains, creating an ecosystem at once alien and eerily familiar.
Ecosystem Cycles
With each passing season, the cliffs shift subtly, their crumbling faces shedding rock and soil into the sea below. Winter storms batter the edges, eroding paths and forming new ones, while summer heat brings surges of seabirds and migratory fish. Spring sees predatory creatures breeding, making the cliffs even more dangerous as hungry hatchlings venture into new territories. Fall, meanwhile, shrouds the cliffs in mist, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere that lures adventurers seeking ghostly treasures.
Localized Phenomena
The Battlement Cliffs are not without their share of strangeness. The eerie glow of magickal residue often seeps from fissures in the rock, forming shimmering auroras visible even from the shore. Sudden gusts of wind, believed to carry whispers of the dead, tear through the crags. Occasionally, earthquakes or tremors from the unstable tectonic plates cause parts of the cliffs to collapse into the ocean, sometimes revealing ancient ruins or submerging them further.
Climate
The cliffs are subject to relentless, unpredictable weather. Gale-force winds howl year-round, whipping seawater into frothy spray that coats the rocky surfaces with a slippery sheen. Summers bring scorching heat, while winters shroud the area in biting cold and ice, making the terrain doubly treacherous. Storms are frequent, their lightning illuminating the ghostly outlines of sunken ships and shattered villages.
Fauna & Flora
Life here is hardy and brutal. Salt-resistant plants like brinevine and cliff bloomers cling to cracks, their roots carving into the stone. Predatory creatures like lanternwings hunt along the upper reaches, while massive crabs scuttle among the tide pools below. The waters teem with resilient marine life, including glowfish and coral crabs, their ecosystems supported by the nutrient-rich ruins below. However, both land and sea are plagued by invasive species from the Hells, such as infernal bats, which thrive in the harsh environment.
Natural Resources
The Battlement Cliffs are rich in untapped resources: rare minerals embedded in the stone, salt deposits, and lost treasures from shipwrecks and drowned cities. However, these riches come at a high cost, with few able to brave the cliffs' dangers. Ruins and wrecks are rumored to contain advanced magickal artifacts from the Lost Ages, but many would-be treasure hunters find only death among the jagged rocks or beneath the waves.
History
Born from the cataclysmic quakes and eruptions following The Fall, the cliffs emerged almost overnight, reshaping Everwealth's coastline and isolating its people from the seas. Refugees fleeing to the Elflands found themselves blocked by this impenetrable barrier, their hopes dashed as port cities were swallowed by the rising earth or shattered by tsunamis. Many perished in their despair, their skeletal remains now mingling with the ruins below. Over the centuries, the cliffs have become both a symbol of Everwealth’s resilience and a haunting reminder of its past hardships still plaguing them to the day.
Tourism
There are not many who venture to the Battlement Cliffs for leisure, nigh only treasure hunters, scholars, or desperate outlaws seeking refuge roam its expanse. A historical bane of Everwealth though not without allure, many come seeking the promise of wealth hidden in sunken ships and ancient ruins, though most who come in search of fortune leave only bones behind. Stories of ghostly lights and whispers in the wind draw occultists and thrill-seekers, while local inns profit modestly from those who manage to survive their harrowing visits.
Alternative Name(s)
The Jagged Wall, The Shattered Shore, The Cradle of Ghosts.
Inhabiting Species
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