A gale wind tore through the western pass, bringing with it the frigid airs from high above. The mountain peaks were still covered in snow, even as spring had long since come to full bloom on the valleys and plains below the mountain. As the wind moved through the pass, owls sang their songs in the nighttime skies while small creatures danced between shadows, looking to avoid a terrible fate in their constant struggle. One such creature, a rather tiny long-eared leporid, stopped in its frantic scampering and cocked its head to one side in rapt, almost terrified attention.
There was a lull in the music before a twig snapped underfoot. As the man crested the hill, the rabbit had fled back to its burrow; for the man's coming brought with it an even greater chill. Frost began to form at a most unnatural rate, covering the trees and boulders with a layer of ice. Rather than brilliantly reflect the star's light, the sheen from the ice seemed almost to absorb and consume the ice, causing everything it coated to take on a dull, almost flat appearance. Each footstep left behind a trail of ever-expanding ice, and the man seemed neither to notice nor care at the growing silence.
Far above him, nearer the snow-covered peaks of the mountains, a veritable fortress loomed. Its thick walls jutted out from the rocky cliffside as if daring the world to try and take back this minuscule piece of land. Thick buttresses rose up along the wall's exterior, adding strength to the walls and furthering the formidable appearance of the fortress. Several towers rose from the interior, each stabbing into the air like a defiant fist against the gods. Windows dotted every tower and each one held the flickering light of fire and uttered the faintest songs of men, giving the faintest impression of life amidst a pallid landscape.
Inside of the largest building within the fortress walls, a citadel in its own right, dozens of men were gathered within a great banquet hall. Fires roared and servants hurried to and fro, each ladened with enough food and drinks to feed whole families for days on end. Each of kept their eyes cast downward in a desperate attempt to avoid drawing attention. On occasion, one of them would be pulled into the lap of scoundrel while others roared in laughter. Similar displays occurred throughout the hall, but none were quite as depraved as those which occurred at the head table amidst vile cheers and desperate cries for help.
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WC: 425 / 3,500
There was a lull in the music before a twig snapped underfoot. As the man crested the hill, the rabbit had fled back to its burrow; for the man's coming brought with it an even greater chill. Frost began to form at a most unnatural rate, covering the trees and boulders with a layer of ice. Rather than brilliantly reflect the star's light, the sheen from the ice seemed almost to absorb and consume the ice, causing everything it coated to take on a dull, almost flat appearance. Each footstep left behind a trail of ever-expanding ice, and the man seemed neither to notice nor care at the growing silence.
Far above him, nearer the snow-covered peaks of the mountains, a veritable fortress loomed. Its thick walls jutted out from the rocky cliffside as if daring the world to try and take back this minuscule piece of land. Thick buttresses rose up along the wall's exterior, adding strength to the walls and furthering the formidable appearance of the fortress. Several towers rose from the interior, each stabbing into the air like a defiant fist against the gods. Windows dotted every tower and each one held the flickering light of fire and uttered the faintest songs of men, giving the faintest impression of life amidst a pallid landscape.
Inside of the largest building within the fortress walls, a citadel in its own right, dozens of men were gathered within a great banquet hall. Fires roared and servants hurried to and fro, each ladened with enough food and drinks to feed whole families for days on end. Each of kept their eyes cast downward in a desperate attempt to avoid drawing attention. On occasion, one of them would be pulled into the lap of scoundrel while others roared in laughter. Similar displays occurred throughout the hall, but none were quite as depraved as those which occurred at the head table amidst vile cheers and desperate cries for help.
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WC: 425 / 3,500
