Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-5543592-20170530194819/@comment-5543592-20170620204247

The Outsiders headed north, across the badlands once again. They were markedly cooler now, with the overcast skies and dropping temperature, but just as dusty and unpleasant. They didn't spot the roadside bar from earlier, but it wasn't too much to imagine that the corpses of Praetorian Gracius and his Frumentarii were still rotting there.

The =badlands eventually gave way to hilly grasses, the rolling hills bringing the fields south of the city, near Mercer Island, to mind. William had come once this way earlier, for the Mount Hood settlement, although that had been further east and more to the south. That village too, built at the base of it's namesake, likely still rotted.

Finally, the came upon Beacon Enterprises. Like the Mount Hood settlement, it was built at the base of a mountain, a top a hill. That, however, was where the similarities ended. What sat before them was a castle, the kind you might find in Europe, built in the 11th century or so. It's height wasn't staggering, only about three or four stories tall, but it was wide, squat, and constructed directly into the mountainside. It was a fortress, made to withstand a punishing assault. The stone used to build it was that same light gray slate that had been used to construct the Crimson King's palace on Mercer Island. Likely they had been built by the same person, and Tim could remember that the Crimson King had set out for the Royal Wasteland with three companions. Perhaps the man who had built the palace had constructed this fortress for himself, and chosen to settle here?

However, unlike the King's palace, Beacon Enterprises looked deserted. It was recently built, but moss and ivy had grown over it's worn stonework, making it look like it was part of the landscape, or a concealed bunker. Had the Cause not said someone lived here, one would think this place abandoned. The only proof that someone lived here and wanted to keep people out was massive titanium door, set into the base of the fortress. It was black with orange accents, like the Cause's armor, or Kheiro's mask.

The grass plains stretched before them as they approached this fortress built into the mountainside, and the empty distance made it look all the more impressive.

"It's impressive, I guess." Tanner said, scratching his head, as he inspected that steel door. "The Cause didn't say how we're supposed to get this guy to listen to us.  Or get inside."