Slickstone Arches

Loading image…

region:

Outer Coast; off 'Vesper Quay'

climate:

Marine; cold wind, heavy mist, strong tides

terrain:

Basalt spans, wave-cut tunnels, kelp-draped ledges

hazards:

Rip currents, slick footing, collapsing shelves, Brine Wraith

faction:

Silver Ledger patrol lanes; contested by the Gutter Syndic

trade:

Salvage claims, tidepool reagents, cut-stone slabs

access:

Skiff from Vesper Quay; beacon bearings from Beacon Tower

Geography / Layout / Points of Interest

• North Span: Tallest arch with a narrow deck at spring low; guano-slick and rope-pinned by old salvage crews.
• Undertide Gate: Submerged tunnel that opens at neap tide; markers are etched lichen arrows along the entrance rim.
• Foam Court: Bowl-shaped surge pool used to float cargo; ringed by bolt holes for temporary netting.
• Kelp Stairs: Natural ledge steps coated in weed; primary ascent for cutters working the mid-arches.
• Lantern Niche: Rock alcove stained with soot where quay skiffers hang a guide lamp when fog pushes in from Vesper Quay.
• Rivet Beach: Pebble pocket beneath a collapsed span; common site for washed tools and broken spars.

Inhabitants

• Brine Wraith — spectral hazard drawn to drowned breath; most active during cold squalls.
• Quay Rat — scavenger swarms on drift piles, especially near Rivet Beach.
• Hall Guard — occasional escort muscle accompanying patrol skiffs on ledger business.
• Syndic Cutout — male intermediary coordinating poachers along the lee channels.

Items / Resources Found

• Salt-Slick Kelp — thick coastal fronds harvested from the Kelp Stairs.
• Glasswire Dagger — common sidearm among skiff hands working tight rock.
• Cipher Deck — used to sync claims with patrol lockplates on site.
• Ledger Signet — required to certify salvage before tow-in to the Counting House.
• Smoke Ampoule — carried for fogging retreats when patrols or spirits press.

History / Lore

• Old Run: Pre-truce pilots used the arches to dodge tariffs; several wrecks seeded today’s salvage beds.
• Beacon Era: After the quay’s Beacon Tower went up, bearings to the arches were posted for bonded craft, cutting losses on night runs.
• Lantern Truce Spillover: The non‑aggression pact from Vesper Quay never fully extended here; skirmishes between the Silver Ledger and the Gutter Syndic flare after fog-thick nights.
• Shelf Break: Storms off Breaker’s Shelf periodically toss spars and crates into the arches, renewing claim frenzies at dawn.

Events / Quests / Encounters

• Claim at First Light: Race rival skiffs to tag flotsam with a Ledger Signet before the tide turns.
• Wraith Calm: Anchor lanterns in the Foam Court to placate a Brine Wraith while retrieving a sealed chest.
• Cutout’s Run: Shadow the Syndic Cutout through the Undertide Gate; intercept forged slips destined for the Counting House.
• Collapse Warning: Place tide markers along the North Span for wardens under Ilex Marr ahead of a forecast surge.

Travel / Access

• Approach: Depart Vesper Quay on flood tide; follow Beacon Tower blinks to the outer bearing, then hug windward.
• Landing: Use Kelp Stairs at half-tide or net into the Foam Court; avoid lee eddies that drag toward submerged shelves.
• Patrols: Ledger skiffs rotate from Ledger Pier; inspections require a bonded claim and matching Cipher Deck marks.
• Seasonality: Winter swells close the Undertide Gate most days; summer fog increases misnavigation and Syndic ambushes.

Image Gallery

Loading image…

Ledger skiffs threading the arches at dawn under fog from Vesper Quay

Loading image…

A female broker marking a salvage crate in the Foam Court

Loading image…

Syndic runners slipping through the Undertide Gate at low tide

Loading image…

A Brine Wraith rising near the North Span during a squall