The Aerie

The Aerie is the base of operations of the Freedom’s Flight, nestled safely in the embrace of the Barrier Mountains. The Aerie’s exact location is a secret to all but the members of the Flight, and no visitors are allowed within this fortress settlement unless they intend to join.

## Location

The Aerie is perched high in the Barrier Mountains, its central hubs of activity above the treeline. The Aerie was constructed around natural caves,  and then expanded with structures and underground passageways to create a network of connected plateaus and caves. In the west, Aerie overlooks a rocky cove in the Southern Gulf.

Being so high up, the vegetation on the Aerie is mostly rough bush and grass, making the platforms largely devoid of natural shelter. However, as the Flight grew, the Aerie too expanded, and the lower parts of the fortress bleed into the jungle.

The outside plateaus are used for meeting, training and work. There are no easily visible structures on the Aerie, and most of the base is located within the caves and passageways. This is intentional - the Aerie is built in a manner that it would not be easily noticeable even from the air, and most would fly right past it without even realizing they are above the hub of Flight activity. No fires are allowed to be lit outside during the night.

The natural caverns of the mountains were mostly small, and have been expanded by blessings and traditional mining to form a network of caves and passageways. As there are no signs or maps, it is extremely easy to get lost within.

Tents and simple wooden or stone structures within the caves form the homes and daily working spaces of the Flight. The buildings are spartan and small, with few to no luxuries. Some members choose to forgo building a structure altogether, and simply sleep in one of warmer caverns.

The walls of the main caves are extensively decorated with simple paintings depicting imagery from the ideology and goals of the Flight. All members are free to add their own pictures to the mix, creating a cacophony of political artwork. The caves are lit by braziers and torches, but get chilly during the nights.

The Aerie, by its location, is a natural fortress. The Flight have built some rudimentary defenses, such as low defensive walls and simple lookout posts, as well as a few sturdy gates, but for the most part the defensibility of the Aerie relies on the difficulty of access and limited space available.

## Access

The Aerie is easiest accessed by flying. Although the base is hard to spot from above, those knowing the way will usually have little trouble flying into the base. Unknown fliers soaring too close to the Aerie will be apprehended or even shot down by Sentinels.

Originally the Aerie could only be accessed by flying or teleporting, but as the support of the Flight grew, so did the amount of wingless members among their ranks. For this reason they shaped a single, winding and twisting passage up to the base. The path upwards starts on the edge of the Wilds, near the coast. It begins as an unmarked, rough path, and turns into a clearly equine-made passage scaling the mountain. Small railings have been erected in the most dangerous spots, and there are a few open areas for rest along the way. On the whole, the trip from the base of the path to the Aerie takes a healthy equine two to three full days.

The uppermost parts of the passage are only wide enough for a single equine, and twist in a way that limits visibility up towards the Aerie. The passage ends in a sturdy iron gate welded straight into the stone walls of the entry cavern, making sure that no uninvited guest ever gets into the base.

## Port

When the Flight began to expand the natural caves into a more connected system, their Earth Manipulators broke through into a cave containing a large sinkhole, which upon investigation led to an underground river. A patrol was sent out to determine where the passage might lead, and they discovered, to their amazement, that it led into Sirith, and the tunnels of the Kin.

Over time the Flight created a safe way down, and expanded the deep underground cavern into a small port. Although they did not use the river for anything more than fresh water, small rafts were constructed and stored in the cavern. They were to be kept there in case the Aerie was breached, so that the non-combatants might evacuate safely.

With the Flight’s renewed trade agreement with Breim, and their new alliance with the Rogues, the port has again been expanded to be accessible for small vessels from the Southern Gulf. The gently flowing underground currents are used to directly trade with the Kin in their city of Cresa.

## Life

The life of the Flight is, by necessity, a simple and spartan one. Nothing is wasted, be it resources, time or bodies. As the central hub of the Flight, the Aerie exemplifies this; more of a military base than a traditional settlement, it is a place of labor and training, but also security.

Someone is always awake - the Flight works in shifts to keep the Aerie safe, but also to produce goods and to feed all of their members.

The Aerie comes to life at sunrise, when all gather for a communal meal. This is one of the few times everyone will gather together, and as such, important announcements, pep talks and other communal activities usually take place around breakfast. After breakfast, the night shift heads to bed, while majority of the Flight go out to receive their assignments from their leaders.

What a member does for most of the day depends on their rank and skills. Sentinels might patrol the Aerie or the passage; Strikers might be sent out scouting or protecting gatherers; and the Flock will each work according to their skills. Some craft, others forage, while others yet might construct. Members may be gone from the Aerie on missions for days at a time, but all keep busy.

Late afternoons are usually dedicated to martial training for those who wish to participate in it. Incoming foraging and scouting parties are received and any wares they bring in cataloged and sorted.

The second communal meal is in late evening, which again sees everyone awake - some preparing for bed, others just rising to face the day.

Free time is short, and members are encouraged to use any leisure time they might have either to help others complete their own tasks, or to do less strenuous activities, such as painting more art onto the walls, or maintaining their equipment.

Children in the Aerie are kept safe by dedicated Flock guardians who act as their caretakers and primary educators. From them Flightborn children learn history and culture - through an appropriately colored lense of propaganda, of course - and learn basic crafting skills. Older children are expected to participate in regular duties, but are always accompanied by an adult.

## History

The Aerie was founded ten years ago, when the Flight grew too large to work efficiently from small temporary camps, or scattered sympathizer homes in backwater villages. A more permanent base was needed, and a suitable location was found in the Barrier Mountains. The leaders of the Flight estimated that it was unlikely anyone would come by their base of operations by accident, and since no one lived in the mountains, there was ample space to expand as needed, while the Wilds below provided a stable, if dangerous, source of resources.

The flying members of the Flight migrated into the natural caves and plateaus of the Aerie in 1690. After a while the construction of the first living structures were constructed inside the larger caves, and soon work began on the connecting passageways which allowed the non-flying members more freedom of movement within the Aerie. Finally, in 1695, the passage up to the Aerie was made, although it was made both safer to travel and easier to defend in consecutive years.

During Flight occupation of Inaria, the Aerie was virtually devoid of life, with only a skeleton force staying behind to keep the Aerie secure and liveable. After being chased out of Inaria and back into the mountains, the Aerie has become a bustling hub of activity once more.