Reaper Cove

Reaper Cove is small inlet in the Iolla Cliffs on the southern coast of Duilintinn, facing out into the Eastern Sea.

The opening is very difficult to see at a distance, especially with rocks piercing the waves to interrupt the smooth silhouette of the Iolla Cliffs. Those who know where they are going, however, can navigate these dangerous waters to find a small opening on the cliffside, which opens up into a hidden cove used by the Watchers of Iolla Beacon Outpost as a secret harbor for their patrol boats.

## Name Origin

Reaper Cove is named for the terrifying sea monsters called Reapers that live in the deep, rocky waters of Duilintnn’s northernmost and southernmost coasts, where they prey on the fools stupid enough to get shipwrecked against the rocks. The open waters immediately outside Reaper Cove are known for an especially high rate of Reaper sightings.

In addition, the inlet is also called Reaper Cove because it’s right under the Iolla Cliffs, home of the Iolla Sanitariums, where the sick people are, and sometimes sick people die. So yeah, Reaper Cove. Fun times.

## History

Reaper Cove was discovered during the restoration of Iolla Beacon, and was quickly incorporated into the plans for the outpost when The Watch was founded. Initially, the cove’s existence was intended to be a closely guarded secret by The Watch. However, it became apparent after several years that it would be impossible to hide the cove’s existence forever. The Watch had become too well-known, with membership becoming extremely popular. Most of The Watch gave up any real attempts at secrecy when Watchers began taking regular trips between the harbor at Domhainn Outlook Outpost and Reaper Cove, realizing that traveling between Iolla Beacaon and Fort Stiofán by sea was far faster than traveling all the way to the Airceann Bridge. Watchers are still heavily encouraged to keep the exact location of the cove a secret, but too much of Duilintinn’s population either knows or becomes a Watcher for any more secrecy than that.

## Geography

Reaper Cove is an incredibly imposing landmark. A wall of tall, pale cliffs block the horizon, nearly blending in with the white-winter sky when not battered by storms.

Rocks of white stone, taller than a three-masted ship carrying over a dozen people, jut out from the ocean in front of the cove’s entrance like teeth, looming over those who dare pass below. Reapers thrive in the deep, swirling waters, surfacing when the tides are at their most dangerous to prey upon sailors at the ocean’s mercy.

At the same time, however, Reaper Cove can be incredibly beautiful. When the winter storms pass and the sun rises over the Eastern Sea, the cliffs gleam with an almost blinding white. The rocks sparkle like gemstones as they’re painted with the colors of the sunrise. Even the reapers, dangerous as they are, shine with a deep red hue against the pale blue of the ocean reflecting the clear skies above.

For many, this is when the cove is at its most dangerous. The rocks below the cliffs are perfectly able to stir up dangerous currents and unexpected winds independent of the winter storms, tricking many who let their guard down during the summer months. Thankfully, it’s a mistake few sailors will make twice.

## Infrastructure

The interior of Reaper Cove is used as a harbor for boats commanded by members of The Watch, either leaving from Iolla Beacon or arriving from a patrol or from Domhainn Outlook. However, the inner walls of the cove are steep, and several creative solutions had to be employed in order to allow Watchers to come and go between the large, sturdy wooden docks built along those walls and the clifftop above.

One of those solutions was carving a steep, crisscrossing staircase into the cliffside. However, while sailors accustomed to climbing the riggings of ships had little trouble, most Watchers struggled to traverse the slippery stairs, especially during the intense winter storms along Duilintinn’s coast.
As a result, a complex pulley system is also used to haul both cargo and people up and down the cliffs. Watchers are encouraged to take the stairs if possible, allowing the pulleys to prioritize what (or whom) cannot be safely brought up on foot. That being said, on slow days, it’s not uncommon to see some Watchers hitching a ride perched on top of their cargo as it’s lifted out of the cove. Unless it’s causing a problem, the Watchers running the pulley system will rarely call you out on it

## Trivia

* The concept of Reapers is heavily inspired by the creatures of the same name in the 2018 video game “Subnautica,” a very popular game played by the AU’s inspiration and source material, Sean McLoughlin.
* The scale of Reaper Cove was heavily inspired by this image on tumblr.