Kingsport 1844: Kingsport Head
- At September 27, 2021
- By Great Quail
- In White Leviathan
0
35) Kingsport Head
Northern Kingsport
Now north of archaic Kingsport the crags climb lofty and curious, terrace on terrace, till the northernmost hangs in the sky like a grey frozen wind-cloud. Alone it is, a bleak point jutting in limitless space, for there the coast turns sharp where the great Miskatonic pours out of the plains past Arkham, bringing woodland legends and little quaint memories of New England’s hills. The sea-folk in Kingsport look up at that cliff as other sea-folk look up at the pole-star, and time the night’s watches by the way it hides or shews the Great Bear, Cassiopeia, and the Dragon. Among them it is one with the firmament, and truly, it is hidden from them when the mist hides the stars or the sun. Some of the cliffs they love, as that whose grotesque profile they call Father Neptune, or that whose pillared steps they term The Causeway; but this one they fear because it is so near the sky. The Portuguese sailors coming in from a voyage cross themselves when they first see it, and the old Yankees believe it would be a much graver matter than death to climb it, if indeed that were possible. Nevertheless there is an ancient house on that cliff, and at evening men see lights in the small-paned windows.
—H.P. Lovecraft, “The Strange High House In the Mist”
A) The Promontory
A promontory of rock towering a thousand feet above the ocean, Kingsport Head defines the northern boundary of Kingsport. It begins its steady climb two miles southeast from Arkham, rising from the southern bank of the Miskatonic River just past Whipple Bridge. Because the cliffs become imposingly sheer as the promontory rises, most hikers take the long route from Arkham. Even so, it’s not an easy trek. The terrain of Kingsport Head is startlingly primeval; a tangle of briars, tall grasses, ancient trees, and wild blueberry bushes.
B) The Peak
The peak of Kingsport Head offers an unparalleled view of Essex County. To the north is the mouth of the Miskatonic River, flowing from the broad cradle of the Miskatonic Valley. On clear evenings—a rarity in Kingsport—one can see the distant lights of Arkham and Manchester. To the east is the ocean, with the North Point Light sweeping its lonely vigil atop Ross Island. To the south is Kingsport. From this height, Kingsport resembles the diorama from Professor Riddle’s dime museum. Each ship floating on the harbor seems a perfect model, while the town spills from the wharves and breaks across the western hills, a charming riot of creamy yellow, seafoam green, brick red, and Federal blue. While sunrise is often obscured by fog, sunsets are particularly beautiful, the sun sinking behind the distant hills and touching the Congregational Church with fire. The distant smokestacks of Kingsport’s twin factories are bronzed with a deep orange glow, a last flicker of warmth before darkness rolls in from the primordial sea.
| The Strange High House Kingsport Head features only one building, the grey cottage locals call the Strange High House. Built directly against the eastern cliff, at first glance it seems like any other antiquated colonial home, with worm-eaten shingles, a tottering chimney, and leaded, bull’s-eye panes set in lattice windows. But then the viewer realizes its most unnerving feature is not its remoteness, nor its solitude, nor the inexplicable fact this ancient house has been decaying for generations, yet never falls apart. No, the Strange High House has but a single door, set directly above the fatal cliff. Although no one knows who built the house—there are no records, and even the oldest Kingsporters recall it from childhood—the Strange High House is believed to be inhabited by “The One,” a mysterious figure as shrouded in legend as the crumbling cottage itself. |
C) The Causeway
The lower cliffs of Kingsport Head are broken into a series of natural terraces known as the Causeway. Rising like a staircase into the misty heights, these “pillared steps” vary wildly in size and width. The Causeway requires a Climb roll to scale without incident, but a failure brings little more than a scrape for 1D3 damage. While the views from the Causeway are quite striking, there are two scenic overlooks worth mentioning in detail.
Orange Point
Following the Causeway eventually delivers a traveler to a precipice overlooking the sea. Located halfway up Kingsport Head, the precipice is called Orange Point. The name is poetic in origin: during foggy mornings, the ocean sunrise stains the horizon orange, sometimes darkening into an ominous shade of blood-red. Orange Point is not protected by a railing, and it’s a popular place for lovers and suicides.
The Quarterdeck
From Orange Point, a traveler may take a rugged trail that switchbacks up to the Head, or she may continue along the Causeway, which wraps around the Head to climb its northern face. Unfortunately, the Causeway terminates at a large step located a hundred feet below the promontory. Known as the Quarterdeck, this platform is a popular hiking destination, and more than a few exhausted travelers have pitched a canvas tent and spent the night. (Which has led to its more colloquial name, “The Poop Deck.”) Hikers wishing to gain the Head must vertically scale the cliff wall. Fortunately, an unknown mountaineer drove some chains into the cliff back in 1820, making the climb somewhat less treacherous. It requires a Hard Climb roll to reach the top without incident. A successful roll rewards the intrepid climber with +1D3 Sanity points. A failed roll brings a slip for 1D6 damage; but a critical failure brings a 900-foot fall for 10D6 damage!
D) La Petite Catioroc
Located on the northeastern cliff overlooking the sea, this overhang is situated two hundred feet above Orange Point, and supports a group of three large stones that fell from the heights many years in the past. Dubbed “La Petite Catioroc” by Kingsport’s original settlers, the feature was named after the rocky outcropping of Guernsey Island where the Covenant held their Sabbats. Although the three boulders lack the majesty of La Catioroc’s original Le Trepied dolmen, they have tumbled in a way that creates a small enclosure—a natural dolmen of sorts, but one perched precariously above the sea. The site was considered sacred by the original Bons pêcheurs, who made the arduous trek to the precipice for certain prayers, ceremonies, and rituals.
And it is an arduous trek! The traveler must first hike the Causeway to Orange Point. From there, he must carefully make his way up the cliff to the overhang. Fortunately there are numerous natural handholds and crevasses, but the ascent still requires a Hard Climb roll. A failed roll brings a slip for 1D6 damage, but a critical failure results in a fall for D6 damage for every ten feet climbed, up to a maximum of 10D6. Back when La Catioroc was actively used by the Covenant, the climb was made easier by ropes and wooden steps; but these deteriorated over a century ago.
La Petite Catioroc offers a spectacular view of the broad mouth of the Miskatonic River flowing into the sea. Although back in the seventeenth century the precipice featured a fire circle, a rope ladder, and a wooden altar, today the only remnants of the Bons pêcheurs are bits of mystical graffiti carved into the “dolmens” and some scorched rocks. However, the power of the place is undeniable, like tapping directly into a ley line. Any character who’s made the journey to La Petite Catioroc and leaves something behind as an offering earns an immediate and permanent +1 magic point.
E) Father Neptune
Both northern and southern sides of Kingsport Head feature several notable rock formations, but the most famous is Father Neptune. Suspended forty feet above the Illsley Shipyard, this formation is nearly two hundred feet tall, and bears a striking similarity to a bearded face wearing a pointed crown. Adventurous souls can make it to Neptune’s diadem with a Hard Climb A failed roll brings a slip for 1D6 damage, but a critical failure results in a fall for D6 damage for every ten feet climbed, up to a maximum of 10D6. The Causeway can be reached from the top of Father Neptune, a fairly easy scramble that requires only a Regular Climb roll. The usual point of departure for climbers is the Old Lumberyard behind Bluff Street, adjacent the Liberty Bell Hose Company. It’s become tradition for hikers to ring the Old Lafayette Bell for luck before beginning their ascent.
White Leviathan > Chapter 1—Kingsport 1844
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Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 5 December 2021
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
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