Kek

Built in the Valley of Memory under Isskap's reign as her palace and headquarters, Kek is a rambling palace, research facility, and (now) ruin.

Outer Defenses

Built into the side of a mountain, Kek's primary defenses are the outer ring of forts and walls, stretching nearly 10 miles in radius. These massive walls are dominated by four major forts. Since the fall of Isskap, the forts have been occupied only intermittently and have mostly fallen to ruin.

Outer Palace

The outer palace consists of a main courtyard with a gate and two wings that extend into the mountain on either side. The left wing was the barracks/servant wing. Here the legions of jazuu that served her directly at Kek were quartered. The right wing was the reception wing, filled with sybaritic spa's for guests, conference rooms, guest rooms, etc.

Access to the main core of the palace was either though the central courtyard or through either wing.

Inner Core

The inner core was the largest portion. All traffic had to go through the Main Hall, where Isskap held court amid statues of her defeated foes. Other notable places were the kennels and the research wing (including the place where Isskap was finally defeated). No one is quite sure how large this palace was at its height.

Fall and Current State

Kek started in decline toward the end of 211 AC, with the fall of the Hungering Frost and Isskap's retreat into darkness. She converted all the residents into either crystalline zombies or fuel for her soul-binding research (to create Ymir) and retreated into her lab, leaving her main lieutenants on the outer defenses to handle matters without her aid.

The Wild Cards arrived in 212 AC, with a force of angels, rebellious dwellers in Estokh, and aid from Fenrir and her forces (along with purchased aid from the barbegazi lieutenant). While the forces held the line against the loyalist forces, the Wild Cards slipped inside. They freed the remaining children of Fenrir from the kennels and, after a hard-fought battle, defeated and destroyed Isskap, Ymir, and the incarnation of Broken Order that she was using as a power source. They then left.

The angels cleared out the worst of the corruption, but the area remains ill-omened and is considered to be cursed. Several would-be rulers have stepped up to claim the Ice Throne, but none have lasted--they've fallen to accidents, betrayals, or (mostly) strange occurrences that have driven people mad. Few go to Kek these days.