Almak

Almost as soon as you step through the massive gates, you can sense that you are unwelcome.
It's like the keep itself knows you are an intruder.

The valley is eerily silent, no sign of the many weary drakes you saw criss-crossing their posts on the top of the immense wall. You cross to the main keep unhindered by anything or anyone.

As you continue through the fortress, into the tunnels below, you begin to notice a creeping feeling that something is wrong. That this was all a mistake. That you should turn back while you still can.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound of claws on stone makes your blood run colder than the air down here.
It's not an animal making that sound, it's intentional.
A solid, rhythmic tapping on the stone, the sound carrying from who-knows-where but all you can determine is that it is too close.

Again.

Tap. Tap. Tap-tap. Tap.

The slight variation is enough to keep you on edge, the sound drawing ever nearer, now accompanied by the rasp of breath and the rustling movement of some great beast's approach.
Every instinct is to flee yet fear --or perhaps the interference of something else-- holds you bound to the spot.

Around the corner, a montrous Gaoler emerges.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Ten feet tall at the shoulder, the massive lionlike dragon snarls, glassy blind eyes clearly fixated on what it must only perceive as an intruder to be killed. Fear makes your breath catch in your throat.

"Ahhh. A guest. Almak does like... guests... doesn't she?"

The Gaoler's voice was harsh, almost clicking on every hard consonant, the sound of her voice substituting in its near entirity for the tapping of her wicked claws.

"Perhaps. The guest must... stay. Stay a bit. Almak could like that idea. Yes... stay. The guest broke in to this keep. This... keep... Almak must keep... this... guest."

---

Almak is the Head Guard of Titan's Keep Gaol, and chieftain of the Titan Valley clan. Despite being blind, she can "see" quite well, using a combination of scent, touch, and echolocation to sense the world around her. This causes her to speak quite harshly, choosing simple words with many firm "k" and "g" sounds over more complex but gentle choices, as she often echolocates with the sound of her own voice. Although this makes her seem simple, threatening, and beastial, she is actually quite kind, intelligent, and strategic. She just likes to keep strangers guessing.

She also has a close alliance with the village of Gateshadow, the small settlement outside the gates of Titan's Keep valley. The leaders of the two settlements can often be found huddled on either side of the Warden's Gate, discussing day-to-day leadership matters in a hushed tone.