179 rooms · levels 7–15
The pathway has taken another bend, and allows adventurers to boldly explore to the west, which appears to be in much need of repair. The other direction, to the south, leads back towards the town of Daleville. Little chattering voices become more apparent from here. They sound somewhat familiar.
The cracks in the pathway are starting to open up into gaping holes in the ground. Digging at least 3 feet into the ground, and almost 2 feet wide these cracks could just about swallow a humanoid. This pathway has obviously not been used in a very long time, as there is clumps of grass growing within the deep cracks. The cracked pathway continues towards the west.
Not only does the pathway have massive cracks, more like holes than anything, but the weather has also taken a turn for the worse, with what appears to be black thunderous clouds rolling in from the north. These clouds obscure your vision to the north.
Peering through the blackened rain clouds that dangle about to the north is what appears to be a castle. The castle appears to be quite large, with a prominent tower reaching out of the middle shooting towards the sky. One must journey further towards the north for a better look.
From here the castle can be made out quite easily. There are two huge windows on either side of the castle, which are covered with many solid iron bars. This seems rather odd for a castle. Constructed entirely of smoky colored stones, this castle looks like it has taken a beating from mother nature. Below the castle is a murky colored moat generally not used for swimming.
Overlooking the murky water reveals what appears to be many pairs of beady looking eyes peering out of the water. To the north, above the moat looks to be a drawbridge, used for access to the castle.
Standing upon this wood built drawbridge reveals that the castle appearing to the north is in fact a prison. Reading a small sign hanging above the entrance, 'Clematis' Prison System', sends a shiver down your spine. Looking down into the moat reveals many snapping jaws, possibly that of hungry crocodiles. The drawbridge is narrow and unsteady. Definitely not for the faint hearted.
The prison's entrance is protected from the outside world by a massive gate that swings freely in the wind. The sounds of people screaming echo in from the north. The prison's walls are solid indeed, made purely of solid stone, that was more than likely dragged there by some slaves. The prison emanates an evil red aura. This would appear a safe place to rest before entering the prison.
This archway is roughly 50 feet high. With four torches burning endlessly, the archway is a well lit area. The wall is of solid construction, and echoes the screams of others past your ears. The archway continues to the north, whereas the prisons entrance is to the south.
A creepy feeling sets in as the screams become more apparent. The concave ceiling would make a human feel insignificant. Spanning the entire length of the archway is a small stream of water, that appears to have worked its way in through one of many cracks within the ceiling. The walls are cold to touch and would surely send tingles down the bravest of any human. The archway leads back towards the south, and northwards reveals a large opening.
This opening looks more like a giant cavity in the prisons architecture. Gaping outwards into the northern prison courtyard, and narrowing itself southwards into the archway, this opening is a sight to see. Uneven solid iron gray stones line the walls and ceiling, whereas the floor appears to be made of solid steel.
This is the southern most part of the prison's courtyard. Its vast area lies stretched out towards the north, east and west. Tall iron gray ceilings dominate this room. The ever constant smell of decomposing flesh is far stronger than ever before. The courtyard, for the most part, seems to be abandoned. Further to the north, an outline resembling a set of stairs can be barely seen through the dense light filtering through the tiny cracks in the prison's tough exterior. The east reveals a lengthy corridor, as does the west. Back to the south is the prison's huge opening.
These barracks were constructed so that guards inside and on the walls could pepper intruders on the trail with missiles. Dust and cobwebs fill both floors of the barracks. Arrows lie on the ground ready for some action. Swords hang from hooks carved into the walls, rusted somewhat but still ready to be used when a melee fight is encountered. Directly to the east is the prison entrance, and the west leads off a long hallway.
Sunlight streams through this room, making it well lit. Etched into the wall to the south is four, very abrupt looking claw marks. Upon closer inspection, reveals small smearing of blood under the claw marks. Is it possibly human blood, many thoughts go jolting through your mind. The east leads towards the prison entrance.
This vantage point from within the prison is truly amazing. Peering out of the window, past the huge solid iron bars that drape from the ceiling, you can make out a faint outline, which appears to be the city of Daleville. Roughly five miles away is the pathway, twisting and turning. It slowly makes its way to the drawbridge, outside the prison entrance. When the sun shines, sunbeams streak through this room onto the ground, and ever so slightly reflect off the hard stone surface in a hazy fashion.
The only thing inside this dusty room is a ladder made of wood. The ladder is affixed to the wall and strangely enough leads nowhere. This room appears to be some sort of storage for the prison, as various pieces of furniture, old but sturdy and unused has been left here covered in old cloth. The cloth is of dark blue color and is well woven considering its old origin. The exits are east and west of here, west leading towards the southwest corner, whereas the east leads back towards the prisons' main entrance.
The trampled floor of this prison corner grows little but occasional tufts of yellow grass. The walls house moss and fungus, whilst the roof drips with old water seepage. The prison could sure do with some serious maintenance in this area. The passageways from the north and east meet here to form the southwest corner.
This corridor seems to stretch for as far as the eye can see. The ceiling is a lot shallower in this room. The only glimmer of light within this room other than a lowly light flickering torch mounted within the wall is a gaping window from the east allowing a trickle of sunlight through. Towards the west is the southern end of the prison courtyard. It appears very difficult to see what may lie ahead to the north, as visibility in that direction is low. Eastward bound would take you closer to the window.
Sunlight streams through this room, making it well lit. Etched into the wall to the south is four sharp, very abrupt looking claw marks. Upon closer inspection, reveals small smearing of blood under the claw marks. Is it possibly human blood, many thoughts go jolting through your mind. To the north is one of many rooms within the prison used for an exercise yard.
This vantage point from within the prison is truly amazing. Peering out of the window, past the huge solid iron bars that drape from the ceiling, you can make out a faint outline, which appears to be the city of Daleville. Roughly five miles away is the pathway, twisting and turning. It slowly makes its way to the drawbridge, outside of the prison entrance. When the sun shines, sunbeams streak through this room onto the ground, and ever so slightly reflect off the hard stone surface in a hazy fashion.
This side of the prison houses many nasties. Screams, of lost souls echo throughout the entire prison. A feeling of uncertainty and despair settles in. The walls are made of solid gray stones, and would have been built by slaves and prisoners alike. The roof seems somewhat wrecked by the constant battering of the weather. The exits appear to be north, east and west.
This is the southeast most part of the first floor of the prison. It is no different to the rest of the prison. It's constructed entirely of solid stone and would hold the worst prisoners at bay. This corner is very dark, which makes the going tough. To the north is a horrendous sight that would make the bravest humanoid squirm. It appears to be devices of torture with human corpses strewn about.
This is where the prisoners of yester year used to perform many exercises to keep in shape. The yard itself contains many pieces of gymnasium equipment sprawled across the yard in an untidy fashion. The rusted metal on the equipment gives an indication that it may not have been used in over a century. The equipment includes dumb bell sets, chin up bars, and other various work out utensils.
A magnificent chamber with raised dais supports an ebony chair carved like the open mouth of a panther. Only a few other chairs have been provided here. Black pelts line most of the chairs and spill into the dais. This chamber was used to entertain guests from surrounding areas. As to whom entertained the guests, is still a mystery.
This room used to house the warden when he would check the prisoners coming in and going out. A small softly lit desk, resides next to a finely crafted chair with comfortable padding. A log book on the desk is very old and still has a few readable scribbles written within. One reads, 'We must flee now or lose our lives'. Another reads, 'He had overthrown the prison within a week's time'. This area seems hastily abandoned, with ink spilt over part of the floor and desk.
A narrow slit in the north wall looks out over the moat and the path beyond. A stool, a cracked water jug and a bell on a chain are all the furniture the watch was ever given. Someone has scratched a tally of days into the wall, and given up somewhere past four hundred.
No matter how lightly the floor is walked on, it creaks in every direction. Many stones on the floor have been overturned and are possibly the reason for the creaky sounds. One particular stone has been moved aside and left slightly out of place. The smoky colored gray walls allow little if any at all light to pass into this room, making it very dark. This impairs your vision in every direction.
Rusted chain shackles dangle freely from the dried out cracked ceiling. With huge steel handcuffs, these shackles would surely hold any one unlucky enough to experience this ghastly device. A corpse lay below the shackles, with the smell of rotting flesh start to climb its way into your nostrils. Blood stains trail further towards the north.
This alcove is dark indeed. The only light within the room is given off by two small torches implanted in the walls. An antique picture with an evil man's face within it hangs against the gunmetal gray stone wall. The dust covered picture looks very old. Scattered furniture, including a table, several chairs and a small wicker basket all covered with layers of dust lie about this alcove. It appears this room has not been used in years.
This room is pitch black and of a scary nature. A sixth sense gives you the feeling of another life form in the room. Unable to see, and not sure what lies ahead, a feeling of helplessness sets in. Using only hand movements along the wall to feel your way around, an atmosphere is created and instantly becomes tense. Screams of help can be heard in every direction.
This entrance is an archway that leads into the warden's quarters. The thick stone walls emanate a cold feeling, and the chill of this room is only partially alleviated by the heavy tapestries that line the walls, tapestries skillfully woven by many dedicated prisoners, with scenes of an old wizard using a guillotine to sever a prisoner's head. This gives you an eerie feeling that quivers down your spine.
This room is pitch black and of a scary nature. A sixth sense gives you the feeling of another life form in the room. Unable to see, and not sure what lies ahead, a feeling of helplessness sets in. Using only hand movements along the wall to feel your way around, an atmosphere is created and instantly becomes tense. Screams of help can be heard in every direction.
This room almost seems to vibrate. The sounds that can be heard are thrown around this room, and seem to bounce for ever. The distant sounds waft in from almost every direction. To the north is a massive stairwell which appears to be over 30 feet across and towers upwards.
This has to be the biggest, and oldest staircase ever! It is positively enormous. It elevates for as far as the eye can see and is roughly 30 feet wide. The steps themselves appear to be made of stone, as is the most part of the prison. They look challenging, and promise to be a task within themselves. To the east is what looks like blood smudged into the walls and the north leads towards the northern side of the prison. The west is puzzling, it seems to go on forever.
Many a prisoner has obviously been brought here to face punishment. A pile of corpses lay strewn across the hard stone floor. Blood and guts are smeared from wall to wall, and the smell is oh so overwhelming. This torture device consists of an iron muzzle attached to the east wall with heavy iron chains, fortunately the equipment has now rusted and would prove to be of little use. Blood trails lead south, west and north.
This giant head stall made entirely of wood would have housed many a prisoner in its prime. The corpse still in the head stall takes your attention, as it appears that the corpse is rather fresh, and disgustingly, it has had an eye ball removed. What could anyone possibly want with a dead eyeball? Blood drips still trickle from the corpse. Small trails of old dried blood veer off to the north, south and west.
Two leather harnesses protrude from the east wall. Ugly, bound together with what appears to be human hair, it is truly a device of pure evil. A corpse lay silently in one, whilst laughter can be heard from the west. Spilt patches of blood lead north, south, and off to the west.
Within this giant torture room stands a chair made totally of razor like metal. To sit in this chair would surely mean instant death. This chair, unlike the other devices was used to kill prisoners rather than toy with them. The chair has rusted with time, but would still give a nasty cut across any person's bottom. Blood trails taper north, south and west.
Gas quickly fills your lungs, but you quickly recover. This chamber is mostly air tight! Luckily, since it was used, many years ago, the roof has given way, allowing for fresh air to wisp into your lungs. Sunlight pours into this room during the summer, and it fills with water during the winter months. Four pipes shoot outwards from each wall. Each pipe used to spray the deadly toxin that took the lives of so many innocent prisoners. Corpses appear to reach towards the south, north, and west.
This is one of many of the torture devices scattered throughout. A giant leather whip dominates this room. It lies next to a steel table with ropes attached to it, used to hold prisoners whilst they experience the wrath of the whip. The south leads onto further torture devices whereas the north is towards the northeast corner.
Here is a large circular room with no windows nor cracks of any kind. The floor and walls are surprisingly decorated with striking geometric mosaics. There is no furniture, just magnificent statues of an old snow white bearded wizard with a majestic pointy hat. This is the northeast most room of the prison's floor. Exits are south towards ghastly torture devices and west towards the centre of the prison.
This room is pitch black and of a scary nature. A sixth sense gives you the feeling of another life form in the room. Unable to see, and not sure what lies ahead a feeling of helplessness sets in. Using only hand movements along the wall to feel your way around, an atmosphere is created and instantly becomes tense. Screams of help can be heard in every direction.
A single thumbscrew lies deadly still on a rusted iron table pushed hard against the west wall. Not used in decades this device looks repulsive. One of the most painful devices within the prison, it was sure to get the information needed out of the prisoners. The thumbscrew itself consists of a tiny leather strap to hold the thumb in place, and a small iron screw to be driven into the thumb. Sick minds must have crafted this device. Blood washes away to the east.
Four iron boots, nailed to the ground, dominate this room. Some of the boots still have pieces of human legs dangling from them. This torture device wasn't, and certainly still isn't, for the faint hearted. Like the other hideous pieces of equipment, these boots that once held prisoners to the floor for interrogation purposes have rusted, and would serve little purpose any more. The only, bloody, exit is to the east.
Large steel straps, rusted in time, crumble from the north wall. They are rather solid, and not unlike the other torture devices in this area, they are covered with dried blood. A steel mouth piece is also used with this ghastly device, to stop the horrible screams of agony echoing throughout the prison. Blood sweeps itself towards the east and west.
Four long iron racks lean against the gray stone wall. Nine inch nails spoke outwards from this hideous device. Rusted but still effective, this form of punishment would surely have deterred the most evil of prisoners. No corpses have been let to decompose here, but trails of blood are still evident to the east.
A sharp, but rusted blade rests atop of the guillotine, ready for action. Luckily for some it appears that this guillotine has had little use of the past years, with a decomposing human head lying in a blood filled puddle. The guillotine for the most part consists of solid timber, with a few nails used for support, and leather straps to hold the offender tight in place. Blood smearing leads off to the east.
This out of the way chapel is well maintained. This place of worship contains highly polished pews and a large statue of a wizard. In front of the statue is a pulpit with a small slotted box. Once a week the prison would stand still as Brother Hurely preached a sermon on the virtues of obeying the established powers of the land. A rather large crack in the west wall leads to what appears to be outside the prison.
Iron bars drape from the ceiling and meet the floor. They were constructed many centuries ago, and have served the prison well. Over time, the bars have rusted, and left a gap between the middle bars, allowing prisoners to move freely between the prison itself and his or her cell. It is very dark within this room and therefore only the thick iron bars are noticeable.
The iron bars that once held prisoners within have all but fallen to the ground in a rusted heap. Although effective in its days, it appears now that it does not serve any purpose. Gray walls tower over, held together with green fungus, it appears not to be at all stable. Westwards leads into the cell further whereas south and north both walk past other prison cells alike.
Old rusted metallic keys lie upon the floor. Of no use to anyone anymore they have been left there to rot. There are several holes in the floor, where the iron bars used to be. A large tapestry seems to have come loose and has ended up face down on the floor. Not daring to pick it up, you decide to leave it be. There are exits to the north, south, and west.
A clear window directly above allows sunlight, if any, to trickle into this entrance. The window looks fragile and could break at any stage. It has two small blackened bars through the centre for support, but apart from this, the window does not look at all promising. Small leaves and twigs clog part of the view through to the sky, but never the less it is a sight to behold. Out of one corner of the window, a tall gray tower shoots upwards towards the sky. It appears as though it could quite possibly stretch through the clouds endlessly. To the west leads further into the mysterious prison cells.
Dull gray stones line the arched entrance. Cracks continue down from the ceiling along the walls and almost reach the floor. This prison seems very unstable and could possibly crumble at any stage. The sound of faint laughter can be heard from the northeast. The west leads further into the cell itself.
This is where the north meets the west. The prison curves around the two long hallways, one to the east, and the other to the south. Solid gray stones line this end of the prison. One stone has fallen to the ground, and it is only a matter of time before the rest of the prison takes a turn for the worse and falls to the ground creating nothing but piles of stone rubbish.
There is a small bar in the southwest corner of the hall that is stocked with fine assorted liquors. On the bar beside an old jar of walnuts is a decorative wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a toy guard. A large oak table also dominates this room, with many chairs supporting it. This hall is shrouded with dust and small cobwebs in each corner, although the small spiders that live here are quite harmless. The west extends into the other section of this hallway. The east is towards the entrance.
All the fine furniture here is covered with dust. Several long tables, dozens of chairs, and an enormous china cabinet stands ready for a roomful of prisoners, but none have been here in many years. The cabinet contains enough utensils for at least 20 place settings. The utensils are made of fine china and would surely fetch a nice price. Frescoes on the wall show guards whipping prisoners with various equipment. Footprints in the dust on the floor travel around in circles. The west leads off into the prison's kitchen, where east extends into the hall of residence.
In contrast to the banquet hall, the kitchen is well maintained. Logs are neatly stacked in the twin fireplaces. The food preparation tables have been scrubbed clean, and an assortment of utensils, pots, and pans hangs neatly from hooks in the stone walls. Many prisoners once worked here, around the clock, busily preparing meals for the other prisoners.
An enormous study occupies this room. The area is furnished with comfortable chairs and sofas, a work table, and many shelves of books. Most of the books appear to be of magical nature, evil wizardry indeed. The shelves and floor of the study contains almost three dozen statues of a small wizard wearing a pointy hat with a snow white beard. The east leads towards the kitchen.
A magnificent chamber with an elegantly made mahogany bed lies stretched out towards the north wall. A small oaken table covered in dust lies pushed against the east wall. Old books of various nature lie abandoned on the floor, more than likely to be from the study. The bed appears as though it hasn't been slept in for many years. To the south is the once used kitchen.
An unlocked door leads to this impressive dining room with a polished wooden table and elaborately carved chairs. An expensive rug lies on the floor, and four tapestries hang on the walls. This room is well lit with flickering torches that burn brightly mounted above the tapestries. Many bowls lying on the table are no longer filled with food types, but rather with rust. It appears that this section of the prison has not been used in some time. The north leads to the prison's kitchen.
The ceiling here is pierced by several large slits, each about 12 feet long and 5 feet wide. No light comes from these slits, but soft sounds filter down from above. On the walls here, paintings dangle from large nails stuck in the walls, they depict an old wizard doing acts of cruelty to other humanoids.
A grassy wall mocks this passageway. Tiny tufts of yellowish green grass poke through the south wall. Rather odd, but explainable as water seeps through the tiny holes above, and tiny beams of sunlight shine through the cracks in the roof to provide a growing environment. This passageway is very narrow, and is impossible to pass without brushing up against the grass stricken walls.
This passageway is awfully narrow. It tapers in the middle and bends outwards at each end, although still quite narrow. The maximum width of this passage is roughly 10 feet across. It is rather dark in this passage, no light shines through making the walking difficult.
This room runs along the northern end of the prisons first floor. Narrow like the rest of the passage, this room is not for the over weighted. To the south appears to be a place where people could eat food, and possibly relax a little. The west continues further into the narrow passageway whereas east leads towards the centre of the passage.
This passageway is very narrow indeed. The smell of rotting flesh is not as noticeable from here. Blood smearing are still evident and ruffled voices drift in from the west. To the south is the prisoners quadrangle, whereas the east leads off further down bottleneck passage.
Now deep within this skinniest of passageways, it allows for only the smallest of parties to travel to and fro. The smell of rotting corpses is not as evident from here, as a sweet scent drifts in from a large hole in the north wall. It smells like a lovely rose of some description, but without seeing it, one can only guess.
A spy hole appears to have been dug out of the north wall in this section of the passageway. Upon closer inspection, a small row of brightly colored roses can be seen. They appear to have been well looked after and sprout towards the sky in a quest for the most sunlight and exposure to the weather. Fresh dirt has been dug around the roses. This section of the passageway is damp, as the spy hole not only allows people to look out but the weather to stream inwards.
The passage is narrow, dark, echoing, and cramped. A suspicious looking slab of stone has been left turned on its side. It looks as though someone has left it bared open. A smidgen of light shines up around the slab making it glow for a second. This room is filled with cobwebs, but luckily the owners appear not to be home.
Plain, and dark describes this room well. Little if any at all light is generated by a small flickering torch on the east wall. It appears that the torch in the west wall has been put out. The room is bare apart from the torch. The exits are east and west.
This room is pitch black and of a scary nature. A sixth sense gives you the feeling of another life form in the room. Unable to see, and not sure what lies ahead, a feeling of helplessness sets in. Using only hand movements along the wall to feel your way around, an atmosphere is created and instantly becomes tense. Screams of help can be heard in every direction.
This small but cozy dug out stretches on for a little distance and then comes to a grinding halt. The burrow continues into the ground in which the prison was built many centuries ago. Your cold skin pressed against the soft dirt.
Down, down, down. The burrow is now quite some distance from the surface. No light at all makes it hard to see what may lie ahead for the adventurous traveller. Further down is what feels like a trapdoor, but who can tell in this light!
This den is very large in size, and is well lit by an old hooded lantern attached to one side. This quiet, hidden lair is quite appropriate for its owner. This oversized rat seems to be in the middle of his nap, best keep it quiet, as he would surely swallow any humanoid silly enough to wake him from his peaceful sleep.
The cell gets colder further inwards. The cell is also very damp, with water dripping in from the ceiling, obviously not much care was given to the living quarters of the many prisoners. With no, or very little light coming in through the crack in the ceiling, it leaves an unpleasant feeling in the room.
This is the heart of the cell. The door has a small barred window at eye level and an open slot near the floor through which the prisoners inside were fed. Many iron beds, straw padded gave little luxury to the many prisoners jailed for infinite years. Little, if any care at all really was given into the design and layout of the cell itself. The beds assembled in a disorderly manner, like a crazy tornado had swept through, and straw scattered endlessly on the ground. A few old possessions have been left by some poor fated prisoner. It's of little wonder why none if any prisoners are still alive.
Standing deeper within cell block 2 reveals a smooth marble rock in the southwest corner. The rock appears to have been dropped by some poor fated prisoner. The rock although pretty, appears worthless. This area is very cold and damp, and not to mention an eye sore. The gray walls, bleak as ever softly reflect your image back at you.
This cell is rather empty. No beds, nor junk lies upon the floor, but instead this cell is amazingly clean except for a small old man who sits on a stool beside a cascade of small windows that allow a trickle of sunlight to seep in.
Food scraps lie next to spilt water from a petite cup. The food appears to have been left here for some time and is starting to smell. The smell is slightly stronger from the west. The dark gray walls and towering ceiling are hard to see in this room, as little light prevails. The light is dark indeed, you can not even see what may lie ahead to the west.
A corpse with an arrow stuck upright out of it lies in the centre of this cell. The corpse reeks and looks just as bad. Flesh peeling off, mice and other unknown rodents have had a feast. Looking downwards reveals a small hideaway, it appears this man was trying to escape from the prison, quite unsuccessfully.
A small table dominates this room, as nothing else does. Barely anything to look out this room leaves little to the imagination. The table looks to be of solid build and holds the weight of a sack of flour left atop it. West extends further into the cell itself. Whereas east leads back out to the entrance.
A knife with a blunt end lies next to a corpse. The wall adjacent to the corpse has a small amount of writing etched into it. Upon closer inspection, the words, 'I died trying' become apparent. This poor soul looks like he didn't stand much of a chance with another dagger poking outwards out of his back. The solid, but now rusted iron bars droop towards the ground, it appears as if they did serve a purpose, many years ago.
This section is used as the walkway between the entrance and the cell further onto the west. Small footprints that appear to be fairly recent scamper westwards, with a lengthy stretch of blood trailing behind.
This cell is dominated by a large suspicious looking mat that looks as though it has been moved to cover something. Only one bed aligns the cell wall, with a small amount of straw on top of it. Mice play havoc in this cell, with small food scraps to eat, and shelter provided by the bed. The east leads outwards towards the entrance.
This is an escape route that was once dug out by an ancient prisoner. The walls have turned crusty, and gone a dark earthen color. A small shovel with a hooked handle lies against the wall, and a bucket with a copper handle sits in the southeast corner full up unemptied dirt. The tunnel winds its way further to the west.
Mounds of dirt, stacked up against the far wall dominate this room. Many buckets, with equally as many corpses have been strewn about this small earthen den. There are various digging tools beside the buckets. A gold coin lies on the soft dirt and shines brightly next to a torch in the wall. The coin appears to be stuck into the dirt, permanently!
A mosaic of corpses line the earthen floor. Tools, weapons and other valuables have mostly been looted, except for a few picks and mining axes left lazily about. This dead end was exactly that, for a lot of prisoners. The earth trembles as you touch it, and water seeps through the tiny holes throughout the earth dug hole. The only exit appears to be upwards.
Spoons and other various digging tools are scattered around this hole. Prisoners must have been trying to escape. A small book on the ground, lies open with the heading of the page clearly visible. It reads, 'So Close, yet So Far!'. A lantern blazes away brightly to one corner whilst a small dripping sound reveals water leaking in through holes in the earthen walls. The only exit from this hideout is upwards.
This room is awfully quiet. Nothing stirring, not even a mouse. The ground looks very damp, with water dripping from the ceiling it's of little wonder. This place really is dead, gremlin corpses lie strewn across the floor. Whatever, or whoever killed them sure didn't mess about. Two rainbow colored corpses lie next to each other, and one ice covered corpse lies adjacent to his, once friends.
One of many exercise yards used for the prisoners, this one is no different. Pieces of gymnasium equipment lay lazily about in no particular order. As the equipment has not been used, and due to the dampness within this room, the equipment has already rusted beyond use. To the north is the Quadrangle, and the south leads towards a huge stairwell.
Seats dominate this room. Old but still useable these seats are lined up in an orderly manner. They appear to not have been used in quite some time. Towards the east side of the room, an altar with a pedestal towers over the room. Many a great speech had been given from this room, which was once the hustle and bustle of prisoners, but is no more.
This room is the way between the torture devices frequently used upon the prisoners and the colossal stairwell. Peering to the east reveals grisly torture devices with a blood stained floor, whilst the west leads to an enormous stairwell that rises up into the prison's tower.
This cell is barely wide enough to lie down in. There is no window and no light but what comes in under the door. The walls are covered in scratches that might once have been letters, and the floor is worn smooth where someone paced for years.
At the very end of the row, this cell is colder than the rest. A rusted chain hangs from a ring in the ceiling, its shackle long since broken open. Someone has drawn a window on the wall in chalk, with a sun and a tree outside it.
A low corridor leads west from the great staircase into the dark. The doors along it are solid oak bound in iron, each with a slot at the bottom for a tray of food. The quiet here is worse than the screams elsewhere.
The walls of this cell were once padded with sacking stuffed with straw. Most of it has been torn open, and the straw lies in heaps on the floor. Deep gouges in the stone beneath show where fingernails tried to dig through.
Water seeps through the west wall and stands ankle deep across the floor of this cell. A wooden pallet floats in one corner. Whoever was kept here learned to sleep sitting up, by the look of the stool bolted high on the wall.
The corridor ends at a round grate in the floor. Below it is a shaft, too narrow to climb and too deep to see the bottom of. Something down there breathes slowly, or perhaps it is only the wind.
This is the place that guards used to come and talk of their tales. Now it appears very much abandoned. A rather large oaken table lies before you, as do the matching chairs. A reasonable sized torch still flickers brightly, this allows you to see many eerie looking rodents scurrying around in search for food scraps. To the south leads further into the Guard's Hall.
This hall has continued in from the north. It also has a large table, with matching chairs. A larger than normal chair sits at the end of the table. It is unlike the rest, with comfortable padding and a high arched back. Someone of great importance must have sat there. To the south is the Guard's checkpoint, and the north leads into the second half of the Guard's Hall.
This place was once of some significance. Guards could not enter nor leave without expressed permission from the guard in charge. These were the rules and were understood clearly by all. Time has passed, and what was a guard on duty is now just a biodegrading mass on the floor, slumped over his rifle. Loyal to his leader 'Krone' he would have done anything!
This room is where the once famous ruler of the guards, sergeant Krone would spend the majority of his time. With a comfortable chair in one corner and a study like desk in the other, Krone would spend a great deal of time in here, talking about tales of the past and keeping a close eye on his men. Krone doesn't appear to have been here for quite some time, layers of dust have started to build up on almost everything within the room.
The guards of the prison were known to spend many hours in this room, mumbling about old tales of how they had once respected the Great and all mighty ruler of the prison 'Clematis'. Times have passed and things change. Old clothes lie lazily about this room, with battered blades and worn armor stuck to the walls. To the east reveals another gathering spot for the once keepers of the prison.
Strong scents of beer, whiskey and rum still waft about this public house. A long and well stocked bar was once used to keep the guards in good stead. What's left of the bar has been over taken with gremlins and the sort. The bar was once a thriving place of activity, but now very much deserted.
Rows of beds line this huge room. Antique style beds, with sheets still intact await their masters that will never return. The guards used to sleep comfortably here, without the everyday hustle and bustle of the hectic prison guard lifestyle. Rusted, worthless jewelry lies scattered everywhere within this room, almost like people were in a hurry and forgot to take their belongings.
This is the place where the hallway intersects. The walls are made of wood with fine carvings engraved into them. The smell of alcohol gently drifts in from the north while a loud snoring sound can be heard from the east.
This part of the prison seems to be incomplete. The walls have been half built and the roof is so incomplete that it allows most of the weather to pour into the room. Puddles of water on the floor are an indication of when it rains. The only exit proving to be north, outwards towards the guard's bar.
This hallway stretches for quite some distance, and is made well lit by torches blazing. Each torch is made of a solid iron base with a 3 inch flame leaping out of the end. Careful not to stand on any unfamiliars, such as rats and gremlins, made possible to see using the torch, you become more familiar with your current surroundings. The east leads off further down the hallway, and the east takes you closer to the smell of alcohol.
This well lit hallway is made possible by two fiercely burning torches. Each one looks as though it could burn forever. Lighting up the room gives you a closer look at the writing on the walls. In another language, you try to comprehend them but fail in translating them. To the east is the entrance to Krone's hideout, whereas the west is the continuation of this hallway.
Two arched doors point inward at each other. One door has the letters 'KRONE' etched into the woodwork. The other swings freely in the wind. This looks to be the entrance to the king of all guards sergeant Krone. As you look past the doors, you can faintly make out a shadowy, but solid figure lying down curled up on a large bed. Before deciding to enter, the sign on the other door catches your eye, 'Do Not Disturb!'.
This room covered in dust has obviously not been lived in for quite some time, yet a man sleeps in his bed. Is it possible that he has been put under some sleep spell and slept for years on end. As much noise shatters in from the echoing corridors still does not wake this man, you come to the conclusion that he must be in a coma, or some wicked mage has put him there in such an evil way.
Hundreds, possibly thousands of stairs make their way up the prison. They appear to be made of marble, unlike the rest of the prison. Looking upwards would surely make anyone dizzy. These steps seem to be of good quality, in comparison to the rest of the prison. Is it possible that these steps have been used recently, with little pieces of torn material wedged in cracks on the stairs it would appear so.
Endless amounts of stairs. These stairs would prove a challenge for the fittest of humans, unless they had another way of climbing them. The base of the staircase is very wide, and looking upwards, they appear to taper off many flights of floors above. Slight murmurs from above catch your attention.
Gazing around this section of the stairwell, it would appear that it is even larger than before. The walls are almost 20 feet apart from each other, with equally as many stairs as before, if not more!
From this point on the stairwell it's possible to catch a glimpse of the weather outside. A trickle of sunlight filters onto the far side wall. Upwards is the landing of the first floor, used for adventurers to take a break of the hectic climbing involved. A small red glow from atop the stairwell can also be seen from here.
This is the landing above the first deck of stairs. It seems sturdy, although it looks rather old, but does appear to have been used, with scuffle marks up and down the floor. The marks look like someone has been pacing the room with a long cloak that drags about. The voices become louder, and almost sound human. To the north appears to be a place in which a better view of the land could be obtained. The south looks above the prison itself and upwards leads towards the muffled voices.
A reasonable view of the land can be obtained from here. Rolling green hills dominate the scene. Looking down reveals the top of the prisons roof, cracked, old and looks as though it could do with some fixing. Stretching towards the sky is the tower in which stairs led to a peculiar room in which it only has a tiny window. The window is draped with many small iron bars that would contain almost anything living. Once again, a red aura glows brightly from this room, and a booming voice can now be clearly heard. The east and west are both further extensions of the ledge whereas the south is back to the landing.
A clouded view is the only thing possible from here. A lack of light, caused by the towering shadow thrown from the prison combined with obstacles obscuring your vision, makes it hard to see anything really. The only option being when to walk back to the east to enjoy the view from such heights.
This is the eastern ledge of the first landing. From here a good view is obtained of the eastern side of the country side. Murky water is clearly seen from here, it surrounds the most part of the prison. Although not used terribly much for swimming, more likely used to keep the prisoners in. A well travelled path leads off from the eastern side of the path, as does a less used path from the opposite side.
This ledge is very unsafe. It crumbles as you touch it, and pebbles skitter off its edge and fall for a long time before you hear them land. A gaping hole in the ledge to the east looks out over the courtyard far below. The only safe way is back to the north.
Only a lip of stone is left here, a hand wide, over a drop to the courtyard far below. Wind howls through the gap where the rest of the ledge fell away. There is nothing to hold on to, and nowhere to go but back.
Crumbling beneath your feet this ledge does not promise to hold much longer. Best move back into the safe feeling of the landing. A gust of wind blows up over the hills out yonder and starts to sway the entire prison tower. This is not the safest place in the prison to be.
Many stairs past the landing and it begins to get dark. Very dark, as the walls are covered in charcoal. It would seem that someone had been practicing fire related spells in the stairwell. The pitch black walls reflect nothing. The stairs weren't so lucky either, they have received some form of punishment from wicked fire related spells. The wicked sounds now start to sound like a human cackling, you get the feeling that someone or something is watching over you.
This part of the stairwell seems equally as burnt. In fact, on the floor appears to be many scattered wands and scrolls of the sort. On closer inspection, it reveals that they are in fact fireball wands and scrolls. Unfortunately they have no charges left making them worthless. Some mage must have left them here, as he or she was using them. A well burnt book also lies on the ground, with some of its pages amazingly intact. Barely readable are the words on the cover, 'llaberif'.
Blackened walls also dominate this section of the stairwell. Someone wasn't messing around here, they knew exactly what they were doing and why. A few small letters in the wall capture your attention; they read 'Try Me!'. With this in mind you think about leaving back down the stairwell, but a strange force from within sucks you closer towards the top.
Just above is the balcony, higher than the first landing it promises to give an even better view. The laughing noises are echoing down the stairwell and are becoming just a tinge louder. Looking directly up reveals the red glow from the top is coming from behind a door. Investigating this may not be a good idea for the faint hearted.
Standing on top of this second flight of stairs reveals another great view, an even better one can be obtained by either walking towards the north or towards the south. This place is very open, wind hurls in from every direction making it awkward to stand upright. Upwards leads towards the red light whereas downwards leads to the prisons ground floor.
Overlooking the far reaches of the prisons grayness, is what looks like a small brook or stream that flows steadily. Rough outlines that look like bears wander up and down the stream in search of what appears to be fish merrily swimming in and jumping out of the water. A voice from within the prison seems to reach out and say to you 'I will not be overthrown, I will not, I will, I'. The voice slowly drowns out. To the east and west are more ledges overlooking the prison's deep evilness. The south extends into the more familiar and much safer Balcony.
Smudged black stains line the tower's walls. Many and various inscriptions are engraved into the tower here. Only one or two of the inscriptions are legible. The first one reads, 'Seek and Yee Shall Find!', the other is placed below, and reads, 'High above the tower I sit'. With this in your mind, you begin to wonder about who must live atop the tower.
Mountains roll on for what seems endless. The greener pastures appear to be holding the lands animals. Cows, horses, and other farm animals roam the hills. A small stream, way out yonder contains many fish swimming up and down the stream.
Stepping out of the stairwell and into a huge, flourishing garden open to the sky but surrounded on the north side by rock. Exotic black flowers cling to the arched entrance and fill the air with spicy perfume. In the centre of the garden, a corpse of some slave reclines at the base of a tall peach tree laden with fruit that seems rather old. The garden is alive with colors: red, poppies, purple foxflowers, dark blue nightshade, and white hemlock. Exotic scents with underlying tang of mold fill your nostrils. Two human corpses lie adjacent to each other, with gardening tools used to once tend the plants. This garden is unlike the rest of the prison, it appears to be of use to someone and has therefore been looked after in some aspects.
Quiet, peaceful and with an awe inspiring view this place could serve as a resting place for the greatest of mortals. To the west is a beautiful and exotic garden with many various fruits and plant life flowering. The south reveals a magnificent view of the landscape. The north is the cold stone gray tower that shoots out of the prison roof.
A stone ledge with minute spikes carved from stone align this razor like ledge. Small yellow and green tufts of grass try to sprout through the floor, but do so unsuccessfully. This area has taken a battering from the outside weather. Whereas the east is slightly more covered and blossoms with plant life.
Blinded by the intense colors that coat these walls you stagger around in a daze staring at the majestic beauty of each individual color. Colors range from blue, right through to purple. One thing is certain, there is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.
Brightly colored walls also dominate this section of the stairwell. It would appear as though some wizard has been practicing spells. Multicolored, but well used wands lie lazily about the stairs. The stairs lead endlessly upwards in a spiral like fashion. You begin to wonder if the top is impossible to reach. Looking downwards at the stairs reveals that the stairs didn't escape the tortures of the vast array of colors.
The walls here are coated with every color in the rainbow. From indigo to red the walls are outstanding. The gray stones behind the multicolored walls provided a great canvas for whoever was using them. Two torches, brightly ablaze and appear to be well maintained unlike the rest of the prison, are mounted into the walls on the east and west. A scroll or two has been carelessly left lying about the stairwell. The words, 'roloc yarps' are etched onto all of the old scrolls.
This place on the stairwell is below where the stairwell intersects at every direction. It is well lit from both below and above. The laughter has now become very loud, and is hard to extract from your thoughts. Echoes of unfamiliar words echo up and down the tower, they appear, like the laughter to be coming from the top of the tower.
This room is well lit by the sunlight that streams in from the north and south. Cracks in the walls show just how old this prison really must be. The stairwell intersects at this point and offers many directions to travellers.
A fine view of the surrounding areas can be obtained from here. Distant mountains to the north rise majestically from a base of clouds. Two holes have been bored into the floor here. Wires coming up through the holes connect to two lightning rods bolted onto the tower's walls. This peculiar equipment must play some key role in the wicked wizard's evil plans.
From here, a path is visible. The path winds up towards the prison, leaving travelers exposed to missile fire from the ominous battles that would arise. Apart from the view of the path, not much else is clearly visible. Being so high up the tower reveals little of what might be, off into the distance that seems to stretch endlessly.
This would appear to be a small branch leaning out of the tower. The branch shoots from nowhere and droops towards the ground. A few leaves remain intact and sway about freely in the wind circling the tower. This branch seems very sturdy and appears to be of magical nature, as it could hold more than one person at a time. It also emanates a red glow, and would therefore conclude that it was made by someone of evil nature.
This obscure ledge sticks outwards from the tower. It is small in size and is supporting some plant life. The smaller than usual plants reap the benefits of the weather from above. You suspect that these plants may be used in the construction of some nasty spells.
Webs drape from the walls, and cover the stairs. The webbing is thick and crusty. It would appear as though a giant spider had built her home in the stairwell, but instead you come to the conclusion that it was the doings of an evil wizard who lives atop the stairwell. Below is a large intersection in the stairwell, where many directions are apparent. A small inscription in the wall reads, 'Journey upward and seek me'.
Ice magically clings to the stone walls. Suspended in time, this ice looks as though it may have been stuck there for quite some time. Water beads constantly drip from the ice, forming a larger than usual pool of water making the stairwell slippery. An ice covered book lies frozen in time, with the words 'eci morts' etched into the cover. A scroll also on the ground lies adjacent to the book, and appears to be old and tattered.
Acid drips from the ceiling forming into tiny puddles splashed about the stairs. It appears as though some wizard were practicing in here. The gray walls can barely be made out through the sludge. Careful footing is a must as acid would not be healthy. Upwards takes you closer to the top of the tower, whereas south leads backwards down to the base of the stairwell.
The laughter from here is extremely loud. In fact it sounds more like a deep throated cackle. The walls here are smooth like marble, and deep gray in color. Above appears to be the observatory, a great view would surely be obtained from there. Down leads towards the base of the stairwell.
A vast observatory with a domed ceiling of clear crystal panels towers over. Facing you from behind a large marble table is an old man in robes with golden sashes. A giant spyglass on a tripod points upwards at a cloudless sky. A low, glass-fronted bookcase sits against the opposite wall, and a crystal ball, star charts, maps and gauges lie on the table. On the floor are several silk cushions and a fine rug, an incense burner and a bowl of fruit.
Broken vials, bottles, jars, and tubing are scattered all over a large work table and spill off onto the floor. Metallic wires and clips hang from holes in the ceiling. A badly warped iron stand holds a book whose pages have been burned to a crisp. Bits and pieces of text can still be read, but the mystic symbols and runes are indecipherable. This would appear to be Clematis' secret storage.
This section of the corridor is where it intersects with bottleneck passage to the north and a closet to the east. This room is rather plain actually, stone walls, towering ceiling, the usual prison architecture.
Broken beakers, vials, bottles, torn scrolls, cloaks and other magical garments and equipment line this closet. A shadowy cloak takes your eye for a split second, then a green vial commands your attention. Two rotting wooden doors swing freely from this closet, with four stubby legs, keeping the closet perched up off the ground. The only exit is to the west, leading out to the corridor.
The corridor, built entirely of wood takes a turn towards the south. Unlike the rest of the prison, this wooden section is burnt in some places and minute pieces of coal lie lazily about. Still smoldering they give off small wisps of smoke. Where could these coals possibly be coming from within a prison?
The smoke is getting thicker within this room, and a wooden ladder upright against the north wall pointing downwards looks more than usable. The rungs are few and far apart but look sturdy enough to hold the weight of a humanoid. The smoke itself actually smells quite bad. Screams can be heard echoing from down below.
This underpass is dominated by a ladder that runs all the way from the top through to the next room down below. The smoke is flowing freely and starts to become a darker black color. The screams are more vivid and are more than likely human.
Choking on thick black smoke billowing in from beneath you gaze around the room in search for exits. The smoke has blocked any view of the room itself, let alone an exit.
The air is extremely warm and the conditions would make anyone sweat. The smoke is now at an intense level, killing just above anything that moves. Four corpses lie on the ground, not that they are visible, but rather foot movements along the ground tell you so. Through the smoke a bright fiery red flame leaps up from the north. As quick as it rose, it is gone. The screams appear to be coming in from the north and the unknown is expected.
The sight! Smoke rises above allowing a sight of what has been creating the smell, smoke and fire. A giant furnace burns brightly in the northern wall. Built of solid iron, with logs stacked neatly up against it, this furnace is chewing in human corpses! A large bin full of dead people, including women, men and children sits adjacent to the furnace. Even though the smoke rises up and over, the smell is rampant and makes you feel queasy. The only exit being south, outwards to the smoke filled rooms.
Fresh air wisps up off the ground and streams into your nose. The smell of fresh air, and not dead corpses is a pleasant surprise. Just outside the prison, it appears a beaten up track stretches towards the west. The prison seems lighter in color from the outside. The prisons main tower can be barely made out, towards the centre.
Well and truly outside the prison, a good view of the tower can be seen. The tower shoots up towards the sky, and branches out every couple of stories. The peak of the tower glows with an evil red aura, and muffled words can even be heard this far away. The path continues on further towards the west.
Yellow grass surrounds this hardly used track. It looks as though this grass has died. The track appears unused, and has small, various shaped stones lying upon it. The smell of fresh air is quickly turned sour, you could swear the air tastes like acid. The track takes a turn for the worse towards the south and north leads back to the prison.
Acid drips from above. It looks as though it is coming from the tower above, and drifts this way in the wind. The acid has totally killed off the grass in this area. It has not done much for the wild life either, no fauna nor flora appears to be around for some distance, making this a barren trail. The trail leads off to the west, and heads towards the prison to the north.
This desolate trail is very barren. No sticks, nor stones line this path just bare earth. Acid drips in from the east, killing just about anything in its way. The north appears to be a lot healthier, green grassy hills roll towards you, and trees that shoot towards the sun are in abundance. The east leads back towards the prison, over the acid puddles.
Tree tops stretch far up into the forest canopy. It is amazing at how fast the terrain has changed. Immediately to the south is a beaten up trail, whereas this forest is ever so beautiful. Green leaves, animals moving to and fro. It would appear that the prison has a great effect on its surroundings. A fair distance from the prison and the world seems a better place. The forest continues further to the north.
Deeper into the forest, the sunlight becomes weaker due to the tall trees. The ground is livid with beetles, animals, and other creatures of the forest. Magical sounds echo through this part of the forest, and it seems that the forest has detached itself from the prison entirely. The smell of the forest is very refreshing, compared to that of within the prison. This would appear to be a safe place to rest, with the wilderness and mother nature on your side.
The path intersects here. It branches off to the east, west and continues further to the north. The weak sunlight drifts lazily through the tree tops spreading little rays of sunshine upon the leafy intersection. The forest is alive with many creatures circling your feet. You manage to overhear a squirrel whispering to one of his friends, 'Did you hear about old man Clematis, He's insane, raving mad I tell you'. A large tiger shakes his head in disgust and roams off in search of prey.
The terrain has become rather hilly. What was once a forest to the south has become a row of hilly mountains. These mountains do not stretch very far and a bare grassy patch lay ahead to the north, atop a mountain peak. The grass upon the mountain is rich in green color, almost as though unaffected by the prison.
This section of the forest appears not to be used very regularly. The actual trail itself is covered with leaves, and looks as though it leads nowhere. Forest animals within the trees sing their happy songs about the good ole' days. The only exit is to the east, back towards the forest intersection.
A large pile of sticks and stones has been neatly arranged in this part of the forest. They have been stacked in such a way that it appears to form some sort of shelter for the forest animals. A corpse of a rabbit, with his eyes removed lies on the ground next to a small note. The words on top of the note read, 'Ingredients Check List'. It would appear as though some mage has left his list of things behind in a rush.
The grass up here is rich in color. The smell of fresh air wafts under your nose. The sight from on top of this hill is breath taking. A view of the prison is most prominent from here. The south overlooks a majestic forest, while the north is barely visible. The west appears to lead nowhere, while the east seems to stretch on forever! This place seems peaceful, and a small fireplace with carved rocks in the centre of this grassy section.
This dark and gloomy cave is perched within this mountain range. This cave would make the ideal house for a creature of the dark, or any creature for that matter. Secluded away from the hustle and bustle of the prison below this gloomy cave is rarely visited. A corpse with clothes still intact lies in the middle of the cave. It would appear that this human has met his fate with something that attacked him from within the cave! The only exit is to the south, back towards the light.
The grass of the knolls gives out here onto a bare, dry plain that stretches east as far as the eye can see. Prints of bare feet and boots lead off into it, more than a few, all going the same way.
The path through the top of this mountain has come to an abrupt halt. Corpses of all kind lay strewn about this pathway, almost like a burial ground. No headstones apparent just many bodies of humans, animals, and basically anything that walks. The smell is quite revolting. The only exit being to the east.
Someone has piled flat stones into a waist-high cairn here, the only mark on the empty plain. A rag tied to the top flaps in the wind. It marks the way for those who come after.
The bones of a horse lie half buried in the dust, picked clean long ago. Around them the ground is scuffed where people have sat to rest in their shade, such as it is.
The trail drops into a dry riverbed of cracked mud and follows it north. The banks are high enough here to hide a walker from anyone watching from the prison tower.
The riverbed splits around a low island of rock. Fresh footprints go both ways, but a broken arrow stuck in the ground points east, toward a dark smudge on the horizon.
Heat rises off the plain in waves, and the tower behind looks like it is underwater. The ground is littered with the things people could not carry any farther: a pot, a boot, a set of manacles.
A tall rock rises from the plain, and its top has been worn into a seat by whoever keeps watch from it. From up there, anyone coming from the prison could be seen an hour before they arrived.
In a hollow below the level of the plain, hidden from every side, the escapees have made their lair. Lean-tos of stolen canvas surround a fire pit, and stolen guard uniforms hang drying on a line. A rough table holds maps of the prison, marked with routes in charcoal.
A luxurious bed, freestanding closet, small desk, and chair make up the furnishings of this room. A small replica of the statue in the chapel is surrounded by black candles. Hand painted scenes of a wizard killing prisoners provide macabre decor. The only exit being to the west towards the chapel.
Although this room is covered in dust, you can tell that it was once the master bedroom. Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the prison's activities. A wardrobe of dark mahogany stands beside a large bed draped with a faded but fine quality silk cover. A small table with a chair beside it stands beneath a barred window overlooking the earthen walls. Lying beside the table, on the floor towards the centre of the room is a small book covered in dust. The only exit is up, back into the main stream of the prison system.