The maps for the areas are included in the description section.
Story
Back Story –
The town of Renjez was once a wondrous beauty. It was considered by many to be the wealthiest city in all of Nightmist. At its center was a castle called Luca. Inside its pearly walls sat the rich nobles who ruled the town. Their council’s rule was fair and just for many years.
However, one by one, the men and women of the council began to die off. Every one of them until only one was left. His name was Tristan.
With no council members to oppose him, Tristan quickly established a dictatorship. For decades, the town suffered under his cruelty. He starved the population and channeled the town’s wealth to his own personal pleasure. Over time, Tristan’s soul only became more and more corrupt. Old age had no effect on him – in fact, it almost seemed as if his physical beauty increased over time. Anyone who questioned his authority did not live long enough to accomplish anything. To ensure his rule continued forever, he sealed the town off from the outside world.
Within years, Renjez was forgotten. Fact became legend. Rumors spread of a hidden city of incredible wealth. Most considered it a myth to tease young thieves.
Present –
A young man recently came running onto the streets of Resthaven panting heavily. He looked malnourished and rambled something about escaping from a tunnel out of the town of Renjez. He collapsed to the ground and said “Mt. Fenowasty” with his final breath.
Situation –
Some ignored the young man as a lunatic. However, rumors quickly spread. Adventurers from all over Nightmist are flocking to find the hidden wealth of Renjez.
Level Descriptions
Dirt Tunnel–
• Basic: You are in a cramped tunnel.
• Detailed: The dirt tunnel you’re in is just big enough to fit one person at a time. Its sturdiness looks highly questionable.
• Exits: You can crawl north or south.
o North Up – There’s some light coming from above you. You can go up.
o South Up – It appears as though you can crawl up here.
Heaven’s Gate Tavern –
• Basic – You’re standing in the Heaven’s Gate Tavern.
• Detailed – The tavern is overcrowded with people. They all seem to be trying to push their way to the counter to get something. The room has a general odor of unwashed people. Will, the bartender, is at the counter.
• Exits – You can exit the Heaven’s Gate Tavern to the south.
• NPC’s – Will
o “We just snuck in a shipment of food. We’re trying to ration it out equally.”
o “Tristan only provided us with enough food to keep us barely alive.”
o “Haven’t heard from him much, though, since his castle got turned upside down… You can go talk to old man Alexi about that. He lives on the other side of town.”
Shane’s Smith –
• Basic – You’re inside Shane’s Smith.
• Detailed – Various weapons and armor are lining the walls. They look like they’ve been crafted with a moderate amount of skill. Shane stands at a counter on the far end of the store.
• Exits – The exit from the smith lies to the north.
• NPC’s – Shane
o “Now that we have a way out of the city, maybe business will get a little better.”
o “Tristan had me make all sorts of weapons for him. He must have an army in that castle of his.”
o “It’s a little nerve wracking. I’ve gotta’ wonder why he’s just sittin’ in his castle after it got flipped and all. I’d think he’d be out here causing a ruckus about it.”
Mystic Light Magic Shop
• Basic – You’re standing at the door of the Mystic Light Magic Shop.
• Detailed – The shop is devoid of customers. The only shelf is the one on your left filled with glowing crystals. A cloaked woman is standing behind the counter on your right.
• Exits – You can exit the magic store by going south.
• NPC’s – Mara
o “Now that Tristan isn’t bothering me, anymore, I can finally start a real business.”
o “He’d always demand I handed anything I had over to him.”
o “He had some definite power about him. The greatest of mages I’ve met don’t have that much power. It seemed unnatural, though… Like it wasn’t really his.”
First Renjez Bank –
• Basic – You’re standing at the center of a small bank.
• Detailed – The bank is incredibly run-down. It doesn't look like anyone's left any money here for a while. There’s a single teller sitting at a desk in the corner of the room.
• Exits – There’s a small door leading out to the west.
Alexi’s House –
• Basic – You just entered the door to Alexi’s house.
• Detailed – Alexi’s house is actually a single room. There’s a wooden table in the center surrounded by four stools. Alexi is sitting on the stool farthest from you. He beckons for you to sit down.
• Exits – You can exit the house through a small door south.
• NPC’s – Alexi
o “Come here, young one… I believe you seek knowledge on Tristan, yes?”
o “He’s ruled tyrannically over us and our ancestors for generations. We haven’t had a moment’s relief until now.”
o “Nobody knows exactly what happened. In the middle of the night, we began to feel a large quaking. I assumed it was simply Tristan playing games with us.”
o “However, when we awoke the next morning, the castle appeared to be gone. In its place was simply nothing – wasteland.”
o “Some of the townspeople decided to dig to see what they could find. After a few days, they found the castle door.”
o “They entered and were never seen again. Most likely, they were torn apart by Tristan’s monsters.”
o “In any case, Tristan hasn’t bothered us since then. It’s been a few weeks, now.”
o “However, I’m not inclined to believe that Tristan has simply given up. By my reckoning, he’s brewing some sort of plan. That’s where you come in.”
o “If you could, find out what he’s up to in there. I have nothing to give you. However, the castle itself is where Tristan holds the city’s previous wealth. I’m sure it’s still in there.”
o “Good luck, adventurer.”
Renjez Library –
• Basic – You’re standing in an aisle of the Renjez Library.
• Detailed – Most of the library is burned away, the shelves have been reduced to ashes. There’s a pile of ash in the corner with some papers that look like they survived the fire. Type /read to read them.
• Exits – You can leave the library north.
/read –
It appears to be page of a journal. The bottom half is burned off, it reads, “The town of Renjez was once a wondrous beauty. It was considered by many to be the wealthiest city in all of Nightmist. At its center was a castle called Luca. Inside its pearly walls sat the rich nobles who ruled the town. Their council’s rule was fair and just for many years.
However, one by one, the men and women of the council began to die off. Every one of them until only one was left. His name was Tristan.
With no council members to oppose him, Tristan quickly established a dictatorship. For decades, the town suffered under his cruelty. He starved the population and channeled the town’s wealth to his own personal pleasure. Over time, Tristan’s soul only became more and more corrupt. Old age had no effect on him – in fact, it almost seemed as if his physical beauty increased over time. Anyone who questioned his authority did not live long enough to accomplish anything. To ensure his rule continued forever, he sealed the town of-.” The rest of the page has been burned away.
Streets of Renjez –
• Basic – You’re walking on the streets of Renjez.
• Detailed – The streets are made of stone, but are broken up in several spots. Dirt covers most of the road. The surrounding buildings are all either leveled or boarded over.
• Exits – You can continue down the street north, south, east, and west.
Deserted Wasteland –
• Basic – You’re in a deserted wasteland.
• Detailed – There’s a large slab of wasteland in the shape of a square place right in the middle of a forest. The wasteland goes right up to a thick line of trees. It looks like something big used to sit here.
• Exits –
o Edges – You can go north/sout/east/west.
o Center – You can go in any direction.
o Over Dark Tunnel – There’s a freshly dug hole leading down.
Dark Tunnel –
• Basic – You’re in a man-sized dark tunnel.
• Detailed – You can’t see anything. The walls are close enough together that they can be used to guide one down the tunnnel.
• Exits – You can continue north or south.
o Beneath Deserted Wasteland – There is a beam of light above beckoning you to go up. You can continue into the tunnel north.
Castle Doors –
• Basic – You’re standing in front of a large set of doors.
• Detailed – The large wooden doors in front of you are wide open. The arch of the door starts wide at the top and slopes down to a point in front of you – looking as if its been turned upside down.
• Exits – You can enter the castle north or return to the dark cave south.
Underground Castle, First Level –
(Castle Halls)
• Basic - You’re walking in the halls of an underground castle.
• Detailed – There are various pieces of furniture and decorations smashed on the ground. The floor you’re walking on is paved concrete. The ceiling above is marble with a red carpet hanging from it.
• Exits – You can keep going north/south/east/west.
(Castle Tower)
• Basic – You’re inside one of the castle’s four corner towers.
• Detailed – The castle hall comes to an end and curves around in a circle. There are torches hanging from above, still lit. They reveal scattered corpses all over the ground.
• Exits – The tower curves around north/east/west/south.
(Castle Stairway)
• Basics – You’re standing in front of a large, spiraling staircase.
• Detailed – The stone, spiral staircase starts at the ceiling and goes down into the darkness indefinitely. As you make noise moving, you hear a loud echo.
• Exits – You can go down the staircase.
Underground Castle, Second Level –
(Castle Halls)
• Basic - You’re walking in the halls of an underground castle.
• Detailed – There are various pieces of furniture and decorations smashed on the ground. The floor you’re walking on is paved concrete. The ceiling above is marble with a red carpet hanging from it.
• Exits – You can keep going north/south/east/west.
(Castle Tower)
• Basic – You’re inside one of the castle’s four corner towers.
• Detailed – The castle hall comes to an end and curves around in a circle. There are torches hanging from above, still lit. They reveal scattered corpses all over the ground.
• Exits – The tower curves around north/east/west/south.
(Castle Stairway)
• Basic – You’re standing in front of a large, spiraling staircase.
• Detailed – The stone, spiral staircase goes both up and down, either way, spanning into a darkness that your eyes can’t penetrate.
• Exits – You can go up or down the staircase.
(Armory)
• Basic – You’re inside the castle’s armory.
• Detailed – The walls are covered with shelves and hooks. It looks as if this room is capable of storing a large number of weapons and armor. Unfortunately, it’s devoid of both.
• Exits – You can leave the armory by jumping over the “top” of the doorway south.
(Kitchen)
• Basic – You’re standing in the castle’s kitchen.
• Detailed – The counters and ovens above make it obvious that this was a kitchen. There are some cooking utensils scattered about the floor.
• Exits – You can climb through the doorway south.
(Treasury)
• Basic – You’re standing in the castle’s treasury.
• Detailed – Empty safes are lying all over the ground. However, it looks like they’ve been long since emptied. There’s no treasure to be found here.
• Exits – You can leap out of the upside-down doorway east.
(Barracks)
• Basic – You’re standing in the castle’s barracks.
• Detailed – There are dozens of small beds smashed about the floor, making it impossible to safely maneuver the room. If there was anything in this room besides broken beds, you’d be hard-pressed to find it.
• Exits – You can leave the barracks by jumping through the doorway east.
Underground Castle, Tower -
• Basic – You’re inside one of the castle’s four corner towers.
• Detailed – You can follow the castle tower hall around in a full circle. Dirt has poured across the floor where you suppose windows used to be.
• Exits – The tower curves around north/east/west/south.
(Castle Stairway)
• Basic – You’re standing in front of a large, spiraling staircase.
• Detailed – The stone, spiral staircase goes both up and down, either way, spanning into a darkness that your eyes can’t penetrate.
• Exits – You can go up or down the staircase.
Underground Castle, Tower [2] -
• Basic – You’re inside one of the castle’s four corner towers.
• Detailed – You can follow the castle tower hall around in a full circle. Dirt has poured across the floor where you suppose windows used to be.
• Exits – The tower curves around north/east/west/south.
(Castle Stairway)
• Basic – You’re standing at the “top” of the castle tower.
• Detailed – A stone, spiral staircase starts on the ceiling above you, ascending into the darkness – though it’s within your jumping distance to get to it. On the ground in front of you is a large hole.
• Exits – You can jump up to the staircase or go down into the hole.
Underground Castle, Outside -
(Underneath Staircase)
• Basic – You’re standing underneath the “top” of one of the castles towers.
• Detailed – The castle tower is jutting out of the dirt ceiling above you. Dirt and bricks are strewn about everywhere, impeding your progress in several places.
• Exits – You can jump up into the tower.
(Underneath Tower Area)
• Basic – You’re standing underneath the “top” of one of the castles towers.
• Detailed – The castle tower is jutting out of the dirt ceiling above you. Dirt and bricks are strewn about everywhere, impeding your progress in several places.
• Exits – You can go east/south/north/west.
(Underneath Castle)
• Basic – You’re standing underneath the large, upside-down castle.
• Detailed – By focusing your eyes, you can see the brick of the castle above you. Various parts of it have broken off and fallen to the ground below. The maze they formed seems somehow deliberate.
• Exits – You can go north/south/east/west.
(Sacrificial Site)
• Basic – You’ve just entered what appears to be a place of sacrifice.
• Detailed – Upon further surveying the area, you notice the altar is wet with fresh blood. Skeletons surround it as if they’d simply been pushed to the side after their use. There is a definite rotten stench.
• Exits – You can leave the site to the east and west, you can enter a strange portal by going up.
o NPC’s – Bosses, Corrupted Council Members
Zach “We will not let you get to our master!”
Marissa “Our plans will not be thwarted!”
Jahk “The Devil is our aide!”
Ansen “You’ll pay for questioning us!”
Elsie “Your fate is to be sacrificed!”
Secret Passageway –
• Basic – You’re in some kind of passageway.
• Detailed – As you stop to observe your surroundings, you’re not even sure if you’re in the castle, anymore. You realize it’s too late to turn back.
• Exits – You travel through the passageway up or down, though the exit behind you is sealed.
o [At The Top] – There is another portal you can enter by going up. The passageway goes down.
Throne Room –
• Basic – You’re standing in the magnificent throne room of the castle.
• Detailed – Everything in this room has strangely managed to say right-side up. The throne sits on the far side of the room, glowing with a red aura. Gold, diamonds, and all sorts of riches line the walls of the room.
• Exits – You can escape the throne room in any direction.
• NPC’s – Tristan
o “You fools thought you could dare challenge me!?”
o “I sold my soul to the Devil centuries ago, my power has only increased!”
o “I flipped this castle of my own accord, my plans won't be interrupted!”
o “With my army, I will rule this pathetic world!”
NPC Descriptions
Will –
Will is a rather large fellow. He’s wearing a dirty brown apron. His dark, dirty hair is going in every which direction.
Shane –
Shane is a surprisingly lanky young man, considering he’s a black smith. His face and hair are covered in ash. He’s shirtless, wearing a pair of black trousers.
Mara –
Mara’s dark purple cloak covers any distinguishable features about her. She looks to be around the age of twenty.
Alexi –
Alexi is a beaten old man. The hood on his brown cloak has been pulled back, revealing his wrinkled face and patchy hair. His eyes hint that he knows more than he's letting on.
Zach –
One of the council members, now corrupted because of Tristan. He looks like he used to be a fairly handsome man. His blonde hair is slicked back into a pony tail. His eyes are glowing blue.
Marissa –
One of the council members, now corrupted because of Tristan. She looks fairly old. Her gray hair sticks straight up. She’s wearing a black overcoat. Her eyes are glowing purple.
Ansen –
One of the council members, now corrupted because of Tristan. He looks like the oldest of the council. Judging from his white robes, you assume he was especially important. His eyes are glowing red.
Elsie –
One of the council members, now corrupted because of Tristan. She’s wearing a long black dress that contrasts her blonde hair. While she may have been beautiful at one time, her corruption has paled and dried her skin. Her eyes are glowing green.
Tristan –
Tristan seems to be twice the size any normal person should be. Upon first seeing you, he is first shocked, then enraged. His eyes are entirely black. He whips his black cape behind him, revealing a complete suit of armor. Unsheathing his sword, a strange dark mist begins to flow around him. He glares at you intensely.
Edited by Dolin Nightbringer, 18 March 2004 - 03:42 PM.
![Underground Castle, Tower [2]](http://vanillaicet.homestead.com/files/NM/undergroundtower2.gif){kind=link}
