ST Outside

## Setting!

There is a rather picturesque looking alpine mountain range perhaps 10-15 km away to the north of the mansion, with most of the peaks being capped with ice white snow that can, for the most part, only truly be admired in their full beauty when the sky is clear and the sun is beaming over the hills, with a high zoom camera or very good eyesight.The sweeping slopes at the base of the mountains are mostly patched with forests of evergreens and fields of jagged rocks, as evidence of the many thousands of years of weathering and corrosion which has taken place.

Between the mountains however there is a low valley plateau, which is not easy to spot from the mansion with the naked eye plainly because of how it is mostly hidden from view. To see what it is demands you get up close and personal, and doing so will also most likely end with you suffocating, burning your feet and regretting you ever made the trek on foot. As well as there being virtually no life, there is also no snow in this area just because of the immense heat the dark yet glossy smooth granite radiates. For those who learn of this, it is worth questioning the abnormally warm air and excruciatingly hot floor temperatures in the area. It is suspected that this is because of volcanic activity because of the rock types present and the distinct smell of sulfur, but a more in-depth investigation is yet to be performed.

On the plus side, this unique land form serves as a melting point for a glacier that endlessly grinds its way between the mountains and down the slopes. This melting point also serves as the 'source' of the river, as the water that trickles from this eventually flows past the mansion as well as the artificial lake in the form of a river. Along this river there are many different sights to see. As it passes through the hilly areas at the base of the mountain, the water sharply falls into a gorge filled with extreme rapids so dangerous that even the greatest at white water rafting would most certainly end up in trouble, primarily because the walls of the gorge are almost vertical and are laced with little slippery cut-ins and caves. Legend has it that a fierce dragon used to reside in this area, and it is believed that they lived in that very gorge. This gorge eventually opens out into a pleasant green valley, until it reaches mostly flat land and breaks into a smooth meandering pattern, which has given birth to more than just one little oxbow lake. A few miles further down the river it bypasses the Crystal Lake, the one closest to the mansion.

As well as the river passing to the west of the mansion, there is also an expansive and mostly dead area of land where a wildfire broke out some time ago. Though the grass has since regrown, the crisped trees that were claimed by the inferno were not capable of regrowing. As a result of this, just about all of the trees have collapsed and turned to charcoal. This small wasteland continues up until it hits the river, but extends many acres alongside it until it fades into the unaffected areas of the large, dense forest that practically encircles the entire mansion and its grounds upon rolling hills. The only things that break up the forest and divide it into large, unorganized sections are the few road links that connect the mansion with the outside world, as well as the river.

The Crystal Lake is an artificial lake that was created as part of mansion's construction to act as a pure water source that the inhabitants of the mansion could safely drink from, and as a result of the ambitious project's success, the lake is absolutely safe to drink as well as swim in, since any disgusting stuff is treated and filtered out automatically as it is pumped to and from the mansion, which is why it has its name. As well as this, water is also pumped into the lake from the river and out of the lake into the river to keep water cycling. In the event that the river loses its flow and perhaps even cuts off, the pumps can be completely closed and the lake can remain.

## Orchard

The entrance to the Orchard is a pathway that has Grapevines that are so tightly wrapped around a wooden frame. The leaves of the grapevine glow faintly at night while the grape clusters glow a bright color, depending on the season. The path has large, black stones planted into it. the stones are worn down from the years of walking into the orchard, So worn down that you can see the inner parts of the stones. the inner part of the stones are filled with purple, blue and pink crystals, giving hints to the galaxy stones. the stones also have glowing white dots at night. The grass of the path is only growing around the base roots of the grapevines.

The orchard creates a circle of trees. The circle has layers of trees and other plant life. the first layer is the outer layer, there are three tree's in this layer. the trees are Bitter Lime, Orange Lemon, and Sour Pear. This layer is called the Bitter and Sour layer. Separating this layer from the next is a stone path made from white stones. The second layer is a mix of three plants. The plants are Royalty Raspberry, Salmonberry, and Black Rose Bushes. This layer is called Black Brush. There are random tables set up that have baskets and little buckets on them. The baskets are for picking fruits from the trees, the berries and sometimes the roses. The buckets are for taking what was picked home. The path separating this layer and layer three is a path made from pink stones.

Layer Three has two tree types in it. Greater Plum and Greater Fig. This is the greater layer. The grass of this layer is thick and plush, making it a perfect layer for people and creatures to hide in. There are a few area's of low grass for the tables to rest, making it easier for people to locate them in the grass jungle. Separating this layer from the next is a stone path that's made from gold infused black stones. Layer Four is made up of three plants. The plants are Black Lace Elderberry, Beauty Elderberry and Golden Rose's. This layer is called Black and Gold. Each Elderberry bush has a wire fence wrapped around the base. The holes in the wire is large enough for the branches to poke out. the fence is coated in gold and has baskets resting around the base. The rose's on the other hand run along the two paths that separate this layer from the rest. Separating this layer from the next is a stone path made from blue stones.

Layer Five is a river. On the bank of this rive are two plants. The plants are called Moon Moss and Moon Daisy. These plants look fully normal in the daytime, but at night, they glow like the moon. The moss even grows at the bottom of the river. From time to time, there are bridges branching over the river. the bridges are made from a wood that has glowing vein-like lines in them at night. Coiled around the edges of the bridges are dried up rose vines. On the other side of the river is a path made from red stones. Layer Six is made up of two trees. the trees are Blood Peach and Blood Orange. This layer is called The Blood Trees. The trees make a Zig Zag motion. The grass of this layer is red with black, vein-like lines running in them. The grass is called Demon grass. Separating this layer from the next is a path of Red and Black stones.

Layer Seven is a layer made of flowers. The flowers are Shasta Daisy, Gipsy Boy Rose, and Grace Carnation. This layer earned the name of Gipsy Grace. The plant life blankets the space between Layer six and Layer eight. Only thin paths can be seen running between the plant life. on the north and south points are gazebos that have tables on them. The tables hold an endless feast. The north gazebo is guarded by a Fairy dragon. This fairy dragon is pink in color and has wings that are larger then it's self. Around its head is a crown made from Grace Carnation flowers. Its eyes are a deep purple and purple stripes wrap around its tail. The feet of this dragon are cat paw-like, dewclaws on the front paws. Its horns make an S type curve upwards. Shimmery vines wrap around its horns. The ears are large and floppy, curving along the base of the horns. At the south gazebo is an Earth Dragon. This dragon is green in color and covered in fur. The fur is thicker around the tail and thin near the belly. The belly of this dragon is tan in color and its belly is covered in scales. Its horns are antler-like and a deep brown. Around its head is a flower crown made from Shasta Daisy's. around its neck is a wreath of Gipsy Boy Rose's. This dragon has no wings and is purely a land-bound dragon.

Layer Eight is separated from Layer Seven by a stone path that's made from green stones. Layer eight is called the Ghost layer due to it only having Ghost Apple Trees. Each tree has fairy lights coiled around the trunks and fairy lanterns hanging from its branches. The lights turn on each time the sun goes down. The lanterns have little ghost decorating them. At the west point of this layer is a skeleton of a wyvern. This skeleton still has old flesh covering it. This flesh is covered in deep purple scales. The wyvern is coiled between the trees, with its tail coiled tightly around one of them. This skeleton will rise on every other New Moon. Separating this layer from the next is a path made of stones. the stones are black with purple flecks.

Layer nine is the last layer before the center. This layer is called Black Moon due to the types of flowers that cover this layer. the flowers are Trumpet Daffodil, Black Parrot Tulip, and Moon Light Carnation. It looks like someone just scattered the seeds of the plants at random, causing them to grow in random spots. The flowers are so unkempt that you can't even see the grass under them anymore. Separating this layer from the center is a wooden fence that is covered in white paint. Dancing around in this layer is all types of Faun and Satyr. They take care of this layer and have even learned how to keep rogue creatures and humans out. There is a gate at the north and south points. Behind the fence is a Cabin with a large garden.