The Scarlet Keep

The Centrepoint of Everything

High above the land, floating amoungst the clouds. As if to spite of gravity itself is The Scarlet Keep. Burnished red walls and visible from many wide reaching vistas. It's a sight many will see in their lives, but none will forget. The Crossroads to Everwhere lie here, the permanent portals joining together Etera in a way few other things can, helping piece together the scattered continent after the fall of the Empire.

At the heart of it all is it's Mistress. Directing it's flight, cultivating it's gardens and staff.. watching for something specific from the people who travel through her domain...

## Entrance Access

Being a floating castle it's impossible to reach from ground level without some assistance from airborne creatures or supernatural means.

Those attempting to teleport into the area however would find that they are unable to do so again once on the island. They may enter.. but their destination always shifts to make them arrive at the Crossroads to Everywhere and unable to teleport away, needing to leave on their own feet.

Those who do not enter by such means will instead likely take the most likely way to The Scarlet Keep. Near the gate of every city, in every major trading hub or village. There is a swirling portal beneath a red stone archway dubbed "Red Gates" for obvious reasons. An inscription on the keystone of the archway reads in Draconic "Through here, we find each other. Let us walk together". These portals go to the Crossroads to Everywhere and from there.. the entire continent.

## The Mistress

Evi De Sangri is the name of the owner, creator and master of this structure. She occasionally is seen in the more public areas, but something about her is ... off. This uncanny aura tends to prevent people from approaching her.. most of them..

## Crossroads To Everywhere

This is the first place visitors to the Keep see when they arrive. A massive circular courtyard, countless permanent portals going to every city, every major trading hub and place of interest. Cutting days of travel to mere hours of perfectly safe travel.

From here the red walls and fine design of the keep and it's gardens are clearly visibly. The mystical plants of the Lonely Garden and the Grand Amphitheater where the best of the performers who arrive each day are allowed the honor of entertaining one of the widest and largest gathering of people and influential people in Etera.

The Crossroads is a marketplace, a gathering hall and a debate assembly simply by the sheer variety of people passing through. Stalls are set up to cater for the people passing through and the cities the portals connect through.

The Staff of The Scarlet Keep are polite and friendly, they refuse to speak much about what goes on in the true Keep but it's whispered that the best performers, skilled merchants and adept scholars are invited to meet the Mistress of the Keep. How much of this is true is unclear to everyone.

It's likely if you wait long enough... anyone will pass through the portals to this centrepoint on their way to somewhere else.

## The Lonely Garden

From the Crossroads it's likely The Lonely Garden draws one's eye. Especially at night with luminous plants and glowing insects tracing patterns in the night. It's quite entrancing, and large sections of it are open to visitors so long as they refrain from damaging specimens. Certain sections however are locked away from visitors. Too dangerous is the only excuse given. Those who press on or slip through the walls and fences to the heart of the Garden will find a small figure, a young girl. Obviously dead but seemingly frozen in time, her corpse on a stand like a statue. Around her plants grow fast enough that it can be visibly seen with various animated tools constantly trimming the plants to prevent their going out of control. Those who press closer still would see a gold plate at the feet of the corpse's stand. "Here lies the Countess of Green Graves, she promised death to all and in death does she provide life."

Almost no physical or magical force is able to disturb the monument. Anything that does is reset after six seconds. Perhaps it's for the best to leave things as they lie. You've already been noticed if you've come this far after all.

## The Scarlet Keep

The Keep stands above and beyond everything else the ground offer. Nobody is allowed in without invitation but occasionally flares of light can be seen from the window. Rituals and experiments likely ongoing for some end.. there are guards on this island but they police the common folk, for the exceptional.. maybe you could go a bit deeper...? (WIP)
Category:Places
Category:Geography