Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #306

Settlements and Sites of the Four City-States #306 

November 3rd, 2023 

• Number: 306 

• Name: Deep Dive on a Site of Interest:  The Gateway Complex – Part 5 

• Location: Western Gold Mountains northwest of the City-State of Carasta 

• Population (approx.): Varies (The Containment Cells) 

• Brief:  As the Complex slowly developed its process for handling arrivals, it was also forced to determine how to keep and care for the visitors who could not survive on Aenwyld or, worse yet, were determined, by vision or detection, to be a threat to Aenwyld. So unfortunately, below Reception on the main level, the Arcanist Guild had to essentially build a prison. Originally additional caves connected by tunnels, it evolved to include minimal creature comforts, special construction for unusual visitors and various wards, defensive constructions and other protective measures. Now known now as the Gateway Holding Center, it is staffed by guards, provided by the Mercenaries Guild, willing to handle unusual and potentially dangerous humanoids and creatures for as long as necessary until the Arcanists could either return them to when they came (infrequently), find them a home on Aenwyld (rarely) or unfortunately they passed away due to age, illness or misfortune. The guards are supported by a quick reaction force of magicians. 

• Isk, 47, Changeling is the prison warden for the Gateway Holding Center. His current form is a hulking Human with a muscular body and a tiny waist. His hair is jet-black and worn afro styled. Isk is ebony-complected and has gray eyes. He wears leather pants and a chain mail hauberk. His weapon of choice is a battleaxe, which he wears strapped to his back. Isk is usually a friendly guy but can become intimidating when things get nasty.  

• Isk's job is to keep long-term visitors from other planes safely in their cells in the Holding Center. The prison takes up a large area on the lower levels and has various holding cells to support the visitor's needs. Isk ensures that his guards treat everyone fairly and that no one can escape until it's decided what to do with them. One unique challenge was for a visitor only visible on nights with a quarter moon. 

• Isk lives in the Bleating Goat Boarding House, a short distance from the prison. His partner is Moosk,40, Changeling, whose current form is that of an average Human male. Moosk is the prison chef and enjoys the challenge of feeding people from different planes. They adopted twin Human boys, Telford, 15, and Pascal, 15. One day, the whole family wants to own a home, but they never seem able to afford it. 

• Geography: The Gateway Holding Center sits underneath the Gateway on levels Down 1 and 2. For safety, it can only be accessed via a single large elevator (location 5 see below) in the Gateway chamber which is guarded 24 hours a day. The elevator stops at a large central hub where the guards and supporting magicians are headquartered. Tunnels to the various long-term living quarters, behind reinforced doors, branch out in all directions but westward (keeping the Holding Center separate from residences of the Complex). Isk’s office is near the elevator in the hub. Isk and Moosk’s current home, the Bleating Goat Boarding House (location 6 see below) is on Down 2 on the outside of the mountain. The name refers to the first landlord of the apartment building, a visitor whose laugh resembled the cries of the local mountain goats common to the slopes of Nuan Malie.