[Third Floor]

[allthekeys]

1. Main Hallway:
The Main Hallway barely has stone visible save for between the rafters of the ceiling; the floors are covered in plush carpet, while the walls are mostly covered in ornate tapestries. Torches are spaced out in rare patches of bare stone, and small tables hold intricately painted vases of flowers that never seem to wither or fade. Periodic empty suits of armor stand, spaced irregularly.

2. Hydrangea Bedroom:

The first thing that will become apparent is the moisture present in the air of the room. Though not unpleasant, it is clearly there. The smell of wet, fragrant earth and bruised foliage is a constant presence.

There are basins and fountains scattered almost impractically around the room, and the soft sound of running water can always be heard. A small, recessed channel around the outer edge of the room holds a thin stream of cold, clear water. The channel leads into a set of pipes and seems to be carried to another channel along the upper edge of the room, where it is guided through a set of falls and dropped back into the channel in the floor.

The windows are broad, offering a clear view of one of the towers and a better view of the city beneath. Someone has taken time to plant flowers, though despite the water in the room they seem a little stunted. They smell pleasant, and the heart shaped blooms offer a welcome change to the grey stone surrounding the room. There is something odd about the flowers, though it is difficult for someone not well versed in horticulture to tell what that might be.

A desk is situated near the corner of the room, close enough to the natural light provided by the windows that the oil lamp perched on it seems almost entirely unnecessary. Upon the desk are small packets containing seeds with notes written on care and type of plant contained within. A few of the drawers hold bits of root or some small bag of soil, labeled with a series of numbers and names that make no sense to anyone studying them. In the bottom drawer is a lovely book, bound in soft leather with meticulously illuminated pictures contained within. They are largely of plants and flowers, with simple descriptions and some usages listed out. There are a few of more fantastical creatures, though they do share the common thread of being plant based.

The bed is covered in hangings that seem to change in a moment from blues to purples, the edges fading into a soft pink before darkening again, and the blankets are made of silk. It is quite warm, though the occasional leaf seems to make its way into the coverlets and one might often wake to find a sprig of green or a flower lying next to them on the pillow, should they attempt to sleep here.

The clothing held in the wardrobe is made of fine fabrics, but seem to maintain the theme of the room in blues and purples with little variation. Though grand, it is hard to tell what gender the clothes are meant for. There are just as many coats as there are flowing garments, and it seems almost as though the occupant did not have a preference for conforming to any particular standard, though a leather apron and a small gardening kit at the bottom of the wardrobe seems to offer the most hint to the occupant.

Lifting aside the hangings on the furthest corner of the bed will reveal that someone has made small hash marks on the wall, as though they were marking the time that passed.


3. The Songbird Parlor:

This beautiful room is full of small, low couches surrounded by a fine arrangement of bird cages. The cages are made of wood, and many have silver fixtures adorning them. Within the cages are a number of small accoutrements - baskets and hides of woven reed, sprigs of fresh greens and sprouted seeds in small bowls, tiny chimes carefully made to not catch small feet and beaks, and strips of soft cloth for preening and sitting against hanging near perches that seem to be made from whole branches. Small wire shelves built into the cages hold shallow bowls of water for the birds to bathe in. The birds within them are well tended and quite tame, a collection of songbirds ranging from tiny, tuft eared finches barely the size of a coin to a few larger birds with vivid crimson and gold feathers. A few creatures who look rather like canaries with vivid gold, blue and green feathers hop between branches, trilling their sweet songs for any who might pass close enough to hear them. Quieter, but no less lovely, is a cage full of doves, their pale feathers accented with a deep, vivid blue that circles their throats and under wings.

Though there are many birds, they somehow manage to provide a harmony rather than a discordant melody, and those who enter will also notice a small lap harp left on one of the couches, the wood inlaid with beautiful patterns. Any with the skill to play it will find that the birds will happily sing along with whatever melody they play. It may take the birds a moment or two to catch the song, but as soon as they do the entire room will swell with music more beautiful than any they have beheld before.

In a place of honor near the window is a smaller, golden cage. Within it is a single nightingale, though she looks nothing like any normal nightingale would. Her wings and head are a dark crimson, her wings covered in a bright, russet orange, her tail is a riot of greens and blue, with small eyes like a peacock's tail dotting the fine feathers there. She rarely sings, but when she does, the other birds silence and those who listen will find their breaths catching in their throat, unable to speak for the power the melody holds over them.


4. Straw Tower:

The door to the room is slightly ajar, as though someone has left it open in their haste to enter. The key still rests in the lock. A small flap at the bottom of the door seems to have allowed for food to be passed beneath it, and a small barred window might allow an occupant to look out.

The straw tower is well lit, with torches mounted to the walls that never seem to go out and a well-kept crackling fireplace, giving the interior of the tower a soft, warm appearance. It’s welcoming at once to open the door and step onto the staircase, the firelight inviting you up.

There are paintings on the walls in ornate frames, portraits of regal looking people and landscapes alike. On the stairs is a plush carpet that softens the noise from footsteps and lessens the echoes in the passageway.

The top floor is surprisingly big for a tower, the circular room having the space for a bed and desk both, and it does look like someone spent time here recently. The windows are of course open, although there are curtains here to block out the wind chill or the sunlight, should one wish to.

On the desk is an assortment of feminine looking jewellery, and in the drawers are letters written with a neat cursive in a language or perhaps even code that is difficult to understand. In all it would be a lovely room to hide away in if not for a strange smell that seems to cling to the very walls.


5. Sloped North Passageway:

Barren and narrow, this passageway is similar to the others in the castle aside from one rather notable feature: it is sloped on the long stretch along the castle’s exterior wall. There are a few inclines of varying steepness, none of which seem to serve any actual purpose.

In the westernmost part of the passageway, there is a small door that leads to the Hydrangea Bedroom. Strangely, this door is not in any way visible from within the bedroom itself—however, it can be felt and easily opened if one makes the attempt to find it.


6. The Watch Tower:

There are always at least two guards in this room, and though guests may be asked to clean any attempts to take anything from this room will be harshly and swiftly punished.

A large store of weapons can be found here, ranging from swords to bows, with additional spears stacked neatly against the wall. All of the weapons are well cared for and meticulously maintained.

Supplies have been stashed all over the room, stacked in crates and on make shift shelving. This is clearly some sort of fallback position should the wall be overrun.

Strangely, despite the presence of the guards or perhaps because of it, a feeling of safety permeates this room, even at night, and it smells pleasantly of fresh grass, spring forests, and almonds.

A higher platform holds what seems to be a nest, finely shredded bits of cloth and straw padding the floor. Someone had taken care to make the wooden platform more comfortable than it has any right to be. The smell of grass and almonds is stronger here, as though someone has trailed the scent all through the nest. A heavy metal collar, suited for a small dog, has been left open on the nest. The metal is dark with old blood and a few clinging dark hairs. Scattered around the nest are tiny bits of wood and bone, some gnawed on by smaller teeth. A tuft of orange hair has gotten caught on one of the branches.

Often a canine of some sort can be found wandering this room, though it is quick to vanish the moment it is noticed. If one is quiet and careful, they might see the creature standing next to one of the guards, being stroked fondly by one of the metal men.

A staircase gives access to the roof.


7. Side Hallway:

This hallway, although tastefully decorated and ornate in its own right, is rather less lavish than the castle's main halls. It is warm and brightly lit, and tapestries depicting majestic gryphons run along the walls.

Several suits of armor are also stationed along the walls, seeming to closely watch anyone who passes by.


8. Lavender Bedroom:

Sharing with much of the upper story, this bedroom is certainly beautiful. Wide windows provide plenty of light for the exquisitely designed bedroom.

The walls have been painted a very pale purple, and the bedspreads and accouterments in the room share this lovely hue.

A small bundle of lavender flowers has been left on the pillow, giving the pillows a pleasant smell. The bed itself is large and very comfortable, easily large enough for a couple to stay in. The drawers of the dresser all hold small sachets of lavender and cedar, giving the clothing pulled from them a pleasant smell. While the predominant color remains clear, there are a large variety of clothes. One of the chests even holds several ball gowns and all the ornaments one might need to pull of the look.

The wash basin in the corner of the room is stocked with lavender scented soap and fresh towels, embroidered with the same flower that appears in so much of the decor. The bowl of the basin is a very pretty porcelain, a painstakingly hand painted design at the bottom, and the picture is always filled with warm water, as though a servant just restocked the room.

A small seating area near the windows holds two chairs, a low table with a fine tea set on it. The tea tower is filled with a variety of types of loose teas, though lavender flowers seem to feature in many of the mixes.

The room feels welcoming, and the scent is not overpowering. It seems like a nice place to stay.

The door locks from the outside.


9. Poppy Room:

This room is full of clean and polished glass, from the floor to the walls; it would look elegant but for the fact that the inside the glass is oppressive tonnes of dark earth. There are several glass columns bordering this room, inside which there is nothing but packed-in dirt. Inside some of these pillars movement can be seen, though it seems impossible for there to be much room for anything but soil. One column near the back left hand corner of the room is cracked, dirt crumbling out of a fissure and spilling onto the floor. A bed stands next to this breaking column, a plush velvet affair that seems chosen more for aesthetics than comfort. It has seldom been used.

A desk is tucked into the opposite corner, a practical structure that was clearly selected for its efficient use of space. Its chair shows much use, and there is a trough in the floor nearby, as if worn by years of pacing. There are a number of books from a multitude of worlds crammed onto its surface, bursting with formulae and theoretical speculation. One common theme runs through all the books, some familiar to the guests and many unknown: the defying of death. The occupant's notebooks, however, have been systematically desecrated to prevent any reading of their findings. All that are left are heavily encoded.

One wall features a gap in the glass and the dirt, a crumbling enclave of packed soil that one can enter. This appears to be what functions as a closet for the bedroom. Rows of black clothes are strung from the ceiling and the walls. Everything is stiff and formal, veils and suits. They smell of dirt and rot.

At the very back of the room, between all these towering monoliths of dirt, a cross of red flowers can be seen hanging on the wall. They are woven together by the stems, and they never seem to die, no matter how long they have hung there and no matter what happens in the room around them.

It is cold in this room, a chill running through the glass that permeates everything else. No fireplace has been set into the glass or dirt, and little warmth seeps through from the adjacent rooms.

Occasionally something pounds on the glass floor from underneath, though little to no movement can be seen through the dirt, causing muffled vibrations to reverberate throughout the room.

Any who enter this room will gradually become fatigued, then exhausted. Leaving this room does not fully negate this effect. If one should fall asleep in the room, their dreams will be immediate and consist of being buried alive.


10. The Rose Room:

A soft, pleasantly floral aroma wafts into the hall whenever this heavy, iron barred door is opened. The room inside appears harsh, the windows are narrow and barred, one of them has a pane of glass broken out and this allows a very small gust of fresh air to enter the room.

Someone appears to have started painting near one of the windows; delicate ink patterning that seems to have been left undone. The thorns of the design are thick; nearly the width of a finger should one place a hand against the cool stone. It is not as cool as it should be, compared to the stone in the rest of the hall. The flowers painted there have a soft, velvety texture, and feel somewhat damp against the hand.

The bed has not been softened by any hangings, the posts are made of dark, gleaming wood with gold detailing near the top. The bed is covered with a deep, crimson velvet coverlet and red satin sheets. The blanket is quite heavy, and has several layers of lighter silk and linen blankets beneath it, but the room is very cold and so it seems appropriate. One pillows has been ripped open and feathers leak from the fine white cloth, they drift in the air and seem to become lodged under boots with disturbing regularity, creating a slick surface that might send the unwary falling to the hard stones.

A table sits near one of the windows, currently covered with several open books and a single, dark red rose that seems to be caught permanently in the moment of blooming. It seems to be the source of the fragrant aroma. The far wall is covered in heavy shelves, laden with well-read and well-tended tomes. The leather covers have been oiled regularly, and though many appear to have great age, the leather is not cracked or discolored with time.

A heavy wardrobe sits in the corner furthest from the bookshelves, though there is not much still within it. A traveler’s cloak made of tattered purple velvet, a few changes of pants, two well-made men’s shirts, and a pair of worn leather boots. A worn leather bag hangs from the door and holds a few gold coins, a scroll that has been wiped clean of all writing, with only a few ink whirls to show that anything was ever written there, a small book with common local phrases and two small bracelets done in a fine gold, set with rubies.


11. Serpent Bathroom:

The tub of this bathroom has a large, free-standing spigot, in teh shape of a snake mid strike, with green gems for eyes. The design is quite elaborate, though the snake seems rather fantastical. It also looks very real, despite the metallic scales, as though at any moment it might move from its place caught against the wall.

The tub itself is lined with a scale pattern that shimmers when the tub is filled, making it seem like the tub is constantly moving. It can be rather disorienting for those who dare to sit in it.

The handles to the sink are smaller but no less elaborate serpents, tiny jeweled eyes watching those who use them accusingly. Behind the sink is a glass case that seems at first to hold nothing, though shortly one will see a small snake making its way through the enclosure. There seems to be no way to open the case, though the snake appears well fed and tended to.

The stone floor of the bathroom is unusually warm, as though heated by another source, and each of the tiles holds the image of the snake mid strike, surrounded by the scale pattern.


12. Level North Passageway:

This passageway is narrow and dark, lit by a few sporadic torches. It is unremarkable in appearance and looks like the others.

All of the doors along this hall, save for the one connecting it to the adjoining sloped passageway, are locked.



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