Surrounding Area Descriptions
General Terrain
The terrain surrounding the institute is varied, but one fact remains consistent. It is uneven and littered with rises, slopes, dips, and even impassible cliff faces to the west. Overall, the land is forested, growing far more dense and difficult to pass to the east.
To the direct north of the institute, through ground growing ever rockier and higher in altitude, the ground gives way to a deep quarry. Evidence of mining is visible.
Somewhat southeast of the quarry, hidden behind rises of stone, a large glacial lake rests in a high valley. A river winds southwards, waterfalls cascading down the peak side. Before it reaches the forest, it diverts, one fork flowing towards the institute and disappearing beneath the wall.
To the east - southerly from the glacial lake - the trees grow taller, thicker, closer together. At the very edge of the forest are the ruins of what looks like it used to be a town. The river winds through the forest. Deep within the foreboding woods are strange stone monoliths…
Southeast, beyond forest and ruins, the peaks grow dangerously jagged and steep. But hidden deep within is what appears to be an abandoned and ransacked bomb shelter.
To the west the mountainous region is particularly treacherous. Paths wind their way through high craggy peaks, ice and snow present even in spring and fall. To the northwest is a series of caverns, to the southwest a deep gorge that cuts its way through sheets of stone.
The only thing to the direct south is the road down into the valley where the town of Doyleton rests.
General Atmosphere: At night: foggy and misty, eerily silent, trees show signs of withering, buildings subject to the same rust and decay of the institute.
Quarry
In the northern region of the institute mountains, the rocky land gives way to a deep quarry. Though no activity is present, it appears to have been in use within the last ten years. Dead equipment sits on the edges surrounding - a crane with its neck snapped, a truck that no longer runs, a broken down excavator - and deeper in the bowl of the quarry. It is multi-layered, each ridge deeper than the next. There are rickety looking metal ladders leading down to each level.
The levels of the quarry are littered with trash and loose rock. Metal barrels, broken tools, old sandwich wrappers, a rain and wind worn work boot… The scattered trash on every ridge shows evidence of the quarry's relatively recent activity. A very lucky explorer may find a shovel, or perhaps even a drill or chainsaw that still has a touch of power left. On the first ridge there is a sheet metal shack, empty now save for a rickety old desk and chair, a small refrigerator, and an empty filing cabinet.
At the very bottom there is nothing but the beginnings of a rain water pond, slabs of rock, and loose litter. It seems a safe enough place. But it is very far down, and when night begins to fall, those ladders look less and less sturdy…
Abandoned Mine
Just a stone's throw west of the quarry, one can find evidence of mining tracks. Bent signs tacked to trees, tracks of mining carts and vehicles still pressed deep into the earth. Following the rocky dirt road will lead to the entrance into a mine, partially boarded up with signs warning of danger.
The tunnel within slopes downwards, stone and dirt and timber beams shoring up the sides. Broken lanterns hang from pegs along the sides. If one listens very carefully, the silence is broken by dripping water underground. The main shaft descends towards the south, openings along the east and west side giving way to narrower shafts that empty into caverns. The walls show signs of mining, here and there an abandoned and broken down mine cart rests on rickety tracks. Here and there, in the mined caverns, there is evidence of campsites and perhaps even human life that has since departed.
There are four accessible levels of the mine, going deeper and deeper into the mountain, the ruin and despair growing ever noticeable the further down a traveler ventures, until they find themselves in the lowest level with nothing but rot, rust, darkness and worse…
Lake
To the east of the quarry, over rocky terrain, the peaks rise once more. Winding, snow-dusted pathways lead through the cliffs to a valley. Sheltered within the jagged, snow-lined cliffs, a large glacial lake rests idyllically. There is little horrific here by day, the snowy shores and clear water seeming inviting and peaceful. Smooth water-hewn rocks rest at the shallow edges of the lake, floats of ice drift lazily across the surface, and animal tracks pepper the snow.
By night, this place undergoes the most drastic change of any area outside the institute. The white, pristine snow remains, but blood leaks into its surface, staining it with splatters and patches of dark red. The ice floats turn jagged and brackish, the edge of the lake littered with bones. The water itself turns salty and poisonous to drink.
The lake feeds into a river that winds down the mountain all the way to the Institute itself. By the mouth of the river is a small fishing hut, wooden and slight, but in good condition. Within are rusting and molding fishing supplies, as well as hurricane lanterns and old damp blankets. The river continues beyond the hut, into a series of cascading waterfalls down the mountain, some even falling across the mountain paths themselves. By the sun's light, it truly seems a place from a fairy tale…
Forest
To the south of the lake, where the mountain evens some and the ground is less treacherous, a great forest stretches out. The river that winds down from the northern peaks splits before reaching the forest, a tributary winding off towards the institute itself. The main branch of the river, however, continues on into the woods.
Following the river is possibly the smartest way to venture into the forest, but it is certainly not the only way.
The edges of the forest seem unremarkable. Trees grow thickly together, allowing very little chance to see into the woods itself. What seem to be paths twist into the forest, leading deeper into the overgrown darkness. Within the heart of these towering trees there is a strange sight. A clearing, the grass long since trampled down, deathly silent even in the noonday sun. Within the clearing is a stone altar, crude and ancient looking, sheltered by the massive trees surrounding the ritualistic place. Strange symbols are hewn into the rock, and grooves line the edges. It looks large enough for a full grown man to lay comfortably on…
Following the river will avoid the strange stone circle and altar within the forest. Instead, following the river reveals signs that others perhaps have come before. Old campsites on the banks, torn apart now, but still visible. Skeletons, scraps of clothing, cobbled together supplies line the edges of the river further into the forest.
A variety of herbs and flowers can be found within the trees, including medicinal and hallucinogenic. Be careful of the mushrooms…
Ruins
At the edge of the forest, not terribly far from the institute itself, there lies the ruins of a what looks like a town. Walls stand here and there, destroyed by the elements or something more sinister. Roads are still clearly visible, and it looks as though this was once a small, civilized town. The roads are cracked and torn, the buildings in shambles and the inhabitants nowhere to be seen. Broken glass and slabs of concrete and wood cover what is left.
Remains of buildings appear to be everything from homes to stores, and debris is scattered about. There is even the remains of a small church, its steeple toppled. Broken furniture, appliances, tools and the like can be found within those few structures that remain with roofs and walls. Some are even salvageable. There is a large generator just outside the ruins, not currently running, but perhaps fixable.
It is truly a dead town, the only signs of life the remaining structures themselves and the occasional clean-picked skeleton. The town looks as though it was taken from 1920s America, quaint and old fashioned, even moreso than Doyleton.
General Store: Three and a half full walls still stand, and a sagging roof overhangs them, offering protection from the elements and perhaps worse. The windows are broken, the wooden floorboards dusty and dirty, the walls warped. A broken clock hangs precariously from one wall. Broken counters line the edges, supplies scattered here and there, a cash register turned on its side and hemorrhaging US bills. Most foodstuffs are spoiled and gone by now, but a few more hardy perishables have survived. Cans of meats and fruit, instant coffee, soup and similar items can be found amongst the rubble. Small tables and chairs are tipped over, as well as the display stands for various wares. The wares themselves seem to be long gone, but a determined individual may find batteries, tools and other small items of use amongst the debris.
Schoolhouse: Red paint faded, the schoolhouse has no roof, but all walls stand. There are only two rooms, a classroom and a restroom, invoking images of schools of olden days. The main school room is a mess, the only supplies to be found are common school items. The cubbyholes against the wall have been smashed, though nothing appears to be in them. The blackboard is cracked, an American flag lays on the ground, and the door to the restroom is off its hinges. Inside the restroom are two toilet stalls, a sink, and a decontamination station…
Church: The church offers shelter from the elements as well, its spire having taken the most damage in whatever occurred. Inside, one can find a multitude of skeletons on the pews and the floor. Some clinging to one another, some contorted in visages of pain. Blood stains the floor. Whatever happened to this town, it seems as though the citizens gathered within the church. There are candles on the podium of the church, and a Holy Bible. Beneath the podium is a collection plate with change and dollar bills. In the small room behind, there is a bed, a desk and a dresser, and a cardboard box with old clothes. Inside the desk and dresser are a handful of items - pens, paper, a flask of wine…
Written on the wall of the church, in what looks suspiciously like blood, is the message 'YOU WILL BOTH BURN'.
Doctor's Office: A true blessing in the unkind wilderness. Not much of the building remains, and the ruins are difficult to pick through, but beneath the crushed furniture and laboratory equipment medical supplies can be found. Bandages, antiseptic, painkillers, splints, antitoxins, antibiotics…
Abandoned Bomb Shelter
For those who have the physical strength, determination and luck to traverse the narrow, treacherous paths into the most harrowing peaks within the Institute's mountain range, there is something quite interesting hidden within. Set into the stone of the mountain is a metal hatch, wrenched open and twisted and half off its hinges - whatever ripped it open like that must have been quite strong, as the hatch itself is quite heavy. A narrow metal ladder leads down into the darkness, punctuated by flashing red lights set into the passageway down.
The smell of the shelter hits first. The stale scent of smoke, alcohol and old, uncleaned cat box. Once down inside the shelter, evidence of abandonment and previous ransacking is clear. What furniture remains - metal and durable - is overturned and bent. Books lay scattered on the floor, along with dirty plates and silverware and empty, cracked beer bottles. There is an unmade cot, overturned, laying catty corner to the wall. There is a cat litter box behind the cot, un-emptied but used for some time. The remains of an old vinyl record player litter the floor, smashed and ruined. As are the records that one would imagine had been played on it - smashed and destroyed as though in a fit of rage.
The shelves and cabinets - both made of metal and stone - are empty save for a handful of dented cans and a damp, musky scented brown paper bag.
The terrain surrounding the institute is varied, but one fact remains consistent. It is uneven and littered with rises, slopes, dips, and even impassible cliff faces to the west. Overall, the land is forested, growing far more dense and difficult to pass to the east.
To the direct north of the institute, through ground growing ever rockier and higher in altitude, the ground gives way to a deep quarry. Evidence of mining is visible.
Somewhat southeast of the quarry, hidden behind rises of stone, a large glacial lake rests in a high valley. A river winds southwards, waterfalls cascading down the peak side. Before it reaches the forest, it diverts, one fork flowing towards the institute and disappearing beneath the wall.
To the east - southerly from the glacial lake - the trees grow taller, thicker, closer together. At the very edge of the forest are the ruins of what looks like it used to be a town. The river winds through the forest. Deep within the foreboding woods are strange stone monoliths…
Southeast, beyond forest and ruins, the peaks grow dangerously jagged and steep. But hidden deep within is what appears to be an abandoned and ransacked bomb shelter.
To the west the mountainous region is particularly treacherous. Paths wind their way through high craggy peaks, ice and snow present even in spring and fall. To the northwest is a series of caverns, to the southwest a deep gorge that cuts its way through sheets of stone.
The only thing to the direct south is the road down into the valley where the town of Doyleton rests.
General Atmosphere: At night: foggy and misty, eerily silent, trees show signs of withering, buildings subject to the same rust and decay of the institute.
Quarry
In the northern region of the institute mountains, the rocky land gives way to a deep quarry. Though no activity is present, it appears to have been in use within the last ten years. Dead equipment sits on the edges surrounding - a crane with its neck snapped, a truck that no longer runs, a broken down excavator - and deeper in the bowl of the quarry. It is multi-layered, each ridge deeper than the next. There are rickety looking metal ladders leading down to each level.
The levels of the quarry are littered with trash and loose rock. Metal barrels, broken tools, old sandwich wrappers, a rain and wind worn work boot… The scattered trash on every ridge shows evidence of the quarry's relatively recent activity. A very lucky explorer may find a shovel, or perhaps even a drill or chainsaw that still has a touch of power left. On the first ridge there is a sheet metal shack, empty now save for a rickety old desk and chair, a small refrigerator, and an empty filing cabinet.
At the very bottom there is nothing but the beginnings of a rain water pond, slabs of rock, and loose litter. It seems a safe enough place. But it is very far down, and when night begins to fall, those ladders look less and less sturdy…
Abandoned Mine
Just a stone's throw west of the quarry, one can find evidence of mining tracks. Bent signs tacked to trees, tracks of mining carts and vehicles still pressed deep into the earth. Following the rocky dirt road will lead to the entrance into a mine, partially boarded up with signs warning of danger.
The tunnel within slopes downwards, stone and dirt and timber beams shoring up the sides. Broken lanterns hang from pegs along the sides. If one listens very carefully, the silence is broken by dripping water underground. The main shaft descends towards the south, openings along the east and west side giving way to narrower shafts that empty into caverns. The walls show signs of mining, here and there an abandoned and broken down mine cart rests on rickety tracks. Here and there, in the mined caverns, there is evidence of campsites and perhaps even human life that has since departed.
There are four accessible levels of the mine, going deeper and deeper into the mountain, the ruin and despair growing ever noticeable the further down a traveler ventures, until they find themselves in the lowest level with nothing but rot, rust, darkness and worse…
Lake
To the east of the quarry, over rocky terrain, the peaks rise once more. Winding, snow-dusted pathways lead through the cliffs to a valley. Sheltered within the jagged, snow-lined cliffs, a large glacial lake rests idyllically. There is little horrific here by day, the snowy shores and clear water seeming inviting and peaceful. Smooth water-hewn rocks rest at the shallow edges of the lake, floats of ice drift lazily across the surface, and animal tracks pepper the snow.
By night, this place undergoes the most drastic change of any area outside the institute. The white, pristine snow remains, but blood leaks into its surface, staining it with splatters and patches of dark red. The ice floats turn jagged and brackish, the edge of the lake littered with bones. The water itself turns salty and poisonous to drink.
The lake feeds into a river that winds down the mountain all the way to the Institute itself. By the mouth of the river is a small fishing hut, wooden and slight, but in good condition. Within are rusting and molding fishing supplies, as well as hurricane lanterns and old damp blankets. The river continues beyond the hut, into a series of cascading waterfalls down the mountain, some even falling across the mountain paths themselves. By the sun's light, it truly seems a place from a fairy tale…
Forest
To the south of the lake, where the mountain evens some and the ground is less treacherous, a great forest stretches out. The river that winds down from the northern peaks splits before reaching the forest, a tributary winding off towards the institute itself. The main branch of the river, however, continues on into the woods.
Following the river is possibly the smartest way to venture into the forest, but it is certainly not the only way.
The edges of the forest seem unremarkable. Trees grow thickly together, allowing very little chance to see into the woods itself. What seem to be paths twist into the forest, leading deeper into the overgrown darkness. Within the heart of these towering trees there is a strange sight. A clearing, the grass long since trampled down, deathly silent even in the noonday sun. Within the clearing is a stone altar, crude and ancient looking, sheltered by the massive trees surrounding the ritualistic place. Strange symbols are hewn into the rock, and grooves line the edges. It looks large enough for a full grown man to lay comfortably on…
Following the river will avoid the strange stone circle and altar within the forest. Instead, following the river reveals signs that others perhaps have come before. Old campsites on the banks, torn apart now, but still visible. Skeletons, scraps of clothing, cobbled together supplies line the edges of the river further into the forest.
A variety of herbs and flowers can be found within the trees, including medicinal and hallucinogenic. Be careful of the mushrooms…
Ruins
At the edge of the forest, not terribly far from the institute itself, there lies the ruins of a what looks like a town. Walls stand here and there, destroyed by the elements or something more sinister. Roads are still clearly visible, and it looks as though this was once a small, civilized town. The roads are cracked and torn, the buildings in shambles and the inhabitants nowhere to be seen. Broken glass and slabs of concrete and wood cover what is left.
Remains of buildings appear to be everything from homes to stores, and debris is scattered about. There is even the remains of a small church, its steeple toppled. Broken furniture, appliances, tools and the like can be found within those few structures that remain with roofs and walls. Some are even salvageable. There is a large generator just outside the ruins, not currently running, but perhaps fixable.
It is truly a dead town, the only signs of life the remaining structures themselves and the occasional clean-picked skeleton. The town looks as though it was taken from 1920s America, quaint and old fashioned, even moreso than Doyleton.
General Store: Three and a half full walls still stand, and a sagging roof overhangs them, offering protection from the elements and perhaps worse. The windows are broken, the wooden floorboards dusty and dirty, the walls warped. A broken clock hangs precariously from one wall. Broken counters line the edges, supplies scattered here and there, a cash register turned on its side and hemorrhaging US bills. Most foodstuffs are spoiled and gone by now, but a few more hardy perishables have survived. Cans of meats and fruit, instant coffee, soup and similar items can be found amongst the rubble. Small tables and chairs are tipped over, as well as the display stands for various wares. The wares themselves seem to be long gone, but a determined individual may find batteries, tools and other small items of use amongst the debris.
Schoolhouse: Red paint faded, the schoolhouse has no roof, but all walls stand. There are only two rooms, a classroom and a restroom, invoking images of schools of olden days. The main school room is a mess, the only supplies to be found are common school items. The cubbyholes against the wall have been smashed, though nothing appears to be in them. The blackboard is cracked, an American flag lays on the ground, and the door to the restroom is off its hinges. Inside the restroom are two toilet stalls, a sink, and a decontamination station…
Church: The church offers shelter from the elements as well, its spire having taken the most damage in whatever occurred. Inside, one can find a multitude of skeletons on the pews and the floor. Some clinging to one another, some contorted in visages of pain. Blood stains the floor. Whatever happened to this town, it seems as though the citizens gathered within the church. There are candles on the podium of the church, and a Holy Bible. Beneath the podium is a collection plate with change and dollar bills. In the small room behind, there is a bed, a desk and a dresser, and a cardboard box with old clothes. Inside the desk and dresser are a handful of items - pens, paper, a flask of wine…
Written on the wall of the church, in what looks suspiciously like blood, is the message 'YOU WILL BOTH BURN'.
Doctor's Office: A true blessing in the unkind wilderness. Not much of the building remains, and the ruins are difficult to pick through, but beneath the crushed furniture and laboratory equipment medical supplies can be found. Bandages, antiseptic, painkillers, splints, antitoxins, antibiotics…
Abandoned Bomb Shelter
For those who have the physical strength, determination and luck to traverse the narrow, treacherous paths into the most harrowing peaks within the Institute's mountain range, there is something quite interesting hidden within. Set into the stone of the mountain is a metal hatch, wrenched open and twisted and half off its hinges - whatever ripped it open like that must have been quite strong, as the hatch itself is quite heavy. A narrow metal ladder leads down into the darkness, punctuated by flashing red lights set into the passageway down.
The smell of the shelter hits first. The stale scent of smoke, alcohol and old, uncleaned cat box. Once down inside the shelter, evidence of abandonment and previous ransacking is clear. What furniture remains - metal and durable - is overturned and bent. Books lay scattered on the floor, along with dirty plates and silverware and empty, cracked beer bottles. There is an unmade cot, overturned, laying catty corner to the wall. There is a cat litter box behind the cot, un-emptied but used for some time. The remains of an old vinyl record player litter the floor, smashed and ruined. As are the records that one would imagine had been played on it - smashed and destroyed as though in a fit of rage.
The shelves and cabinets - both made of metal and stone - are empty save for a handful of dented cans and a damp, musky scented brown paper bag.