<a class="postlink" href="http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/coffinhunter77/Castlebathery.jpg">[ img ]</a><br/><br/>Latveria is a small Eastern European to the south west of the Carpathian Mountain range. It's capital city is Bathstad which is near it's Western border, a single main road crosses in from the infamous mountain range, it is little more than a goat path at some points and therefore worldly travelers of the time usually skip that scenic opportunity. This has created a isolationist bubble around the area and because of this, progress is slow here. That being said any visitors here would consider the ethnocentric inhabitants and their structures, quaint by today's standards (1818 ad), with thatch roof buildings  and cobblestone streets, lit by gaslight.<br/><br/>However, rising magnificently off of a northern ridge off in the distance is Castle Von Bathery. It's dark stone spires in steep contrast to the humble business' and houses of the town below, and just getting to the building is quite tricky all on it's own, thanks to the single width bridge that spans the gap created by the Blackmoore river which runs down from the mountains. Heavy rain or spring thaw can flood the old bridge meaning you could be trapped there for weeks if weather was particularly bad; with white capped mountains and endless wilderness surrounding the keep there was little chance of escape until conditions changed.<br/><br/>This means that anyone wishing to visit the castle would have to wait until a carriage was willing to take the risky journey. Inn owners and the few pub/resturants  back in Bathstad love it though, because visiting dignitaries are all forced to stay in town until a carriage agrees to take them the distance. They gouge prices and force the rich to fork over large sums for ordinary items and services, but the townie's treachery doesn't stop there, they also know the types of people the Baron invites to his 'parties' and so their attitudes are generally sour toward guests.<br/><br/>The road leading to the actual castle is roughly five miles of rough and unkempt, full of pot holes and large ruts that fill with water causing stagecoaches to become stuck. All travelers are warned to help with the righting of carriages immediately, as staying for too long on the side of the road will result in wolf attacks. The road leads through an old-growth sequoia trees, with a canopy so dense it blots out daylight.<br/><br/>As the forest breaks you are shown the magnificent specatcle of the Castle towers rises into sky. Its dark stone walls constructed from the same granite as the mountains that surround it. Castle Von Bathery was built in the 5th century and has remained in the Bathery line all these centuries. But it is well know that this might be the last, as Baron Victor Von Bathery was an only child and has yet to take of wife or bare any offspring. Rumors around Bathstad are that he his too obsessed with his arcane studies to be bothered settling down and taking a wife, and so he will be the last in his line.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"> <span style="text-decoration: underline">Castle Von Bathery</span></span><br/><br/>The castle's massive front lawns spread several acres out in font of his front doors, gardens and park areas fill the spaces, their manicured appearance stands in stark contrast to the ruddy road that leads up to the place. The huge dual front doors stand 15' tall and are made of darkly stained ironwood. They have intricate filigree carved into them and if one is knowledgeable and perceptive enough magic runes are hidden into with the designs. A massive lion's head brass knocker hangs on each door.<br/><br/>The huge doors open to reveal the two-story open ceilings of the main foyer, huge ironwood timber rafters frame the ceiling and massive two story stained glass windows fill the open space with a multitude of colored light.  Several large overstuffed chairs and decorative tables line the walls while the center of the room contains three marble statues of Caligula era sculpture. Forcing visitors to stroll passed two naked cherubic woman servicing a male figure whom stands proudly over their prone forms before passing through the large wooden, rune covered arch way that leads into the castle proper.<br/><br/>The main hall is also an open floor plan, with two huge curving staircases that ascend to the open balcony which leads to the second floor. On the ground floor, between the staircases is the master door to the kitchen area. Behind the Kitchen is the Servant's quarters and laundry. At each end of the main hall is another door, the west leading into the dining room and the East leading to the library and sitting rooms. Unfortunately there is no indoor plumbing, but tucked off the underneath each stair case is a small guest bathroom with chamber pots and a washing bin; these rooms are tight and claustrophobic with candle lighting .  The main hall is lit by three large chandeliers which are crystalline.<br/><br/>*(Secret Staircase: Once investigated, a book case in the library reveals a secret door which leads to the 'off-limits' basement/dungeon. The trick is to find which one of the thousands of ancient tomes triggers the door to open; only the Baron knows which. PM granted permission must be granted before this area is entered.)<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">1st FLOOR</span><br/><br/>1) Kitchen: A large open area, with black & white stone tile floors, and wood panneling walls, small white tile wainscoting  surrounds the working areas for easy clean up. Two large wood cooking stoves and several chopping blocks surrounding them. Counters of oak and cabinets of maple frame the room. A singular large scale icebox holds perishables, while a pantry hold's food stock and spices. The Kitchen also holds an indoor well, it reaches 60' into the ground and has a pully and bucket to retrieve the 'fresh' water from the water table created by the rushing river just outside the property. (*the water actually has a sulfurous, mineral odor that fills the kitchen area when cooking isn't taking place.)<br/><br/>2) Castle Rear Quarters: In the rear of  kitchen is a door which leads into the<span style="font-weight: bold">Servant's hall</span>and<span style="font-weight: bold">Laundry rooms</span>.<br/><br/>The Laundry rooms are large open areas with large tubs and openings near the Kitchen stoves, which serve the dual purpose of heating the water for cleaning  of house garments.<br/><br/>Behind that are the 10 rooms which make up the permanent  residence of the Castle's staff. These rooms don't have the double height ceilings, instead they are separated into 1st and 2nd floors, a rear servant's staircase connecting the two. Five rooms on the first floor and five on the second. Each floor followed the same basic layout, three smaller rooms on the west side, and two slightly larger rooms on the east side.<br/>(*NPCs)<br/>1W: empty<br/><br/>2E: Butler, Jarvis Handler, age 52. Description: Although grey haired and bald, he is strong, tall and always dressed in formal-wear, Jarvis can get you anything you need and he doesn't pass judgement on his master's guests. His room is a small apartment with a moderate bed , sitting table and chairs, and a fully stocked bar. He was alive and serving since before Victor's parents died and knows the most about the family history.<br/><br/>3W: Double occupancy, Mary and Katelin are young maids. The are pretty and giggly , low level servants that do what they are told and keep their mouths shut. Their jobs are usually the most degrading as they are willing to clean any disgusting mess that guests of the Baron happen to make.<br/><br/>4E: Head maid, Agatha Spelling, age 40, this hot spinster might not have found a husband but that doesn't stop her from running this house's day to day operations. She is strict, and stern but her mature beauty makes her seem more of a dominatrix than nun.<br/><br/>5W: Dual occupancy, Gardener quarters. Twin gypsy brothers, Hector and Jesus Montelingo. age:27. Description: Swarthy men and willing to do what ever is needed, they are sweaty and untrustworthy, but physically sculpted like Greek statues.<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">2nd FLOOR</span><br/><br/>The large open balcony that the dual staircases frame, has a single archway which is decorated by a large ornate stone rune wheel that hangs above the arch. No visible mounting wire hods it in place, and so passing under it you get a bit anxious. Beyond the archway is the 2nd floors main hall. It is a wide berth, which 'T's at the end. The 9 rooms and one master bath located here are,  furnished guest quarters with five doors lining each side of the the hall's wood panels. The door at the end leading to the servant stairs and the five 2nd floor servants rooms. At each end of the 'T's branches are two lager, 'activity' rooms. A singular stair case rises to the 3rd floor,  about 3/4's down the hallway.<br/><br/>1) 9 Guest bedrooms: These rooms are suite sized, meaning not only are the rooms large enough to accomdate the large King Size beds and dressers, they also house comfortable sitting areas and stocked bars. They have lare gothic windows with thick drapes of differing color per room.  (* I will leave the individual descriptions of the room's decor to players to have fun describing and personalizing)<br/><br/>2)2nd floor Master Bath:This all white marble room is very large and holds several porcelain  bathtubs. No running water, but servants can have water heated and poured within 35 minutes of your asking them. Three partitioned stalls mark the far wall, they hold chamber pots, and raw silk toilet paper. There is also a large cabinet of clean linens, towels and robes.<br/><br/>3)West Activity room:This room is almost the size of the dining/ball room downstairs and the space is wide open, a seemingly unused room, or just one waiting to be used for something. If one were to walk the long open area and look closely, they'd find drag marks from something that had scraped the hard wood floors. No particular direction, just a mish-mash in all different directions. This room also has the same long tall Gothic window's that the bedrooms do.<br/><br/>4) East Activity Room: The mirror of it's Western counterpart, with the exception of having the Window's boarded up, whatever happens in this room is not for peeping eyes.<br/><br/>5) 2nd floor Servant's quarters:<br/><br/>6W: Dual occupany. Male maids, Under command of the House butler. (PC's can define these characters to there liking)<br/><br/>7E: Dual Occupancy. female Kitchen staff, under command of the head maid. (PC's can define these characters to there liking)<br/><br/>8W: 1 Female occupant. Guest Servant's quarters Grand Wizard's personal servant. age 25, Lorna Kilmer.<br/><br/>9E: Open. Guest Servant's quarters, Many of the Baron's rich guests have servants of there own and these rooms are slightly more luxurious than the normal servant chambers.<br/><br/>10W: Open. Guest Servant's quarters, Many of the Baron's rich guests have servants of there own and these rooms are slightly more luxurious than the normal servant chambers.<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">3rd Floor</span><br/><br/>Off limits unless, The Baron himself gives you permission, the third floor is a massive Frankenstienian laboratory. It has all the most modern technological and medical devices and contraptions. Not to mention some new inventions, that no one have ever seen. (*Inquiring with Baron Von Bathery will result in explanations) . The Ceilings are full of pulleys and contraptions slung from the rafters, but on the south end is the cast iron spiral stair case that ascends another several stories to the tower observatory.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Rear Yard/Pool &amp; Satellite buildings</span><br/><br/>The rear yards are almost as large at the front acreage, but it is unseparated by gardens and parks, so your eye follows the lush green lawn out to the large woods that separate the Castle grounds from the imposing white capped Carpathian mountains that surround the keep.  To the far east of the back lawns is the Main barn. To the west, set in the stone of the Mountain that the castle is built on is an infinity pool, its sightless edge looks out over the canyons below. Out front is the Carriage house, It is the garage for visiting dignitaries coaches, if they actually choose to run the risk of the ruddy road that leads to the Castle.<br/><br/>On a path that leads into the woods, north of the castle and at the back of the rear lawn is the Von Bathery Family Cemetery. Several large stone tombs and 60 or so monumental grave stones rise out of a clearing in the woods. (*if one investigates, another hidden trail is located on the west side of the cemetery. This trail leads another mile or two to a secret clandestine area that is steeped in magical energy, at the base of the mountain the castle is seated next to.  )