Razorback Fortress

Razorback Fortress is located in a large clearing, situated an hour in by train from the northern plains inside an overgrown tunnel framework. An isolated, untainted section of the Everfree Forest, it is almost impossible to locate from the air, having been carved out amongst trees much larger than the sequoia's from most of the Operator's worlds, and all buildings camouflaged perfectly against aerial or ground-based inspections. It hosts a relatively small, easy area to defend, being nearly impassable without great knowledge of that particular area. East of the Fortress is a tiny mountain, no more than 100' high. Several frozen lakes dot it, with a frozen waterfall on the far side. A supposed hot spring is located on the top, though Sox and Vanil have discovered a large boulder blocking what they think is an entrance on the north side.

 

Spiral's ultimate achievement has been accomplished here: the complete restructuring of the Fortress as a demi-sentient entity. The direct link to it allows him to hear all goings on, except for in the pony and Operator barracks, the pegasi tower, the Nest, and his lab if he's not in it. Only an Operator or a known ally is able to remember where the Fortress is due to a mind-scorching effect hosted within the soil of the clearing surrounding, the walls, and the buildings themselves. This ensures that most hostile attacks will founder, unable to find the Operators' home base so easily. There's also a very large sign in front of the gates that reads: "KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING AND ANNOUNCE YOURSELVES OR I'LL KILL YOU! -Marquis du Spiral". There was another word that was scratched out in front of KILL, however, starting with an F. Strength: 600 Ward power.

-Special Abilities:

-Arcane Glyph: 3x 1d6+15 (Arcane Awareness)

-Arcane Devotion: the demi-sentient cannot be convinced to harm an Operator or ally, and will interdict if negative actions take place. When Spiral is gone, Tipper commands the Fortress.

-Arcane Disruption: the demi-sentient will disrupt any attempts of arcane awareness, psionic intrusion, or other methods of spying.

-Arcane Protection: provides cover from ranged attacks via a 1d6+150 <Fortress Shield each turn. Also slowly self-repairs buildings or the walls by 100 Ward strength once 6 hours when damaged.

-Arcane Vigilance: immediately warns all inhabitants of all living or non-living physical beings, as well as incorporeal entities entering the clearing or from the pagoda's teleport stone. Notifies of packages received, as well as the names of those entering the pagoda, if known.

 

The local flora and fauna are mostly harmless, with nuts, berries, vegetables, and the occasional fruit nearby, though there are hostile creatures and dangerous plants that show up or are found.

 

There are 'incidents' that occur in the deeper portions of the Everfree, yet this location is no exception to that rule: strange, seemingly random collections of flora and fauna, events and occurrences that have little rhyme or reason when compared to the outside world.

 

Ancient crypts, forgotten ruins, vile abominations, deadly monsters, hungry creatures, monstrosities from the old world, and worse await the intrusions of the Operators and their allies.

 

 

 

CONDITIONS: 2nd month of winter. 2' of snow in the Fortress itself, below freezing, slight wind. 3-4' in forest proper, random inclement weather. None in The Moors. Las Pegasus keeps a snowshield active at all times. Canterlot: 2'. Stalliongrad: 4'. Gryphon Vale: 5'. 8' outside Luna's Village.

 

-All furniture was built with the Operators in mind, except for pony housing. Most of the bedding and benches are firm and comfortable, at the least. Lighting gems and lanterns hang nearly everywhere.

 

-BULLETIN BOARD: a V-shaped roof covering a large bulletin board right outside the commmand center for use by the Operators and their allies to keep up to date.

 

-Behemoth: a massive, older armored train, formerly belonging to Princess Cadence. Seems to be sentient, though it speaks in a hard to understand dialect. An Engineer's cabin with a small sitting room in the back, tiny bar and kitchen also doubling as sleeping quarters for the Engineer up front, and a coal/steam engine in the center. A 40' long flatbed with a swinging ramp for the Wild Ride is second, while a storage locker cabin for individuals, with six self-contained lockers, 6'x5', makes up the third car; Sox takes over one of these rooms when travelling. Fourth is a refit, for humans, styled sleeping car with 12 4-human sleeping cabins, slightly cramped, and 2 moderately sized showers in the center. A full service dining car with a bar counter and 2 large heatstones facing a wide window is fifth, allowing the head chef and apprentice a great deal of room. There's enough seating for most the Operators at any time around comfortably tall tables and, you guessed it, open backed benches. There are 2 pony sized high back couches in the center under large bay windows, with a small table in front. 10 decent sized rooms for ponies and their companions for the sixth car, each one containing a warmly covered bed, a small table and backed couch, an armoire and dresser built in. 2 large storage cars for food and supplies make up the last two cars, only this time they have wall and floor locks to prevent unwanted entrance. A set of tracks leading around the clearing allow the armored VIP train access in and out, with a small, cozy shack set up for the Engineer, the head chef, cook apprentice/waiter, and the repairpony, all unicorns.

 

-The Shack: a small shack built for Filth, and often inhabited by Tiachuawonga and Mr. Void, close to the northern edge of the clearing outside of the Fortress walls, roughly 20'x16'. No one knows what's in it, except a hole somewhere in the ground underneath the wooden flooring. Bren has assured Filth that it's difficult to locate, as only the Operators can reliably remember where it is at all times.

 

-The Battic: Jeff's room was recently improved with a comfortable, for batponies, sleeping space, much like Bren had built for Filth. A 4' attic above the 9' room, with several sets of wooden bars hanging underneath. A strong support pillar in the center of the room holds most of the weight, while Bren melded the small attic to the room itself. Kept dark and somewhat cooler than the room itself, though well insulated. Accessible via a ladder attached to the central pillar, 4'x4' entrance.

 

-Filth's Room: has a 5' attic above the now 8' room. Only he knows about it, so far.

 

-Celestia's Room: one room in the pony barracks contains a large stone and steel fireplace where the dresser would normally be in the center of the room, shoved against the wall.

 

-The Nest: an entrance tunnel located next to the Pegasi Tower, it runs 70' long and 30' underground, leading into a 9' tall, widened dome, nearly 24' around. It was constructed, and warded, to only allow Hollow and Roust, as well as any they wish to include. The walls were heavily compressed and enchanted to make it nearly invulnerable by Bren. The room underneath has 4 large, green lantern gems illuminating an etched glass image of the Old Hive onto the middle of the carapace bed in the center. Having shed her old armor and used the pieces to construct a cocoon, Roust covered the walls in small, shed armor fragments and pulsing green glows that seem to be alive, but non-sentient. It's quite warm in the Nest itself, the tunnel usually cold. Roust has planted numerous red, blue, and green mushrooms across the dome at convenient, for her, eating heights. Having planted too many, has been attempting to keep up with the sheer number of ripening hallucinogenic mushrooms. A small square room for Hollow's gear and storage was recently added, with a chest, long table, an actual backed chair, and several hanging racks inside to the south of the Nest itself, directly under the Tower. A growing room was completed, larger than the Nest itself, covered in large bowls fit for planting, relieving Roust of having to constantly tend the hybrid Hive mushrooms.

 

-The Walls: perfectly camouflaged walls of an unknown composite creation. Due to Spiral's machinations, the walls (and several buildings) are semi-sentient, capable of deploying hundreds of lethal traps and weapons to enemies in the air, on or under the ground, or merely attempting to pass by, from nearly every angle, some of which he must activate himself. Excruciatingly hardened, even the most devout of siege forces will find it impossible to break through without first destroying the protective sigil, made all the harder by an intensely focused composite shield, activated upon an intruder entering the clearing. This prevents most non-living entities from attempting to enter. A pair of towering, warded gates on the east side allow access to the train 40M away. They only activate and open when an Operator or known ally comes close enough. Set at the ends of each of the rest of the walls are 6 disguised entrances, allowing easy access in and out for flanking maneuvers or going for a stroll. Operate the same way as the main gate. There are 10 one-way viewing windows on each of the North, West, and South walls, with 6 on the East, made of a composite much harder than diamond. Spiral can, if he cares to, hear or see most all goings on, except in the barracks, Zoo's cavern, the Nest, the Tower, or his lab if he's not in it.

 

-Zoo's Cavern: a small cavern where a massive tree had been removed north of the the Mess Hall roughly 10M, drilled through a flat boulder with his barrel. Approximately 10' down. Camouflaged with a barrel lid and snow. Somewhat roomy and safe, with a comfortable temperature year round, even without a heatstone. Zoo has planted numerous potato seeds and is awaiting the new additions to his army.

 

-The Arena: an 80' around, domed wooden arena set to the west of the six main buildings. Several benches for watchers and a pair of crystalline windows above, lanterns glowing brightly, very well lit. It has a traditional jousting fence for ponies utilizing lances, in the center of the arena 20' away from the entrance/exit.

-ARENA RULES: no armor allowed, including ponies. All Operators/ponies entering have 10 Arena-only HP. Each attack over a roll of 3 deals 1 Arena HP damage. There are no stuns allowed by using melee attacks, and ranged weapons can only cause 1 damage as well. Dodge/evasion/block work differently in the Arena: if you roll a 3 or higher, you negate 1 damage. Unique items, including Artifacts, may only 1 cause damage allowed per roll above 3. You may not use Artifacts as well as melee/ranged in the same turn. In the Arena THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL BONUSES ALLOWED! All Critical skills can be utilized but may only cause 1 damage for each roll over 3. Once an Operator/pony has reached 0 Arena HP, they are considered too fatigued to continue. Attacking a 'downed' Operator/pony is considered breaking a major rule. Continuing to do so is grounds for being under lockdown. Ponies and Operators MAY NOT use their lethal or unique skills in the Arena, doing so is also grounds for being under lockdown. THERE IS NO HEALING IN THE ARENA! You may counter and riposte in the Arena with melee damage. If there are 2 'hits' and the opponent has 3 'hits', then the first Operator/pony takes 1 Arena HP damage.

 

-Command Center: a sandbag walled and tarp covered mini-fort, built and occupied by Swe over the course of a miserable day. Bren has further fortified the command center to be warm in winter, cool in summer, solving the problems with drafts and weather conditions. Features a very large table covered in maps, several small bookshelves with Equestrian literature and other miscellanea, a small woodstove, two chests for the gear Swe doesn't store in the Armory, and a small workshop table. Used for planning, historical military research, or just a place to get away. Vanil lives here, as it allows him to put his scouting abilities to good use, adding notes on maps and providing information about the surroundings nightly.

-Master Radio: a full radio interface suite meant for radio command and control, designed for long range transmissions from the Fortress to field/city operations for backup or information.

-Transmitter Locations: the Hive, the Moors, Crystal Empire, Las Pegasus, The Vale & Anfang, Stalliongrad.

 

-The Library: a two-story building located on the south edge of the coutryard. 30' tall, 90' wide, 160' long. The bottom floor is composed of a wide open space with tall bookshelves lining the walls, wide bay windows every 20'. Short bookshelves, namely for pony related books, dot the interior, as do hardened wooden columns. Numerous plush couches and several chairs are set up in a circle at the center of the library as a meeting place. Well lit to avoid eye strain and headaches. There's a section of to the left and rear side of the library's first story that's been left devoid. The smaller top floor of the library contains a full alchemical and chemistry lab suite for Filth's usage, and an experiment/containment room for unknown flora or research experiments. Currently, Spiral has transferred his entire collection of books here, though the library is at less than 20% capacity. Cadence, on a visit, fortified the structure immensely, infusing the library with a song of resilience. The other half of the song, centered on rest, relaxation, and learning, allows the ponies and Operators to learn a great deal in a shorter amount of time.

-All Operators and allies have full access to the Library for information and research purposes, using a [1d6+6] <Research roll.

-Filth has full access to the upper floor's Chemistry suite.

-Upper Alchemy Suite not in use.

 

-Spiral's Lab: a small 10'x10' room with a door in the rear of the library. A spiral staircase leads 40' down below ground level into a 10x50x80 inner room, which was completed in record time. Poorly lit. Spiral has set up his entire collection of bookshelves, tables and a full sized alchemy lab/suite for the Operators' uses, teleported in from Canterlot Underground. His well worn chair sits 20M from the entrance in the center of the underground building, a table on either side. There's a small bar and cooling/freezing chests to the left of the entrance for food storage. In the far back are a pair of 10' plush couches several feet from each other, and a table in the center, used as a private sitting area, can be enclosed with a one-way barrier. Contained in several warded chests and shelves are numerous rare, exotic, and unique books, as well as a number of esoteric items. Spiral has recently added two rooms in the back behind the couches. To the left is a decent sized sleeping room, with a large bed against the back wall, two end tables flanking it, and a wall rack for clothing. To the right is a sitting room, specifically for Operator/pony couples to research in peace and quiet, or to have a comfortable place to experiment with Spiral's assistance.

-Kraut has access to Spiral's research notes and books on esoteric subjects.

 

-Teleport Stone: recently created by Spiral, this is a small pagoda with 8 beams ensorcelled into a solid mass of blackened, sealed, enchanted wood. A teleport stone allowing easy small group transfers is housed internally; a large number of destinations can be accessed, if Spiral has visited there. Upon tapping the rune for that city, it will display a current image of it. Tapping same rune three more times will send a group of 8 or less, along with baggage, near-instantaneously to one of the many teleport stones in that city. 8 large lantern gems on the pagoda itself light up when a rune is activated or an Operator/ally steps onto the portal stone itself. Enterprising Operators have moved in several backed, moderately comfortable couches around the stone for a meeting place and hangout.

KNOWN LOCATIONS:

Anfang/Gryphon Vale: Friendly-Liked - OPEN

Canterlot: Hesitant - OPEN (Recommended not to enter)

Crystal Empire City-State: Friendly - OPEN

Dragonspine Mountains: CLOSED!

Ferron Clan Base: Friendly - OPEN

Las Pegasus: Full Ally - OPEN

Luna's Village: Friendly - OPEN

Necromancer Cult Church & Labyrinth: Neutral-Irritated: OPEN (Recommended not to enter)

Rogue's Circle: OPEN - May teleport items to Lucky's small, private teleport stone to sell, and may also make special orders for certain common/uncommon items with SPECIFIC effects, though it will cost more than if Lucky was visiting.

Stalliongrad: Neutral - CLOSED

The Hive: Full Ally - OPEN

The Moors: Very Friendly - OPEN

 

-Pegasi Tower: owned by Twisted Wing. A 40' tall, extremely sturdy wooden tower with a covered roof and a wide platform underneath. Bren placed a full body length heatstone covered in hay for the large General on the south side, and two smaller ones for Sox on the north, Mercy on the west. Wide open, with unlimited view range into the clearing. There is a room with a trapdoor underneath for Clemency's sleeping quarters, with the same furnishings as in the Barracks; slightly cramped. Unlit except in Clemency's room.

-Clemency's Trophies: Bellepheron's Crystallized Head

 

-The Operator Barracks: 3 end on end barracks, human styled furniture. 140' long, 40' wide, each room containing a roughly king sized bed, heavy steel locker, dresser, armoire, large chest in front of the bed. A table and two couches are off to the left of the entrance, able to seat 2 on each side easily. Fairly cozy overall. 12 rooms split in half along the sides of the building, interspersed by the hallway and a large, comfortable den in the center with seating of 20 on pony styled, human sized backed couches. There are four shower stalls in the corners of the dens. Very well lit. Completely soundproofed from the inside of the room.

 

-The Mess Hall: 120' overall. An 80' interior featuring a full service split oval cooking station in the rear of the room, with two large heatstones instead of a fireplace or stove, and all proper utensils, provided during a 'visit'. Is well stocked with foods from most of the Operator's worlds. A number of cooling and freezing chests for storage, along with crates and shelves for fresh and canned food, line the back wall. Seating and tables for 10 Operators or ponies around each table on padded benches, seats approximately 60. A single large human styled couch at each corner, with a blue one added recently for an L shape in the far right, usually occupied by Pella, Allys, or Mercy depending on day or night. Very well lit.

-The Mini Bar: commissioned by Hollow. Takes up roughly 40% of the right side of the mess hall's wall. Enough room for a couple of ponies to serve 10 Operators at a time.

 

-Clinic: 40' of the Mess Hall building, towards the west end facing the pony barrackes is taken up by a small clinic, occupied by Crazed and Tipper. 10 beds, a small lab set up, an operation suite, a wall length floor and upper wall cabinet as well as a rack for hanging items, all a hardened crystalline, specifically for easy to see and take supplies. Somewhat well stocked. Extremely well lit.

 

-The Armory: a 120' long building, 80' of which is taken up by a large armory, facing the west side of the Fortress. Six sets of 10 lockers, six squad chests, numerous hanging ranks, a lockbox for each squad's extra ammunition, weaponry, and supplies, with several tables and racks dotting the interior. There's enough storage for all the Operators' gear, weaponry, and extra supplies they normally don't take with them. Each one is warded to a specific individual, meaning only they can, willingly, open their own locker. Squad leaders have access to a large chest, as well as the squad's own locker. There's a space at the back of the Armory interior, against the Workshop, now used as a trophy lodge and created by LONT. Several chairs and a couch have been moved in and set around a table covered in maps, notebooks, and other miscellanea. Trophies of rare game can be found collected here.

-Current Trophies:

Alpha Predelk Horns

Jar of Lava-Leeches

Basilisk Fang (Minor Tungsten Basilisk)

Small Titanium Rattle piece (Major Tungsten Basilisk)

Bloody Shards (Water Elemental)

Wing Fragment (Primordial Ancient)

Diamond Shard (Crystalline Golem)

Small Scale (Tungsten Basilisk Lord)

 

-Workshop: the other 40' of the Armory building, directly facing the mess hall. Is comprised of a workshop containing most non-powered hand tools, space for the Wild Ride and the Outrider, a full length wall table, a pair of work benches, several chests and numerous racks for hanging tools on. Contains most all hand-operated tools that would be found in a mechanic's shop, all having appeared after a 'visit'. Extremely well lit and not very soundproofed.

 

-Pony Barracks: a 160' long, 60' wide building at the north end of the Fortress, the east end facing the clinic. 12 large rooms with a wide, very comfortable den containing several tables and long couches. 2 tables and a large chest on either side of the den in the center for any commonly used items are included. 4 large shower/bathtub rooms on the four corners of the den, specifically made for ponies and the like. A very comfortable, larger than king size bed with a chest in front of it, a short dresser and armoire on the right side close to the door, a large steel locker facing towards the bed as well as a desk and mirror to the left above 2 pony couches and a short table, seating for 3 on either side. Kept somewhat warmer than the other buildings and not as well lit. Utterly soundproofed.

 

 

_G________________________________________________________________________________________________G_

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                  |Z.C.|                                          |

|                                                                                                  |

|         |PONY      BARRACKS|         |Clinic - Mess Hall|        |Workshop  Armory|              |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                       |Command Center|                           G

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|         |OperatorBarracks|           |OperatorBarracks|          |OperatorBarracks|              |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|GATE                                                                                              |

|WEST TO: TRAIN                               |Sigil|              |P.T.|                          |

|GATE                                                                                              |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                        |Pagoda|                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                               =======                            |

|                                                               |Arena|                            |

|                                                               =======                            |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  G

|                                                                                                  |

|                                          -------------                                           |

|                                          |           |                                           |

|                                          |  Library  |                                           |

|                                          |           |                                           |

|                                          -------------                                           |

|                                                                                                  |

|                                                                                                  |

-G------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------G-

 

Guide:

Z.C.: Zoo's Cavern

G: Small Gate

P.T.: Pegasi Tower

 

*****

SPECIAL LOCATIONS:

 

-100 Rads Bar: a uniquely shaped lodge-styled bar in the central thoroughfare of the Residential District in Las Pegasus, owned by Claren and McSister. A double stacked staircase in the rear provides access to the garden on top of the building, as does a smaller spiral staircase in the rear of the building itself. 4 wide steps down to a 8' half-oval door lead into a wide, low slung room made of solidified cloud material. The walls are occupied by 8 booths on either side, 3 to the left and right of each door, each capable of seating four large ponies on one side. There are each sets of pony sized couches with tables facing each set mirroring the booths interspersing the main room itself, with two tables surrounded by chairs closer to the bar. The refurbished, slightly tall bar itself is set up for a barmaster and cook with seating for twenty. The stockroom facing the bar to the right is kept much cooler than the main room, with enough storage for a week's worth of drinks. The room to the left is set up for food storage. A hardened locking door from the storage room leads to a master sized sitting room with a pair of fluffy cloud couches, meant as a place to unwind and relax, with a desk and several lockboxes hidden in the cloud walls.

 

-Claren's Garden: a 20x40 plot of ground with a wide overhanging roof on top of the 100 Rads Bar. 4' surrounding walls, with small heatstones set in the ground. Planted with 10x unknown specie: black, white, and red seeds. The plants themselves look like golfball sized solid color eyes with wide bladed leaves.

-Trophies: Red Stone Blade (Grand Cragwurm)