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Cursed Continent of Lodoss | Exotic Locales
Exotic Locales
Looking for a vacation? We're sorry you washed ashore here instead of a more friendly location. However, you're here now, so you might as well make the best of it! We're tropical and known for great weather - except for the strange, dreary storm cloud that always seems to hover over Avernesse.
Travelers typically arrive in Lodoss via boat or hydroplane, although it isn't unusual to see someone use magic to teleport or use their own wings to fly in. Since most visitors use mundane methods to travel, the dock is officially the port of entry for the island. People are often greeted enthusiastically by a dwarf fellow, but none of us know who he is or who hired him.
For guest convenience, customs is conducted on the dock. Please declare any strange fruits, animals, or possibly cursed jewelry. We won't charge tariffs; we just need to know who to bill when said item invariably causes havoc.
Despite the apparent calm in the harbor, the wreckage of an aircraft carrier in shallow water hints otherwise. The ship was split at midpoint between bow and rudder, the latter of which juts out of the ocean at a severe angle. The bow is missing entirely and there is no hint as to its whereabouts; perhaps it had been sunk further out to sea. Most of the remaining deck is submerged. The vessel's name has been obscured by barnacles that have spread across its hull, leaving only an ironic Pride visible, and it appears that the wreck has become home to new coral growth and several tropical fishes.
One ship always remains docked and that is the CreepyTeef, a majestic cruise liner with a lovable sci fi theme. Its crew appear to be droids, but it is equally likely that they are humans in costumes with similar-but-not-quite-copyright-violating names. There is a rumor going around that this ship may be capable of space flight, but if it is, it certainly hasn't made the trip in many years.
The harbor area is technically patrolled by Bowker, but no one ever sees him come or go. Nevertheless, please behave yourself.
The scent of canna wafts across the beach. The breeze is refreshing and gentle, playfully ruffling blankets and umbrellas. The water is cool without being chilly and it is clear enough to see the schools of fish circling around the nearby reefs - ideal for snorkeling!
The dock lets out into a shaded walkway, but sand has naturally scattered across its surface. The beach itself is warm beneath the feet and almost prickly rather than soft as expected. A closer look reveals that it is not normal sand: it is blackened and dark on the surface, yet normal and soft below. The grains' edges are jagged, not worn by the surf, and appear almost glassy.
A more alert scan of the area hint that the bowl in which the bay sits is too spherical to be natural. There are also plain little pillars hidden innocuously in the bushes or behind trees. Xen may be found nearby, surreptitiously studying them and recording data onto his clipboard as he hums to himself.
The sign outside the massive structure reads "Ravenspire" and though the name might call to mind visions of Edgar Allan Poe's famous avian poem, the interior is not sufficiently dreary to reflect any sort of direct inspiration. Rather, the tower shines brightly like a beacon, beckoning visitors to explore its equally lavish interior.
The hotel's lobby is cool and dark, a welcome refuge from the tropical sun. Everything has its place, yet there is definite life in its decor rather than the stuffy pretension of antique collection, and the perfumed air hints at the decadent pleasures that wait beyond the vestibule.
The staff have a world-weariness about them and wear the same detached, non-judgmental expression assumed by most successful butlers. They are dressed in rich clothing and seem unusually pale for the local climate, which gives them an easily dismissed resemblance to vampires.
The occasional foxgirl can be also be glimpsed darting through the lobby, though it is unclear if they actually work in the hotel as they are not dressed in the Eastern European style of the humans, yet they linger longer than simple tourists would. Given their less subdued clothing and unusual hair colors, it is possible they are hired entertainers.
The upper floors - visible from the lobby - are softly lit by flameless candles. Each floor has several balconies that open into the wide space above the lobby. The mysterious figure of Estavia stands on the second floor and quietly observes the activities below.
***Coming Soon***