The Versian Gaol

[Nimh]

The Gaol was one of the more neglected buildings in Vers. It was not a magical institute nor a fine establishment of the arts, but a prison house. People often scoffed at the jail when they were required to pass, and most went out of their way to avoid it altogether. The feeling around the building was so... criminal that most did not feel comfortable being in the vicinity of it.

The gaol itself wasn't an obtrusive building, but steady. Like most Versian architecture, the jailhouse had been built with a few fanciful spires breaking up the monotony of a flat roofline. It was two stories high, built nearly against the walls themselves. Its structure was of a sandy-colored stone, roughly hewed, which appeared to fit together rather awkwardly. A few windows barred over with black iron dotted the three sides of the building that could be scene. Every once and a while one who dared to look might see a human's hand hanging out of the barred window, reaching for freedom. This freedom was shunned, however, and the criminals hopes of escaping through the windows were abolished by the magical spell laid on the iron. Not only had an alchemist created an iron that was nearly impenetrable, but a sorcerer had placed a force field around the perimeter of the cell.

Over the doorway there hung a large wooden sign proclaiming "Versian Gaol", weather-beaten and nearly faded from its time in the sunlight.

The front door stood slightly ajar; the back bar could be seen. This was proof that the Gaol wasn't kept in especially good maintenance, but it did its job. The inside of the building was nearly as dark as it appeared from the outside. A small, aged gnome was busy in the far corner of the room, a small desk before him, as he arranged confiscated visas did various other paperworks. In the left side of the room, a wooden staircase could be seen, the horizontal treads just barely folding inward, showing their wear over the patterns. A few shelves with various weapons stood underneath, some with paper tags attached, others simply left in piles. A door stood firmly shut in the very far corner, indicating that the main reception area wasn't the entirety of the building. On the wall directly in front of the entrance stood a large bulletin board, cluttered with randomly pinned notices and memos. A few names of people to watch out for and a guard duty list stood in prominence. Towards the right side of the room, underneath a row of keys hanging on pegs along the stone wall, two desks cluttered with papers could be seen, one occupied by yet another elf garbed in the casual uniform of the Versian force, his pale hair tied at the nape of his neck as he went about his work.

As captives were brought to the desk, the elf often mumbled a quick affirmation, turning his attention to the newcomer. "Now, I need to you to state your name, place of residence, and whether you've ever been in trouble with the law before. Also, I'll need to see your visa." The elf at the desk stared sternly at the captive, assuming they would cooperate.

Original idea and description by GM Charybdis. Edited by AGM Guardian.