Below is a virtual tour of the abode of Clan Tharkold, conducted by myself (Devin) so that you can see the layout, and what we have to offer to potential recruits or allied Clans.

abode You make the quick and pleasant journey to the abode of Clan Tharkold. Portal to the Tharkoldu Homeworld You feel your body become discorporeal and your stomach churns as you experience a wrenching vertigo. Lasting only a brief moment, you look around, surprised that you are not where you remember... this doesn't even look like Astaria, or at least not like the Astaria that you know... Stepping from the ~rift, you find yourself standing in a vast open clearing at the base of a ~cliff. Surrounding the immediate area is a large stone ~wall on three sides, connecting to the cliff, making it the back of the fortress. Several large stone buildings carved from the rock are nearby as well. Looking up into the ~sky confirms your fears that you are no longer in the realm known as Astaria. In the distance, you can barely make out a large number of some sort of winged ~creatures soaring gracefully towards you, accompanied by a terrifying wail, filling your soul with dread. You look around desperately for shelter from the impending onslaught... Obvious exits are north, out, and east. Devin says, "This is the entrance to the Tharkoldu homeworld, where we make our stand against the cyberdemons." l rift This glowing blue portal serves as the travel point between Astaria and Tharkold. It is about 6' tall and inset in a large grey stone lying at about a 45-degree angle. Surrounding the portal are a series of smaller stones arranged in a circle at the base of it with strange runes and sigils carved upon them. The markings glow with a faint purple light. l cliff Looking up above the fortress, the cliff rises out of sight. The fortress is situated at the base of it, in it's protective shadow. There is a large wall attached at two different points to the cliff, and a tunnel opening leads into the depths carved underneath it. l wall Connected at both back ends to the cliff base is a 30' high stone wall that serves to protect the fortress from any outside forces that may threaten it... Of course, this doesn't apply to the creatures bearing down on you from the sky, though... l sky Looking up into the sky, you are stunned by the harsh beauty of it. Large rolling purple masses like clouds undulate above, no sun is visable, yet there is a strange glow coming from all around you, as if the very air gives off light. Every so often you can see flashes of lightning reflect off of the purple masses, a truly stunning sight. l creatures Even though the creatures are some distance away, you are able to make out that they are humanoid with huge wings on their backs. A glint shining off of their bodies implies that they may be fully armored, but how can something in full body armor fly thru the air with such grace, agility and speed? The creatures are rapidly approaching you, and you feel that you had better get to safety fast, or suffer the consequences of your inaction.... east Entrance to the Armory You enter a small bunker inset into the cliff wall. This building is just one stone room with no other exits. There is a rather large ~grate inset in the center of the floor. Obvious exits are west and down. Devin says, "Here is the entrance to the armory, where we store all of the Clan owned items." l grate The grate is roughly five feet square, made of the same crimson veined metal as the portcullis into the abode proper. Securely locked, it must protect something rather valuable indeed. down Tharkoldu Armory Entering the underground cavern, you look around in awe. Leading off in all directions are short passages to larger caverns where you can see a myriad of stored equipment. To the west you see weapons of mass destruction. To the north, you see protective suits of armor and robes. To the east, you see cloaks and rings on shelves. South are large numbers of potions, horns, herbs and other miscelaneous healing items. Obvious exits are up, west, north, south, down, and east. Devin says, "We currently have 16 closets to store items in, 15 of them are down here and one is upstairs in the Meeting Hall. We add more as we need them. There are plans right now to eventually have 18 closets total." "To the north are five closets to hold all manner of armor and protective items. To the west are two closets for weapons. To the east are two closets for stones and misc gear. To the south are six closets for potions and healing items. As needed, we designate one or more closets to hold pkill toys." "The closets are always very well stocked with the best equipment for all clan members. We make it a point to get enough equipment for the clan so that if we all are on at the same time, no one has to go without." "We enhance all the equipment as soon as is feasable after a reboot, providing our members with the best tools to achieve their personal goals in Astaria." down Entrance to the Training Facility You set foot onto the steps and are surprised that they move of their own volition. A short wait puts you down into a bright corridor in the basement of the Armory. The walls and floor are all made of a light metal, yet as you walk your footsteps make no sounds. There are two doorways here, one to the north and one to the west. There's a sign above the north doorway that reads "Holo- deck" and a sign above the west doorway reading "Living quarters" Obvious exits are up and north. Devin says, "This area here is still under construction." "To the north is a holodeck, used for combat training or just to goof around in." "Eventually to the west will go clan member housing, where each member can design his or her own private quarters inside the safety of the clan abode." "Now on to the abode proper." up Tharkoldu Armory Obvious exits are up, west, north, south, down, and east. up Entrance to the Armory Obvious exits are west and down. west Portal to the Tharkoldu Homeworld Obvious exits are north, out, and east. Zooey, Sorceress of the First Circle Devin waves. Devin says, "Hi Zooey" north Entrance to the Stronghold Making your way into the opening into the cliff, you find yourself in a large man-made cavern cut into the rock. Leading to the north is a smooth passageway leading to the stronghold proper. In front of the passageway is a huge ~portcullis barring entrance. Also, to the side of the room, is a small ~pedastal with a gold ~plaque on it. Obvious exits are south and north. l plaque Clan Tharkold Formed on 1 Tarsakh, 164 Founding members - Devin, Miriam and Byron Dedicated to the protection of Astaria from the Tharkoldu host of demons Zooey enters. Devin hugs Zooey. l pedastal Over to the left side of the cavern, you notice a large stone pedastal standing against the wall. Ornately carved, it stands roughly four feet tall. The top is angled somewhat, and there is a ~plaque attached to the face. Perhaps you should look at it. Zooey smiles. l portcullis This huge gate bars entry into the stronghold of the Tharkoldu demon slayers. Looking closely at it, it is made of some sort of bluish-black metal that has veins of crimson running along the surface. The veins seem to pulse faintly, giving the impression that the metal is alive somehow. Devin says, "As you can see, the portcullis is designed to keep out all manner of creatures. So far, it has been successful." Zooey nods. north Tharkoldu Stronghold-Main Hall Looking all around you, you are in awe at the immenseness of the room that you are in. It stretches out of sight above you. A faint purplish glow comes from somewhere, yet you see no light source. There is a large stone staircase that spirials up around the walls to the upper reaches. Many caverns can be seen up above leading off to the various offices, training rooms and meeting halls that make up this impressive facility. Obvious exits are south and up. up Tharkoldu Stronghold-Main Staircase You are standing on the second level of the staircase. There are exits around you leading to the meeting areas and libraries. You can continue your climb up to visit the offices of the clan members. Obvious exits are west, south, up, north, down, and east. Zooey enters. Zooey says, "Oh no, is this logged?" Devin smiles. Zooey blushes. ::: Zooey waves to the camera ::: Zooey leaves up. Devin says, "This is the first floor of the guild administration, housing the library and meeting hall." west Tharkoldu Library Entering the well lit library, you are stunned by the immense amount of stored knowledge in this Clan. Looking closer, you see that the bulk of this information is reference material on the Tharkoldu Cyberdemons, their lifestyle, history, motives and most importantly, their combat tactics. In the middle of the room is a large table with several books laid out neatly on it's surface. You notice the title of the first one... ~History. Obvious exits are north and east. Devin says, "The library contains written documentation of the clan history, which you can also find on the history part of this page." north Hall of Tribute Looking around this spacious room, you get the feeling of peace and contentment emanating from the very walls. The purpose of this hall is to pay homage or tribute to anything the Tharkoldu clan members desire, be it mud related or irl related. There are many small ~alcoves spaced evenly around the room. The only obvious exit is south. Devin says, "This is a special room i added recently." "It is for anything the clan members want to put in here, be it mud related or irl." "I got the inspiration to do this because so many players simply see the mud and people in the mud as things. We all are real people with real hopes and dreams." "Irl, my grandmother passed away last month, and i made a tribute to her in this room." l alcoves The alcoves are cut into the walls of the hall. Each member can add an alcove as they see fit. To look at a specific member's tribute, simply look at that particular member's alcove... for example, to look at Devin's tribute, type look devins alcove (no hyphen on the name devins) l devins alcove Inside this small alcove is simply a tiny mahogany desk, upon which rests a ~picture framed in a simple silver frame, carved in the shape of flowers. On the table in front of the picture is a small ~plaque. l picture Set in the silver frame is a picture of an elderly lady with a smile on her face. Her smile looks like it belongs on her face, and the face would be incomplete without it. Her eyes are of a sparkling light blue that shines and smiles at you. She is wearing a simple brown dress and a wide brimmed straw hat with a red sash tied above the brim, and a little gold angel pin stuck in the middle of the sash. Luella Loraine Carlin Mosier, Devin's paternal Grandmother June 29, 1916 - April 26, 1998 I love you, Mei Mei l plaque If you walked in now, I wouldn't start, I wouldn't frown. And if you just appeared, I wouldn't cry or think it weird, cause you are still around. You're in the air, you're in the ground, and you can't go away. I am afraid you're here to stay. He says he hears your voice. Of course he does, he has no choice. I was hours ahead when they removed you from your bed. They drank all the while, until you said goodbye. Healthy in my dreams is what you are, is what it seems. What does it all mean? You're only hiding behind a screen. Banish all the pain, cause when I die, I'll see you again. Devin says, "On to the rest of the abode." south Tharkoldu Library Obvious exits are north and east. east Tharkoldu Stronghold-Main Staircase Obvious exits are west, south, up, north, down, and east. south Tharkoldu Communications Center This room houses a bank of large ~monitors on one wall with a large ~podium set into the middle of the floor. The purpose of this chamber is for the clan members to communicate with each other at all times. The only obvious exit is north. Tharkold Communications Center [21 notes] Devin says, "This is our board room, where members can post messages to each other." l monitors Lining one wall is a large bank of monitors stretching from floor to ceiling. Upon them you see various messages left by the clan members for all to read, communicating items of importance to each other. l podium Sitting in the center of the floor is a large red veined podium with a small touch pad and jack link inset on the surface. Members activate the message center by the touch pad and then uplink any messages they want to leave by jacking in to the link set on the podium. north Tharkoldu Stronghold-Main Staircase Obvious exits are west, south, up, north, down, and east. north Tharkold Induction Hall This room serves as Clan Tharkold's Induction Hall. Here, new initiates are welcomed into our fold. One can see how a new member would be quite overwhelmed with the decorum of this room. A high arched ceiling opens the room to any noise, making it bounce and echo off of the deep mahogany ~paneling that covers the walls. As you walk thru the hall, you hear your footsteps even, as you lightly pad into the room. Veiny rose marble ~columns tower above you and match the cold floor. Even the light seems to be muted in here, subdued by the heavy red and purple curtains that cover the barred windows. One band of light peeks through and falls on the marble ~table and the ~statue that stands in the center of the room. The only obvious exit is south. Devin says, "Here is an induction hall for recruits to be welcomed into the clan with ceremony." l paneling Elaborate designs are carved into rich wood paneling. You marvel at the craftsmanship as you see the designs depict the history of Clan Tharkold, starting with the first sights of the Demonic home world as seen by Devin, Byron and Miriam, to the defeat of the mighty Thratchen. l columns Small demons are carved into the surface of the veiny marble columns. They seem to be shrieking from an unknown force as if they were trapped inside this stone indefinately. l table This marble table is covered in cloths bearing the insignia of Clan Tharkold. This is where the Overlord presides over the induction ceremony. l statue The statue is made of copper, aged the green shade of petina. It is of a serpent with ruby eyes entwined around a winged creature. It sits on a wide base, and your eyes can make out a small keyhole at the rim. You assume this base must be the holding place for the serpent rings so highly prized and adorned by the members of Clan Tharkold. south Tharkoldu Stronghold-Main Staircase Obvious exits are west, south, up, north, down, and east. east Walking into this room, you are stunned at the immensity of it immediately. Stretching almost 50 yards from end to end, this room houses the meeting hall of Clan Tharkold. Making your way slowly into the room, you hear your footsteps echo slightly off of the hard wood floors, made rather loud by the sheer size of the hall. In the center of the room is a huge oaken ~table surrounded by numerous ~chairs. Inset on the table is a truly impressive ~map of the Tharkoldu, Orrorsh and Astarian realms. Set at the far end of the hall are two ~flags flanking a ~lecturn. Adorning both the left and right walls are large, intricately woven ~tapestries, depicting various events in the Clan's history. Set apart in a small ~alcove is a single closet, containing a single suit of armor made of Dragonscale. The only obvious exit is west. A small storage closet Devin says, "This is our meeting hall, where we discuss anything from potential members to tactics in our contuining war." "Notice the closet in this room. It was put in here originally to hold two complete sets of Dragonscale armor." l table Truly the centerpiece of the meeting hall, the table is a huge circular design, with the center cut out so that a speaker can be seen easily by all. It is made of what looks to be a single piece of cherry-colored mahogony, matching the chairs design. l chairs The chairs surrounding the meeting table are large comfortible ones so that the members can discuss plans and tactics for hours in comfort. They have large cushions on the seats and backs, lined with crimson dyed leather. The chairs are intricately carved with roses. l map Inset on the surface of the table are three maps of the realms Tharkold, Orrorsh and Astaria. The maps are incredibly intricate and detailed, showing known "hot spots" on each. The various landscapes are made from many precious gems, gold and platinum, truly a sickening display of wealth. l lecturn The lecturn is made from a strange white marble veined with crimson lines that seem to pulse with a life of their own. It faces the meeting table so that whomever is speaking from it has the attention of the entire room. l flags Flanking the lecturn on both sides are two large flags set on silver poles carved into the shapes of demonic figures. The flag on the left is the standard of the King and Queen of Astaria. The flag on the right is the standard of the Clan, a dark serpent with emerald eyes encircling a winged dragon. l tapestries The tapestries lining the walls of the hall are intricately woven of the finest materials available. They are easily 25 yards long by 10 feet high each. Depicted upon the tapestries are events in the history of the clan, from Devin setting foot in the portal for the first time, to the battle where Thratchen was defeated... the changing of Devin to the lich he has become, to the huge confrontation at the abode entrance with the undead army. l alcove This alcove is set to one side of the immense hall. It contains a standing set of armor made from the fabled Dragonscale, making this the strongest set of armor in the known realms. west Tharkoldu Stronghold-Main Staircase Obvious exits are west, south, up, north, down, and east. up Sub-Chieftain's Offices Around you are the offices of the Sub-Chieftains of Clan Tharkold. These halls are where they conduct their business of assisting the administration of the Clan duties. Looking up, you can see more offices in the dim light. Obvious exits are up, north, and down. Devin says, "Ok. Here we have the first level of our clan offices. Each member from sub chief up gets an office of their own to describe however they want." "This level is for the Sub-Chieftains." up Chieftain's Offices This level is for the offices of the most trusted of the Clan leaders... the Chieftains. They assist the rule of Tharkold from these rooms, and act as the Generals in the ongoing war against the Tharkoldu Cyberdemons. Obvious exits are up, north, and down. Devin says, "This level is for the Chieftains." up Overlord Devin's Office Entering the office, you are stunned at the immediate darkness that surrounds you. Turning around swiftly, you can not see the door that you came in from. It's as if the darkness swallowed it completely. You stand still for a moment, trying to gather your bearings, and you can barely make out a faint whispering coming from the stillness. It seems to be emanating from the darkness, as if it is some sort of living entity communicating with you! You start making your way slowly, clumsily, into the room, and after a few steps, you can see, somewhat, although it is still black as midnight without a moon. Several chairs adorn the room, and towards the back is a huge black oak ~desk. The only other feature is a large ~pedastal in the far corner, on which stands a huge ~statue, staring out into the living darkness, looking like it owns the shadows which surround it. The only obvious exit is down. Devin says, "And here is my personal office." "As you can see, the defeated Thratchen is in here." l statue You gaze up in awe at the statue, which, at closer inspection you see is actually a preserved corpse! It looks to be a demon of sorts. It stands well over 9 feet tall. Some of it's body is made from metal, some from flesh. One of it's eyes is covered with a softly glowing red crystal embedded into the skull. It's right arm is sheathed in metal with huge 8 inch claws protruding from the top of the knuckles. Both of it's legs are metal also. At it's left hip is a huge crossbow-looking weapon, yet it has no drawstring. You wonder how something so utterly primal and obviously powerful was ever brought down. l pedastal The pedastal on which stands the figure is made of what looks like marble, yet the colors are unlike any you have seen on a natural stone. It's a dark blue color with crimson veins running thru it. The veins glow somewhat and seem to move, implying the stone is somehow alive. You feel a great power coming from it, as the air surrounding it seems to be charged with electricity. There is a small bronze ~plaque affixed to the front of the base. l plaque Thratchen, Highlord of the Tharkoldu Cyberdemons Defeated on this spot on 1 Tarsakh, 164 by Devin, Miriam and Byron Devin says, "Since Devin has been changed, he has started collecting souls, much to the dismay of his fellow clan members. He still has some control over the evil within him... So far..." listen You listen carefully. As you listen closely, you hear whispers coming from everywhere at once, different voices, whispering the same words slightly off from each other... chilling you to your soul... "Dealing out the agony within, charging hard and no one's gonna give in. Living on your knees, conformity, or dying on your feet for honesty. Fuck it all and fucking no regrets! Never happy endings on these dark sets. Blood follows blood and we make sure life isn't for you and we're the cure. We chew you up and spit you out. We laugh, you scream and shout. All flee, with fear you run. You'll know just where we come from. Dying time is here." Devin says, "The abode is always growing. If a member has an idea about a room, we implement it. Members submit room descriptions also. We don't leave it up to the Overlord and Chieftain to do it solely." "Feel free to contact any of the clan members if you have any questions about anything our clan is or does, or if you need help with something." "That concludes the tour of the abode. On behalf of Clan Tharkold, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read it."

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