The Isles of Strife
Welcome to heaven. Well, my heaven. Probably not yours.
~ Dr. Strife von Stauer ~
House of Insanity
Welcome to the Isles of Strife! Where all your ailments are cured, all your imperfections are fixed, and all the things you generally did not enjoy about yourself are miraculously transformed into that which you do enjoy!
This island, once called Solitary Island, is publicly located within the Silver Piece Collective. It is very well protected from both roaming pirates and monsters under the sea, and the generous doctor who runs the facility is always willing to accept those in need.
All they need do is approach, and they will surely experience the transformation that they deserve.
At least, that is what that doctor wants unsuspecting fools to think. Planes forbid any unfortunate soul that ends up inside those walls, because they surely never come back out. Not as themselves, anyway.
Inside this place, torturous experiments and agonizing mutations are the least painful things that occur.
It was created when Dr. Strife von Stauer, upon helping save the SPC from a terrible disaster, gained the necessary resources as a reward from the four pirate lords. With it, and several ship crews ready to assist him, the desolate sandy beaches of Solitary Island were turned into a mighty stone fortress; no one knows what happened to those crews that helped build the place.
For years after it was finished, nobody dared even go near those high, saltwater-covered walls. Except for daring pirate captains who had a death wish and attempted to raid it. Their names became frightening ghost stories.
The only other people who flocked to this place were the fools who had fallen for its ruse as a hospital. Their punishment: terror and mutilation beyond their wildest nightmares that captured the full breadth of this doctor's insanity.
And there was no chance of escape.
The facility itself is built across various man-made landmasses that rise out of the water like stone pyres. The treacherous waves that crash against them continuously make it a dangerous place for any ship to sail, and for any subject to escape. Not only that, but some of the doctor's... aquatic creations lurk below the waves, preying on the subjects who attempt to make a swim for it, and also destroying the natural economy around the fortress while they do.
The walls of the place itself are long and very tough to scale, though that's not the scariest part about the exterior. That would be the nests of genetically altered harpies who lie in wait high above to dive on anyone who actually make it outside the wall before tearing them to pieces, or worse, bringing them back alive.
Inside, the fortress is an almost endless labyrinth of facilities and hallways. To even make it out, someone must successfully navigate this place to an appropriate point of exit. Various mutants who patrol these halls and have succumb to the doctor's will, obeying him like mindless dogs make that task alone almost impossible.
And nobody wants to know the fate of someone so unlucky as to get caught by the doctor himself.
Perhaps if the waves weren't so violently loud, distant ships might actually hear the screams that erupt from this place.
The Miscreations
The realm of possibility for the doctor's mutagenic research is, quite possibly endless. Each different subject of the doctor's is different in some way, down to the smallest detail. Although, he has developed a few of his favorite kinds over the years, either because of their aesthetic looks or their active use.Naiads
Naiads are aquatic mutations that bear an uncanny resemblance to merfolk. Whoever these people were before, if they had legs, then they certainly don't any longer. The doctor's excruciating amputations saw quite easily to that. A naiad is typically kept inside small pool cages that drift in the sea just below the fortress, where they are released only when the doctor says so. Their skin is colored in the different dark shades of deep sea coral that make them almost impossible to discern from a normal clump of coral. But, the most dangerous part about them, and the doctor's favorite, is the dangerously stretchable tail they possess. When flung, it can reach up to over twenty feet away, and the extremely sharp barb at the end of the tail often hooks onto the target, slowly pulling them in before being torn apart.Flesh Golems
Some of the doctor's creations have taken several... attempts. Most early experiments of his have unfortunately ended in death. But death was not something he was about to let stop him. So he used the corpses, doing everything he could to just make something. What resulted was a terrifyingly large bundle of flesh in a human shape. These flesh golems, easily twice the doctor's size became the staple wardens that wander the halls of the isle, punishing any living thing they find out of a cage. Flesh golems possess incredible fortitude and strength, but the most unique aspect of them are their four arms that each come from a different type of creature, be it a human or a large crab. A very handy trait to have for subduing and clobbering multiple targets at once.Wyvern Harpies
Harpies across the SPC are already well known as the most dangerous predator among the islands. But, those that end up in the hands of the doctor become something even worse. The end result is a monstrosity he calls a wyvern harpy. Wyvern harpies nest in man-made cages high atop the roofs of the fortress spires. Unlike a normal harpy, these harpies have eagle-like talons instead of their usual clawed hands, along with one other thing. Very long and poisonous tails like that of a scorpion. When a wyvern harpy spots escaping subjects - or uninvited prey - it flies into a flurry of rage, slashing and stabbing until its tail's poison ultimately sends the poor soul into a state of paralysis. If a fool gets to this point, their fate is already sealed as the harpies carry the meal up to their nests where the body is feasted upon.If you survive, you become something very glorious for the doctor. If you don't, you become my food. It's a win-win, really.
~ Mathairealga ~
Founding Date
1561 AC
Type
Fortress
Owner
Additional Rulers/Owners
Characters in Location
Living Hell
"Welcome to the Isles of Strife!" The one-legged Fabien gave a nice smile to the young woman that made that announcement, Alga. She was unusually pretty, and held a staff with the head of a lantern like some kind of shepherd. On her back was some sort of book...
But Fabien didn't care! Giddy with excitement, he hobbled out of the rowboat on his crutch as other disfigured people joined him. His foot hit the rock shore as the sun shone across the sky, and he took a moment to gaze upon what was in front of them.
The last time Fabien had seen a castle this magnificent was back in his younger days in Tenelea... when he still had two legs before the War of Turmoil took one of them forever.
The marvelous walls gave him a sense of security, like he had finally found the sanctuary that would take care of him.
And those idiot pirates called this place living hell. Fabien retorted through his thoughts.
Slowly, Fabien noticed clouds start to roll in as it covered the sunlight. They were particularly dark grey, a sure sign that rain was imminent.
"Well, come on! We haven't got all day," Alga seemed to noticed it too as she ushered everyone to follow her, "I can't wait to introduce you to the doctor!"
"I was told he came from da' gods. Is it really true?" An older orc man with a very bad skin condition asked.
"I heard he even commands a ship to sail on its own!" Another woman with a second, smaller head exclaimed.
Alga didn't look back as she marched with everyone up the rocky path toward the main structure. "I will tell you right now. You all are about to learn just how glorious the doctor really is."
Splat. Splat.
A few raindrops began to pat against Fabien's face. In the back of his ear, he heard the distant rumbling of thunder... and a... screech of some kind? When Fabien looked up, he swore he saw some sort of dark shape on top of the roof right as it disappeared.
"How... long will we be getting to stay here?" Fabien asked.
"Oh, as long as you need to." Alga replied. "The doctor is very generous."
There was a resounding sigh of relief among Fabien's group. Moments passed as the rain grew and grew in volume.
Finally, they came to a stop as the looming door of the doctor's fortress stood before everyone.
Ailga didn't even need to knock. With a foreboding low groan, the doors opened as if the fortress itself was expecting them. Just inside, they saw a long well-decorated hallway lined with different lit torches and candles.
"That is the atrium," Alga explained, "you will wait for the doctor in there." As if no one needed any other words, they shuffled inside as every pair of eyes gazed at the architecture standing before them. Fabien was one of them.
When he looked back, Fabien saw Alga stood outside the door still. The sky behind her had now turned a very dark black, only turning blue for an instant as lightning erupted across the sea. A smile was draped across her face as she was slowly starting to close the doors.
"Um, Alga?" Fabien asked, but what he saw next made his mouth drop. Gradually, that beautiful illusory image of Alga faded away. What took her place was a strange lizard on two feet, an evil smile revealing a dangerous set of teeth.
"The doctor will see you now." The lizard said before the doors closed completely.
Then, all the torches and candles flickered out, leaving Fabien in total darkness.
A maniacal laugh rung out across the room. Then, Fabien only heard the screams of everyone around him.
His screams soon joined in.
Pain is one thing I hope to get rid of. When you stop screaming, I'll know the pain is gone.~ Dr. Strife von Stauer
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