Rauthrbak Min (r̝au-ðr-bak mín)

Nestled high amidst the Halvmane Mountains of the Okse Dominion, Rauthrbak Min (Redback Mine) stands as a chilling testament to the depths of human cruelty and suffering. This colossal prison, an imposing dark stone tower bound in the embrace of an unforgiving mountain face, serves as a grim reminder of the raw power that unchecked authority can wield.

Beyond the visible torment, a hidden and insidious force lurks in the darkest corners, a fledgling cult that holds knowledge of The Seven - a revelation that defies the boundaries of known evil.

The Tower of Despair

Rauthrbak Min's architecture is haunting in its simplicity, extending far beyond the tower's surface. The massive, slightly tapered square stone tower stands as a sentinel, an austere brutalist design that casts its oppressive shadow across the mountain expanse. Torn black flags and tattered remnants sway like mournful apparitions.
But the tower is but a mere fragment of the prison's sprawling design. Within the mountain's heart, the true depths of despair unfold. The stone structure transforms into a complex labyrinth of mines and caverns that burrow into the mountain's core. These subterranean catacombs, propped by ancient wooden beams that creak and moan under the weight of torment, house the wretched inmates. Chains of various sizes crisscross the ceilings like an iron web, simultaneously binding and constraining hope.
The prison's interior melds craftsmanship with crude industry. Rusty chains looped through simple pulleys form an intricate network, both a lifeline for survival and a conveyor of suffering. These machines, cogs gnashing and gears grinding, tirelessly move prisoners and raw materials alike. The clank and groan of metal blend with the heart-rending wails of the damned, harmonising into a discordant symphony that reverberates within the mountain's bowels.

A Glimpse into Hell

Tiny perforations pepper a broad section of the tower's face, like the tiny eyes of a monstrous entity. These windows provide a glimpse into the abyss, revealing cells clinging to the outer surface, fully exposed to the elements. The prisoners confined within these cells, subjected to the harshest of conditions, endure a punishment that goes beyond their crimes. The raging blizzards and biting cold are just another extension of the cruel and unrelenting methods and tools the wardens utilise, serving as both captors and executioners.

When the wind howls through the Halvmane Mountains, it's said to carry with it the anguished cries of the imprisoned. This eerie tale lends an unsettling aura to the prison, serving as a constant reminder of the suffering within.

The Fire of Desolation

The prison's underground forge is a place of misery where inmates are forced to toil day and night. The clang of metal on metal reverberates, intermingling with the cries of pain, creating an infernal symphony of suffering.

The Unseen Archive

Concealed within a locked room, the prison's archive holds records of every soul that has passed through its gates. These records contain tales of despair, hope, and anguish, serving as a testament to the lives devoured by the prison.

The Abyssal Well

Hidden in a chamber under the mountain, the Abyssal Well is a black, seemingly bottomless pit. Inmates are occasionally dropped into this abyss as an ultimate form of punishment, disappearing into the void forever.

Punishment Beyond the Grave

Strung up on chains and pulleys, the bodies of the fallen serve as grotesque decorations, a macabre reminder of the consequences of rebellion. Withered corpses sway in hanging cages, their tortured souls suspended in a morbid dance of death for far longer than they should be. The numerous tables that have witnessed countless horrors bear the scars of mutilations and savagery, blood and agony etched into the very stone.

Escape: A Fool's Errand

Within the iron embrace of Rauthrbak Min's despair, the dream of escape becomes an insatiable hunger. Innumerable souls have have mustered the courage to defy their destiny, only to be devoured by the icy wasteland outside or get lost in the labyrinthine tunnels. The harsh mountain landscape, with its craggy, unforgiving mountain expanse, its jagged ridges, icy crevasses and merciless blizzards, coupled with the vigilant sentinels who never waver, conspiring to smother any spark of hope with calculated precision, ensuring that every ember is crushed before it ignites.

Stories speak of secret passages and hidden tunnels that wind through the stone of Rauthrbak Min, allowing daring prisoners a chance at evading their captors. These shadowy paths are perilous and labyrinthine, promising freedom at the cost of sanity and life.

Content warning(s):

Graphic content, reference to: torture, assault

by Midjourney

Type

Prison

Security Class

Maximum, mixed gender

Location

Halvmane Mountains

Estimated number of souls within

6,270

Govenor

Vrangr Bláskegg

The Tormentors and Their Masters

Within Rauthrbak Min, the guardians are not simply jailers, but sadists and psychopaths who thrive on others' suffering. These inhuman wardens, empowered by the prison's remote location and lawless environment, wield their authority with ruthless brutality. Their methods are as varied as they are horrifying - from physical lashings and beatings to psychological manipulation that fractures even the strongest minds. The guards' lawlessness mirrors the very environment they inhabit, as they indulge in unspeakable acts of violence and degradation.
Within the shadows of Rauthrbak Min, an unspoken and though not nameless cult wields a sinister influence over the prison's guardians. This cult's dark purpose is to perpetuate suffering and amplify cruelty, manipulating both wardens and officials to perpetrate new and greater acts of brutality. Their knowledge of The Seven, encompassing all seven nadirs of sin, defies common understanding - a depth of awareness that grants them an unprecedented power over the human spirit.

Bloodwardens: Guardians of Terror

At the heart of this malevolent realm, a twisted hierarchy takes shape. Among the inmates, a select breed of the most violent and ruthless criminals have been chosen to act as enforcers - the Bloodwardens. Marked by their black dilapidated robes, the Bloodwardens are unleashed upon their fellow prisoners, their brutal prowess elevated to new heights. Their loyalty is secured through the promise of power and a twisted form of freedom, as they become the feared guardians of Rauthrbak Min, enforcing the prison's reign of terror with a sadistic glee.

A Legacy of Fear and The Cult's Agenda

Rauthrbak Min's name is synonymous with dread and horror, whispered in hushed tones among those who know of its existence. Its reputation as a pit of despair transcends its imposing walls, instilling fear in the hearts of even the most hardened criminals. The Okse Dominion, whether out of convenience or fear, allows this den of cruelty to persist, unknowingly fueling the hidden machinations of the cult that serves The Seven - The Heptad Synod, orchestrating a symphony of suffering.

Cursed Artefacts

Some prisoners are driven to madness by a collection of cursed artefacts rumoured to be scattered within the prison. These artefacts grant dark powers in exchange for a prisoner's humanity, exacerbating the already dire situation.
The Heptad Synod know of these artefacts all too well, for they are idols of the Nadirs.

Construction of a Monolith

Rauthrbak Min, a monument to cruelty, bears a history woven from the threads of an old ruler's madness and tyranny. The very stone it's built upon seems tainted by their dark ambitions, as construction began under her command.
Once, simply a Karl’s daughter, Ylva Asmundottir‘s path to power began in the shadows, where her ambition simmered like a relentless storm. Her ascent was marked by manipulation, betrayal, and unapologetic brutality. As her influence grew, so too did the chilling whispers of her ruthlessness, and tales of her heart being black as pitch spread across the land until she was dubbed, Svartrhjarta.
Her thirst for control knew no bounds, and her reign was punctuated by merciless campaigns and unforgiving decrees. It was during her rule that the edifice of Rauthrbak Min was crafted, each stone a testament to her cold-hearted dominion.
As years passed, Svartrhjarta’s infamy grew, but her fate was sealed in the same darkness that birthed her. A violent uprising, fueled by the oppressed, rose against her iron rule. In a final, desperate act, Svartrhjarta faced her end within the very prison she had conceived. Her demise marked not just the fall of a tyrant, but the beginning of a new era for the Okse Dominion.
Even with Svartrhjarta’s demise, across generations the prison grew like a malignant organism, its architecture becoming more sophisticated with each ruler who embraced its sadistic legacy. The tower's sombre flags, tattered like the sanity of its creator, fluttered in the wind, whispering secrets of agony and despair. Beneath its surface, subterranean mines, caverns, and warehouses absorbed the wails of countless souls, each chain link and pulley a testament to the Svartrhjarta’s malevolence.
Today, Rauthrbak Min stands as a sombre relic, its walls a canvas painted with generations of suffering. Kóngr Erlend Nautleif and Dróttning Signy Gunnvidottir rule with the weight of history pressing down, the prison's legacy a constant reminder of the depths to which power can descend. And yet it remains active, a necessary evil to maintin control over such a dangerous populace. Or, is it simply fear of change and an uncertainty of what will happen should such dangerous people no longer be contained?