1. The Main gate: The outer wall of the castle is beautifuly built, with bright green moss growing from between it's cracks and down it's bricks. The surrounding moat is a beautiful deep alluring blue. But, people tend not to get too close to it, as the bottom cannot be seen and as one stares into it's depths, they get the feeling that something is looking back at them, some unseen horror, just waiting for the chance to pull them down into a watery grave. The entrance is protected by a massive iron gate with the Icewolf coat of arms up above it... A rampant Blue wolf surrounded by three red paws. the gate can only be opened from the other side and one needs the permission from the guards on the rampart above (6.) in order to enter. Despite this, the castle also serves as a big tourist attraction for Icewolves from the other domains, with many wonders inside, and many people come from all over the realm of Avnov to see it, especially after the Full Moon Festival, to take part in the Lover's Ball, and to attend the Annual Festival of fallen Shadows.
2. The Front Courtyard: Through the main gate, there is a path of quarry rock that travels through the front courtyard and a simple garden. Lined with blue rose bushes and other shrubbery, the road leads to a cross road with the northern and southern paths branching off into the two sides of the hedge maze. (3&4) Just past the crossroads, stand two towering statues. One on each side of the western path. On the left is a mighty Lycan warrior... A savage barbarian, poorly clad with long flowing hair. He holds a great sword up in opposition of the other statue, across from him... A great and terrible flaming bat'-like creature with horns and a barbed dragon-like tail. Fire is about it's hands and feet, and a cloud of smoke is over it's head... It's left hand reaching out, threatening to burn the warrior. Every Icewolf knows that the warrior is the legendary "Ulfris". The ancient father of all Icewolves and the most revered hero in all Icewolf history. He is the closest thing the Icewolves have to a god. A selfless leader that all Icewolves aspire to be like. No Icewolf would ever tolerate the defilement of his memory. Every Icewolf also knows that the creature Ulfris is fighting is the powerful "King of all Vampires". The "Great Evil" who was thought to be invincible... The dreaded "Dark Lord, Tyrius" These statues serve as memory of the greatest battle in all Icewolf legend, for it was this very fight that gave birth to the entire Icewolf clan. Beyond the statues, the path forks and also branching off into the two sides of the hedge maze.
3&4. The Hedge Maze The hedge maze was grown as a another of the castle's defenses against sieges. It has been enchanted to be immune to blade, bone, and fire, alike; rendering the hedges to be virtually indestructible and impassible. The only apparent way to reach the font door of the castle, is to make one's way through the maze. The guards on the surrounding ramparts (6-11) can see all that goes on in the maze and the front courtyard, as well as the front door to the castle. But they are too far for their voices to carry, except for those with canine hearing, or greater. The hedges also can tell the difference between a visitor and an intruder and will move, opening new paths and sealing off old ones, either trapping the enemy, or leading them back to the beginning. This makes it very easy to get lost in the maze, if not trusted, but the maze has many fountains placed through out it, which feed streams that line it's paths to supply both the hedges and travelers with water.
5. The Warg's Den On the west side of the hedge maze, the north and south ends each have an archway that lead under the north and south western ramparts (10&11) and into floor-less chambers with exits on the side that slope down to a tunnel connecting the two chambers, with a third chamber off to the western side of the middle of the tunnel. Vicious Wargs live here, and they guard the entrances fiercely. The southern chamber has a pool-like fountain that supplies the water that the Wargs drink; the northern chamber is littered with mangled and broken old bones indicting it to be ether their "dining room", or where they toss the remains of their prey, once they finish feeding; and the central chamber has a deep musky canine smell, indicating that this is the main chamber where the Wargs all sleep. The central chamber is also the only place where juveniles, pups, and nursing mothers can be found. All who venture through the hedge maze must get these creature's consent and be allowed to pass through their domain, in order to exit the maze. Only then, will the hedges open up and allow travelers to reach the front door.
12. The Front Doors: past the hedge maze is a small area inclosed between it and the front of the castle. A short rock quarry road leads from a hedge wall dead end at the east, westward to the the front steps, archway, and the front doors shortly beyond. there is an amber window on each side of the front wall, near the hedge maze an a guard posted on each side of the steps. The front doors lead into the castle ballroom.
( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=24689219 )
11. The Front Courtyard's South West Rampart: The rampart extends out over the drinking chamber of the Warg's Den. The floor of the rampart atop the chamber's walls is over grown with heavy patches of moss that blanket the area like ragged green carpet, rendering the hard stone floor quite soft to walk on. Guards are posted here to monitor the hedge maze and to call down to alert the Wargs below, if a traveler is nearing their den. There is an isle to the north, that leads to the Western Rampart of the front courtyard, and another isle to the south that leads into the south rampart of the front courtyard. The isle also branches off west along the side of the castle, leading to an end the split's north into the castle
( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=24689219 ), and south into the South East Tower.( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24692535#372037203 )
10. The Front Courtyard's North West Rampart: The rampart extends out over the bone room of the Warg's Den. The floor of the rampart atop the chamber's walls is over grown with heavy patches of moss that blanket the area like ragged green carpet, rendering the hard stone floor quite soft to walk on. Guards are posted here to monitor the hedge maze and to call down to alert the Wargs below, if a traveler is nearing their den. There is an isle to the south, that leads to the Western Rampart of the front courtyard, and another isle to the north that leads into the north rampart of the front courtyard. The isle also branches off west along the side of the castle, leading to an end the split's south into the castle
( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=24689219 ), and north into the North East Tower. ( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24690623#372002743 )
9. The Front Courtyard's Western Rampart: The rampart extends out over the front doors archway. The floor of the rampart is over grown with heavy patches of moss that blanket the area like ragged green carpet, rendering the hard stone floor quite soft to walk on. Guards are posted here to basically act as door men, greeting visitors from above as they enter.There is an isle to the south, that leads to the south western Rampart of the front courtyard, and another isle to the north that leads into the north west rampart of the front courtyard. These two isles are the only ways in and out of the area. On the western wall, are four Gargoyles that sit between decorative pillars. They have bodies like brydwolves, but with bat-like wings, horns, and barbed tails.
8. The Front Courtyard's Southern Rampart: The rampart borders the south side of the hedge maze and provides a view of two trees, several fountains, and Two small patches of plants to the north, inside the maze; and the quadrupedal combat training grounds to the south. The floor of the rampart is over grown with heavy patches of moss that blanket the area like ragged green carpet, rendering the hard stone floor quite soft to walk on. Guards are posted here to monitor the hedge maze to the north and the quadrupedal combat training grounds to the south.
( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24692535#372037203 )
The western end of the rampart turns north and meets with the isle between it, and the south west rampart of the front coutyard, which leads west and then splits to the north into the castle ballroom
( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=24689219 ) and south into the South East Tower.( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24692535#372037203 )
The eastern end of the rampart splits off to the south and the rampart of the south east outer wall ( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24692535#372037203 ) and to the north and the rampart of the east wall. At the intersection on the eastern end is a watch tower that has been built up around a tall tree, at which snipers are assigned, waiting in their branches to hail piercing sharp icicles down an any who dare to attack the castle.
7. The Front Courtyard's Northern Rampart: The rampart borders the north side of the hedge maze and provides a view of two trees, several fountains, a spring, and one small patch and one large patch of plants to the south, inside the maze; and the bipedal combat training grounds to the north.
The floor of the rampart is over grown with heavy patches of moss that blanket the area like ragged green carpet, rendering the hard stone floor quite soft to walk on. Guards are posted here to monitor the hedge maze to the south and the bipedal combat training grounds to the north.( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24690623#372002743 )
The western end of the rampart turns north and meets with the isle between it, and the north west rampart of the front courtyard, which leads west and then splits to the south into the castle ballroom( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=24689219 ) and north into the North East Tower.( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24690623#372002743 )
The eastern end of the rampart splits off to the north and the rampart of the north east outer wall( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24690623#372002743 ) and to the south and the rampart of the east wall. At the intersection on the eastern end is a watch tower that has been built up around a tall tree, at which snipers are assigned, waiting in their branches to hail piercing sharp icicles down an any who dare to attack the castle.
6. The Eastern Wall: The rampart borders the front of the hedge maze and provides an excellent view of the rose garden to the west and the statues of Ulfris and Tyrius beyond. Though it is not the job of the guards posted on the ramparts up here to watch this, when they do happen to see it, at a glance, or during their lunch breaks, the sight inspires them and reminds them of their importance, as sons and daughters of the mighty hero. The floor of the rampart is over grown with heavy patches of moss that blanket the area like ragged green carpet, rendering the hard stone floor quite soft to walk on. It is the job of the guards posted up here, to monitor the front gate and to tell the guards posted at the gate it's self, behind the wall, when to open it. The gate is extremely heavy and as a defense against invaders, uses no crank or mechanism. But, instead two massive chains that have to be pulled back, to lift the gate. It takes the entire guard down here, five for each chain, a total of ten Elderwolves, The strongest level of Werewolf, to lift it. They may be old, but each one has the individual strength to single handedly topple one of their watch towers.
The wall itself is lined with eight such watch towers. Each one a sturdy tower on the wall that has been built up around a tall tree, at which snipers are assigned, waiting in their branches to hail piercing sharp icicles down on any who dare to attack the castle. The eastern wall turns and winds back and forth, making it's way to the north and south ramparts of the front courtyard, with a pair of it's watch towers on it's extended corners on each side of the bridge that crosses the moat, another watch tower on each midway to the north and south ramparts of the front courtyard, and the last two watchtowers are right where the eastern wall meets with the walls of the north and south ramparts of the front courtyard. The intersections where the Eastern Wall meets with the north and south ramparts of the front courtyard are also where the North East Wall and the South East Wall begin.
( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24690623#372002743 ) (north)
( http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?page=1&t=24692535#372037203 ) (south)
Except for in the event of a siege, no interaction is made between the individual ramparts, except by courier, as to do otherwise would be to put up with a lot of bothersome shouting or howling.
