The Grand Library of Notitia's Gardens

Outside the library, but behind a huge, protecting wall, are the gardens of Notitia.  The gardens hold exotic plants, animals and statuary. Old trees dot the landscape, herbs from all over the world grow here and there are many small animals and birds that populate the area.  There are a few magical creatures, such as fairy dragons and sprites, but they are in the gardens on their own volition.  If they are harmed, the wrath of the Empire falls upon the violator.   There is a crew of forty that cares for the gardens and animals and live just off site with their families in a small little village against the wall.  They have their own gate to enter and exit through, though it is guarded, day and night.  Each year advisors try to outdo each other and give the emperor a rare and exotic gift of a plant or animal.  It's getting harder, but the Emperor loves the competition.

Tunnels of Carown Part VII

The tunnel continues on until if opens up into a small room that has been carved out of the tunnel.  Three more tunnels branch off from this small room of about thirty by thirty feet, all of the tunnels go down, the one straight across the steepest.  The room has old mosaics of monsters and knights with sconces that are empty on the walls.  The floor is smooth, but nothing else seems to be in this room.

There is a falling ceiling trap if the center tile is stepped on, but other then that, the room is empty.  The mosaics are of monsters usually found underground and were put there by an order of Knights who fought to keep the monsters of the depths at bay.

Tunnels of Carown Part VI

After the bat cavern, is a long stretch of winding tunnel. The walls in this area are smooth in spots and rough in others.  The height varies from further then a person can reach up and touch to a low height that some humans would have to stoop.  There are some bats in here, but not many.  It winds back and forth, always going downward.  Water flows here and there, moss growing randomly along the walls and floor. The only tricky part is a few pit traps that may or may not actually work.  (25% fail rate of the traps.)  These are 30 foot pits and of the three only one has spikes at the bottom.  The DC on these should be moderate for the first, easy for the second two.

Thornside

Thornside, being a caravan route village, is set up to supply caravans and travelers.  There are two inns, a supply store, a farrier, a horse trader and a blacksmith.  And there is little else other then houses for the people who work and live there.  The inns always have heavy busy in the trading season, though the winter is slow, since it sits on the road between Merryweather and Greenthorne.  There is the Lucky Rock and the Dandy Lion, each having a tap room, ten rooms and stables.  Most people who clean the rooms or work at the stables, also have nearby farms and just use the coin they get for buying items they can make.  The supply store is a little expensive, but not overly so since the village is only a week out of either House.  The farrier, John Strongbear, works when ever he is needed, whether day or night and the blacksmith's forge is always going during the summers for those needed repairs.

Most of the local population is human or half-elf, though a few dwarves live nearby as they search for ore.  The village has had issues with wolves and ogres, but lately one of the ruins of a village long overgrown has been spawning tales of undead.