The Gardens of Raven Tower

Raven Tower, although it sits at the top of a high point of land, is surrounded by a pleasing series of gardens. The daemon workers excel at producing just the right mix of plantings to produce an atmosphere conducive to relaxation, seclusion, diversion, and whatever other mood may take you.

A cobblestone plaza stands before the ground floor doors of the Tower. In the center of this plaza stands a fountain, which burbles happily in the daylight and shimmers within hidden lights at night.

If you were to walk away from the doors and turn left, you would find yourself in a grassy area with a path lined with white marble. Along the borders of the path are rose bushes. Like the roses that line the road up the hill to the Tower, these roses bloom with all of the colours of the rainbow, and more. Do you want a purple rose? Here, you can find every shade from the palest lilac to the darkest violet. Would you like a rose the colour of gold? Of copper? Of silver? They are here. In addition, if you look closely enough, you may find a black rose, or even the most elusive of all of the gardener’s prey, a sapphire blue rose.

The path continues past the rose bushes and through a small wooded area. This could not be called a forest, but merely a grove, with a variety of trees. Dogwoods bloom in the spring, their scent and their brilliant colour heralding the dawn of a new year. Fruit trees come into bloom later, presaging a small harvest of apples, of cherries, of pears, and of plums. In the autumn, maples blaze with brilliant foliage. A bench, made of cedar still retaining its natural scent, can be found here. The traveller may rest, and look out over the edge of the promontory, and into the ocean to the West. The setting sun is marvellous from this vantage point.

Continue further along the path, and you will notice that it has begun to dip downwards. A gentle descent eventually leads to the base of the precipice. Here you can find a small beach, unreachable by any other way other than a boat. The sand here is black, shimmering like an obsidian mirror. At night, the moonlight glows in the sand, almost lighting the place as if it were daylight. Although the waves of the ocean usually beat at the base of the cliff as if trying to reclaim the land, in this little beach you are safe from waves and tides. You may swim in the small cove, protected by arms of the land to either side, with your back to the promontory. There is never a chance that the tide will come in and inundate this spot.

The climb back up to the top of the cliff might appear daunting, but it is surprisingly easy. There may be a hint of magick involved in making the trip back as gentle as it is.

If you had turned right from the front doors, instead of left, you would have found another walkway, this made of brick. This path begins as a stroll through a multitude of flower gardens, each more colourful and fragrant than the next. Any blossoms imaginable can be found here. The flowers bloom all year.

Continue past the flowers, and you will notice that the path dips a bit. It leads down into a sheltered vale, which contains a small marble shrine, in the Greek style. This small temple has a pure water spring that bubbles up in a marble pool. This is a holy spot; you cannot help but feel the Power here. If you are lucky enough, or have the right Talent, you can watch the surface of the pool shimmer with images. Those who have the Ability can view the Past, the Present, and the Future in the waters of the pool. DO NOT STEP INTO THE WATER! The goddess to whom this spot is sacred would not be pleased!

The path ends here, but you can still walk through the grass to the edge of the cliff and look down at the sea and the rocky cliff base. You may notice a cave in the side of the cliff, apparently inaccessible unless you can fly.