Fallenholm

Fallenholm was a flying fortress under the control of Rosaline Haines. Serving as a base-of-operations during her campaign against the Godless, it was ultimately torn asunder when trying to pass through a portal to the Abyss.

History
The circumstances of the flying fortress' creation is unknown, though scholars have discovered a possible connection between them and Armadyl, the aviansie god of justice. Fallenholm, the citadel in question, was reportedly found in a state of extreme disrepair, having suffered enough damage to disrupt the magic keeping it airborne.

Over the years Fallenholm has been the site of many activities illicit in nature. This changed with the rise of anti-piracy measures set forth by the Customs and Excise Office. In the wake of Guthix's death, it was thought that Fallenholm might have stayed abandoned but for the rumours of a dragonkin sighting in the area. Strange reports kept coming in of further sightings as well as rumours suggesting the citadel had become a mahjarrat's lair. Such claims were never substantiated, however, and were ultimately dismissed by local authorities.

Rosaline Haines' interest in Fallenholm becomes apparent in the third year of the Sixth Age. Court records taken from the Godless' official records suggest an act of wilful disregard for the law in regard to the frequent inaccuracies discovered in the order's resource ledger under her name. This came after her promotion to Second Commander, and is an early indicator of her growing corruption. She was later charged and found guilty of embezzlement alongside a number of other charges in respect to the murder of First Commander Mark. It's highly likely that she used the order's gold and resources to fund Fallenholm's reconstruction.

For the next two years Fallenholm was rebuilt without the Godless' knowledge. It was apparently used as a staging area for much of then Second Commander Rosaline Haines' various investments and operations throughout Gielinor, and was only discovered through the combined use of true serum and memory magic when its existence was brought into question. This drew outrage and only deepened the distrust and animosity between the former leader and organisation. Their conflict would soon come to a head with the Battle for Tuska.

In the months leading up to the battle Rosaline Haines used a magic ritual to imbue Fallenholm with the power of flight. Then, coordinating with a band of pirate raiders, she launched an all-out assault to seize Tuska's corpse for herself. The Godless were able to defeat their attackers and advanced on Fallenholm where they foiled the ritual that would grant her citadel complete access to the Abyss. The resulting crisis left Rosaline Haines trapped on an isolated tower treading abyssal currents.

Description
Fallenholm is a flying fortress suspended on a bed of earth and rock. Thanks to Rosaline Haines' fraudulent contributions, it was refurbished and could accommodate more than a hundred guests and even supported a dockyard for repairing and maintaining ships when immersed in a body of water. Points of interest include the tower, keep, and dungeon. Much of the original structure was lost following the Battle for Tuska, and now only the tower remains.

Tower
This single free-standing tower house served as Rosaline Haines' private residence and was the only known structure to survive the passage to the Abyss. It has a square floor plan and is three-storeys high with ladders connecting to each floor, tapering walls, and a flat roof.

Ground floor
The ground floor of the tower is mainly used for storage and boasts standard amenities, such as a fixed bath, wash-hand basin, a water closet, dining set, and a Cook-o-matic 25.

First floor
Rosaline Haines' study lies on the first floor of the tower, and also serves as her private storeroom. It's perhaps the most secure location on Fallenholm, housing her treasure and the myriad artifacts she's amassed throughout her travels.

Second floor
On the second floor is the master bedroom. Rosaline Haines permits very few to this floor as a matter of privacy.

Keep
Fallenholm's keep was the largest building on the citadel and by far the most active location for Rosaline Haines' personnel. It was staffed by a number of forces, such as mercenaries, summoned demons, and animated armour and weapons. To a man, they were all lost in the Battle for Tuska alongside the keep.

Dungeon
The dungeon below Fallenholm was unlike most other dungeons. Using magic, Rosaline Haines warped gravity so that the underbelly of the citadel was made the floor while the exposed sky or sea above became the ceiling. This was meant to in part disorientate prisoners and provide her aerial forces easy access to Fallenholm. It sank with the keep off the coast of the Kharidian Desert.

Defences
Fallenholm's greatest defence is its distinct lack thereof. The tower itself is nearly impossible to reach through conventional means, and only the most accomplished spellcaster could hope to do so at great personal risk. In the event of an intrusion, glyphs within the tower emit a low level magical frequency to interfere with teleportation spells. Meanwhile, powerful protective wards shield Fallenholm from the chaotic energy and debris of the Abyss and also act as disabling wards to discourage unruly behaviour.

<!--7th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

There. I've made sure that a single rotation of my tower is synchronous with the length of an average Gielinorian day. In this place time is a luxury I can afford, yet I must be careful not to lose my sense of it.

The first mindmelding session with Aristander was a success. Our connection is stronger than I thought. The madness within him was... manageable. For a few rotations I was left insensible as my consciousness was cast adrift through time. I saw my family again, as they were when I was but a tyke, and then again before I'd left them for Elnathan. Errol was what brought me back. To think, I'd forgotten the color of his eyes...

In any case, this temporal lapse served me well. I saw glimpses of the future. The hatchling will survive the extraction process. Aristander will be as pure as his ancestors, and with this purity comes power and clarity.

9th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

Something is wrong with the Star. Using the coordinates within, I found a dead world in place of Leng. Perhaps the Abyss is interfering... No, my wards are sound. Lyam and the others must have either tampered with it or have given me a convincing counterfeit. No matter. I will make it my own and give the universe a model worthy of its new name.

15th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

I've found my first world with sentient life. They are misshapen creatures, a result of the poor anima flow I'd wager, and remind me of the Goebies on Mazcab. The realm itself offers little in the way of resources. Utterly useless. Still, Aristander was eager to stretch his wings and hunt. It was entertaining to watch him, and I must admit, seeing a sunset again was enjoyable. I think we'll stay for the night and leave early on the morrow.

16th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

The spell Maedalaane cast has proven itself to be a mighty boon. I could not have done as I have without it. With my own magic I've been able to dispel the worst of the fire that ate away at my flesh. Unfortunately, I couldn't remove it entirely. It smolders within the ruins that were my hands, the heat radiating from them a forge. Perhaps one day I can dispel the magic and end this curse. One day...

19th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

The lower planes are fascinating. Imperfect worlds as deemed by the Creators and cast aside for their supposed failings. They embody the most basic components of our universe: elements both ancient and elemental such as ice and fire, smoke and air. I scried one in particular, a planet completely devoid of light, a perpetual eclipse engulfing the entire realm in shadow. For a moment my mind could not comprehend what I was staring at, so dark were the pits that marred the surface of the planet... until fear gripped my heart like a vise.

Something was returning my gaze.

21st Rotation since Abyssal Breach

Success! By enchanting a pair of gloves with the core of a glacor taken from Leng I've made superior ice gloves. It was a delicate process imbuing them, but now the essence of an ice elemental courses through the gloves. Now I needn't fireproof everything within my tower. This result is encouraging. I may have need of such protection, especially in my search for the Queen of Ashes. The vision I received suggests her court resides upon a fiery world wracked by war. It wouldn't be suitable for a petitioner such as myself to stand before royalty wreathed in flame.

24th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

I've struck a minor setback; the Star has led me astray once again. The elemental planes lay host to a number of races, many of which I'm unfamiliar with. One such creature was able to detect my scrying spell during my study of a nature world. I found myself swarmed in an instant. Fortunately, the wards held out against the rush of beating wings and spitting curses. The race must possess an innate telepathic connection as well as teleportation capabilities, otherwise I'm at a complete loss as to how they reached me in the Abyss so suddenly and without warning. I cannot afford to let my guard down even a little, as this experience has taught me.

58th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

Ugh. Where do I even begin...

I was coasting through abyssal space following my encounter with what I've come to learn were slarvae, when a human male materialised inside my tower to inform me of my infraction of the Slarvis Convention and deliver a court summons for a preliminary hearing. What followed was the most tedious, unnecessary, and aggravating trial I've ever had to sit through.

Designated Slarvis B9, the nature world I'd found was a planet-wide reservation and home to thaumaturgically-engineered creatures like the slarvae. I was ordered to stand trial on spying charges, animal endangerment, and criminal trespass. I chose to plead ignorance, and rightly so. Three separate mistrials were declared for three separate reasons; death, juror misconduct, and sheer stupidity. The case was finally dropped after the prosecution couldn't prove intent on my part. By the very end of the month I still had to pay the court a fine for a interdimensional parking violation.

Needless to say, I won't be visiting Slarvis B9 again in the near future.

69th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

The Abyss is a tricky dimension. The dilation of time plays on my nerves increasingly as of late. I've felt as though I've been inside my tower for over a sidereal year, yet its rotation has barely reached the halfway mark. Of course, this means I have more time to study, research, and gaze beyond the stars... and I'm so very bored.

I yearn for new realms to discover and explore. The human colony near Slarvis B9 was my first encounter with a truly intelligent race. Though a bad experience it was something at least. On Fallenholm I have only myself, Aristander, Myrmia, and those I remain in contact with on Gielinor. I shouldn't have to sacrifice my sanity and comfort after what I've gone through to get here. It may even be too late to stop the elder gods. I must ensure my survival in case the worst happens and this chunk of floating rock becomes all that's left of my homeworld. There has to be more to this existence.

73rd Rotation since Abyssal Breach

I've since returned to Zanaris, the lost city and a nexus for interplanar travel. Ptolemos was once familiar with the fairy ring network, and although he was never able to reach the fairy kingdom itself, I believe it can help me moving forward. Through much negotiation and the occasional act of goodwill, I was given access to the enchantment necessary for making a fairy ring. Unfortunately, they chose not to provide myself the clearance to use them without a staff cut from the dramen tree. I must retrieve this component myself.

Well, that could have gone better. The fairies I'd spoken with didn't mention a guardian spirit protecting the tree. I was caught by surprise, I admit, but luckily instinct won out over shock. By putting distance between us I was able to defeat the spirit and claim my prize. I returned to the monks an unsung hero and bade them farewell. Before I left Zanaris, however, a visitant from elsewhere asked if I would like a portrait done. I couldn't refuse.

77th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

I've been consuming too much anima from my supplies. The power I stole from Tuska is gone, used to sustain the wards that keep this tower safe from the abyssal energy that would twist and warp it beyond recognition. The dead worlds I've found provide nothing still. I may be forced to stay among the higher and elemental planes for now. The cost of transporting anima my agents collect to the lower planes remains too high, the power necessary too great. Once grown my fairy ring should help cut that cost significantly. For now I must focus on removing the abyssal taint that corrupts Aristander. I'm told that the machine is nearly ready. It will work, and then even the stars themselves will bend to my will.

80th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

I found something strange amid the detritus that litter the Abyss. It would appear to be the ruins of a laboratory of sorts. The knowledge I stole from the sacred lava provide no answer, and even Ptolemos is unfamiliar with the architectural designs, so whomever built this place must be from before this cycle. Surely it's of Dragonkin origin. Still, who can truly say how many worlds have been destroyed by the elder gods? How many beings? This could be the relic of a bygone race whose fate was met long, long ago. I've chosen to take it with me. It should prove more useful a research facility than my study.

85th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

The machine is ready. I've brought Aristander to the facility. They're preparing the chamber for him now. My intent is to mindmeld with him before the extraction and sustain the connection throughout the process. Our bond will be stronger for it, of this I am certain.

86th Rotation since Abyssal Breach

The... extraction was a success. Aristander's scales have taken on the lustre of fading starlight. His madness, like the abyssal energy within him, has fled, and the laws of time govern his thoughts as nature intended. The process was not without its flaws, however, as both he and I suffered excruciatingly. It felt as though our essence was drawn out by needles numbering in the thousands, and then pinched so hard I thought we would be crushed to dust.

I had the worst headache afterwards. Aristander is resting now. I felt a power reawaken within him once the pull of the Abyss was gone. The power of his ancestors: to travel between worlds as naturally as I breathe. This will be of immeasurable use. The pain was worth it.

92nd Rotation since Abyssal Breach

I write from beyond the confines of my tower, inside a pocket dimension hidden within a layer of the Abyss. It's a fantastic realm, a land of endless possibilities and wild magic, where foregone ruins and impressively large statues litter the earth like discarded toys. Through further exploration I've also learned that this place is finite, the boundaries folding in on themselves as though insulating itself against the Abyss. Gravity's relentless pull has no affect on us. I felt as though I was once again on Tuska, soaring through space with weightless abandon. There's game aplenty for Aristander and enough mysteries to occupy my thoughts. I think we shall stay a while.-->