Golben
| Golben | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Type | Abandoned town |
| Description | Magically-formed crater; maze; pit |
| Region | Myrken Wood |
Golben, also colloquially called the Golben Pit or simply the Pit, is a destroyed blemish of land located approximately thirteen miles northwest of Myrkentown. Golben currently bears no resemblance to the inhabited town it once was, for all that remains is a circular crater in the soil two miles in diameter.
Appearance
Upon approach, the Golben Pit is unmistakable for anything but the oddity it is: the crater is perfectly round and its edges are treacherous, as if a massive helping of the earth had been scooped out of the land by divine hands. Standing upon its edge merits a view of its half-mile depths, where mists -- regularly caused by the convection of air colliding within the uninhabited bowl -- linger like a veil over the expanse. On days with mild weather, observers can see the labyrinthine features that comprise the interior of the crater: a vast maze of hedgerows carve confusing paths on the soil; the rubble of the stone and wood edifices that once stood on the earth above reach up out of the dirt like half-excavated bones; occasionally, a flicker of mirrors both broken and whole gleam to catch the curious eye. There are no currently-known inhabitants of Golben; thus, it bears no culture, merits no trade, and exists only as a reminder of the mysterious powers employed in its creation.
The closest settlement to Golben is the Wealdhold, a minor settlement founded in the abandoned guard-houses that freckle the surrounding land.
History
Very little has been recorded regarding the culture and economy of the small town that once stood where the Pit now exists, though it is believed that a Thessil of considerable magical talent may have once used the pit as a training-ground for his cadre of spellcrafters.
In 212 AR, Governor Glenn Burnie of Myrkentown granted approval for Councilman Stefan Berdini to oversee construction and landscaping of Golben's remains into a prison capable of containing beasts and criminals not normally suited to mundane incarceration. Contractors were hired to alter the crater-bed into a maze of hedgerows and mirrors, though several perished while in the midst of establishing the enhancements. A year later, as a result of diminished funding, the construction was halted. Empty guard-houses still stand on the rim of the Pit, a testament to the abandoned project.
Rumors
Those who venture into Golben have encountered visual and aural hallucinations, shifts in temporality, and may occasionally suffer unreliability regarding the memories forged while within the Pit. Many who have brave the crater discover that perceived days and weeks have stretched into months. Interlopers who travel into the Pit may encounter phantom images of past trials suffered in the depths of the crater, leading many to assume that time does not flow linearly in Golben.
Additionally, rumors abound of a presence imprisoned in the Pit whose sole purpose is derived from judging and balancing the rights and wrongs committed by those who enter.
