Gardens, Deserted or Fallow

Like any garden, the Gardens Below become overgrown without a caretaker. Plots that take careful maintenance are choked out by hardier seeds that would be removed by hand were a caretaker present, are encroached on by wild flora and fauna, and end up in a state where they were once recognizably cared for but no longer abide by a singular vision.

When players enter a deserted or fallow hex in the gardens, roll 1D6 to determine what manifests there:

1. Thin and gently domed towers rise from a lightless abyss. Narrow bridges span the gaps between them. The building surfaces are formed of polished clay which has been carved and stamped with ornate designs. Each tower has a circular exterior walkway and a doorway to the dome interior. Inside the domes are rooms with concave floors and ceilings, both worn smooth and painted with scenes of luxurious parties thrown by sphinxes.

2. Cramped and mazelike tunnels wind through a monolithic glassy stone. The ceiling is a little too low to be comfortable. Hidden somewhere near the center of the tunnels: a perfectly circular hole is filled with razor sharp glass shavings, as though something drilled straight downwards.

3. A flat and barren plain of sandstone stretches above and below, as though a one mile layer was slid cleanly out to form this cavern. On the ceiling are signs of former habitation: rope bridges and pulley systems suspended, worn thin with time.

4. A shallow lake. The water is stagnant, weedy, and foul smelling. It is dotted with defunct fountains now choked in lichens. When entering from a different biome, there is a 1-in-6 chance of a working (but fragile) boat being docked along the shore. More of these boats are trapped below the surface and held in place by the aquatic plant life, as are various human and animal bones.

5. Petrified orchards. Leaf litter and fallen fruit, old but definitely organic, carpet the ground. Long-empty irrigation channels are often concealed by the detritus and make for tripping hazards. A warmth emanates from below, and the sweet smell of slowly cooking fruit fills the space like the worlds most overwhelming pie. Home to many insects and worms.

6. Hills and bridges of basalt columns. Ocean spray spits from gaps in the formations every few hours, but does not land upon the stones themselves, rather forming an ominous haze above in which lightning occasionally flickers. Lines of salt have been poured in intricate patterns and unidentifiable lettering across the vast majority of stones. Unlike the other deserted garden landscapes, it is impossible to become lost here.

Upon leaving a hex, if some process is not taken to maintain its form, it will be different when returned to.

The hexes are nearly always traversable, but not always in a convenient or accurate way — travel that does not take some extraordinary precaution has a 50% chance of being off course.