[TOWN] Welcome to Menagerie Jurassica!

[Beholder1995]

Some miles outside Town proper, where lush, pine-covered mountains dominate the background, looming over vast spreads of golden grassland, there is some heavy construction underway. The road eventually takes one to a large, tressed wooden bridge crossing a deep, wide river that shoots for miles in either direction, curving out of sight, apparently wrapping around the large mass of grassland and mountains, forming a massive, landlocked island. Directly past the river (which is more or less just a massive moat), is an equally all-encompassing fence made of tall logs, easily forty or more feet high, planted in the ground and secured by long bands of painted black iron. Only the mountains can be seen over this mysterious wall. Across the bridge is a gate built into the fence, with a great sign above it. It says, in large, vibrant letters:

MENAGERIE JURASSICA

or

"A zoological endevor in the breeding and containment of reptilian and mamallian creatures from before the dawn of man, by the illustrious Baron B. Beholder"

White posters plaster the fence for its entire extensive circumfrence, in addition to the signs marked DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CLIMB. In large, flamboyant letters in the manner of old circus posters, such advertisements as "Wonders beyond reckoning!" and "Ferocious beasts the likes of which no man has ever laid eyes on!" and "the greatest Menagerie the world shall ever see!". The massive fence, of course, is topped with a row of wicked-looking iron spikes, to deter anything from getting in. Or out, as the case may be. With the Park open, the doors of the great gate are swung out wide, with two uniformed sentries standing on either side. The open doors invite any tourists, passerby, and, of course, the occasional curious PCs who can afford the moderate entrance fee to marvel at the Park's untold wonders; soon many NPCs begin to stream in.

~-~

The park is divided into three sections; the zoological gardens proper, a soon-to-be finished, red-bricked and iron-barred showcase for the various prehistoric beasts in the fashion of old zoos and a large museum/visitors center; the Grounds, a massive tract of land for the holding of larger herds and raising of animals in more natural environments and the various work buildings, and the as-of-yet undeveloped mountains, thickly forested and dark.

A tree-lined, generally well decorated red brick path, wide enough for several people to walk elbow to elbow, leads from the large wooden gate to a cast-iron one, marking the main Zoo Wall. The zoo wall is twenty- five feet of red brick, topped with marble and about five more feet of spiked iron bar fence, painted a dashing shade of black. Beyond this is the actual zoo, where each brick path is lined with exhibits, flowers, benches, gas lamps, and information signs. In comparison with the entire Park, these gardens are actually rather small, but any visitor is dwarfed by the giant fences that line the paths. Some as high as twenty feet, double-layered iron bar fences with black bars as thick as six inches stretch into the sky, the inside and top lined with massive, spearheadlike spikes to deter escapes. The base of the fences are a raised area of white marble and red brick, and within each exhibit is a pit, going down about ten feet. There are dozens and dozens of these exhibits, all in between the bright, attractive maze of paths. There is no place here where the attractions can not be seen. The attractions, of course, are quite numerous. Great primordeal beasts of massive size and strange shapes lumber and prance about, fenced in and entrenched in their exhibits. Such well-known favorites as Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, Deinonychus and Iguanadon, in addition to many more, if less recognizable creatures such as the many-horned Styracosaurus, the bizzarrely crested Cryolophosaurus, and the bull-like Carnotaurus. Guests ooh and aah at these incredible sights, in addition to furred beasts like the elephantine Wooly Mammoth. Fierce teeth and claws flash behind the massive iron fences. Surely, nothing could break through them.

In the center of the zoo, in its own smaller, grassed park complete with trees and marble benches, is a glorious glass and brick structure with a glass and bronze dome. This great building serves as a consessions area, an information building, but chiefly as a great museum, filled with prehistoric specimens of all sorts, skeletal reconstructions filling its massive, white-and-black marble halls. In addition to the growing multitude of amazed guests, maintennance workers attend to flowerbeds and foliage, and Baron Beholder himself can occasionally be seen hovering through the museum halls, marveling at his own creation.

~-~

Outside the main zoo Wall, where tall grass and ferns stretch for miles to the perimeter fence, an extensive network of sturdy-looking wooden log fences have been erected, with large gaps in the crossbeams for observations. Dirt trails have been gradually worn in from use by the keepers. The occasional ground tremor (and the ever-so-convenient glasses of water) would indicate that somewhere behind the fencing are some very large animals.

Overlooking this massive game reserve are a series of large, wood and brick buildings effectively built into the mountainside. These constructions are the various places where general work, animal care, and park maintenance are done.

Beyond the long stretch of barbed wire that marks the end of the reserve is just thick, dark forested mountain that is the undeveloped part of the Park's land.

[Beholder1995]

...and the Menagerie Jurassica is open for business!

[billtodamax]

Kael and Luke, having somehow gotten out of the Taverna, arrive at the outside of Menagerie Jurassica. Jurassic park *cough*
"How much to get in?" Luke asks anyone standing conveniently nearby.

[Beholder1995]

One of the uniformed men standing by the door replies:

For the day? 20 gp.

[billtodamax]

"20gp! For this! Call it ten." says Kael. Luke looks embarrassed and attempts to pretend that he doesn't know how this crazy person is, but it probably won't work, them having the same face and all.