Manannan's House

Manannan's House (aka the Wizard's House) is the castle home of the evil wizard Manannan. It was located on top of a mountain in land of Llewdor.

Background

The poor slave Gwydion (Alexander) grew up in the house before defeating the wizard and leaving Llewdor. Later on, Derek Karlavaegen moved into the house. He did not find any trace of Manannan who had been transformed into a cat. Derek discovered the Eye Between the Worlds in the study, allowing him to contact the Other World.

This building or a location in town maybe the location of the Llewdor College. Although it would seem that if it was the college, that Alexander would be the only 'enrollee' as Manannan almost never has guests.

Description

Entry Way

The main entry room is the first room entered into the house. The front door to the house is located to the south, creaky stairs lead upstairs, and doorways lead north and east. Halfway up the stairs a painting of an old man (possibly Manannan) hangs on the back wall. Near the door into the study, two candles are attached to the wall to light ones way up the dim staircase. The stairway leading up has wide steps. Several of them are very creaky. Alexander-Gwydion would try to avoid them when going up and down the stairs. A window halfway up the stairs looked out to the west.

Study

Manannan was very private with his study, and didn't like Gwydion poking around it, except when he dusted. In one corner was a locked cabinet upon which the feather duster lived when it wasn't being used. A huge oak desk, chair and wastebasket filled the rest of the space, and bookshelves covered two walls.

The huge oak desk was covered with his writing implements. The wizard did all of his reading, writing, and calculating at the massive desk. He sat in the chair behind the desk. A rubbish basket sat on the floor next to the desk. It was Gwydion's job to empty it.

An oak cabinet was in one corner. The oak cabinet had a brass handle on its door. Gwydion's feather duster lied on top.

There is a chart on the rear wall. The bookshelves are filled with books on every subject; the wizard fancied himself to be quite a scholar. So many books lined the bookshelf, Gwydion wondered when Manannan had the time to read. Titles covered many subjects: From "Ancient Arabic Mythology", to "A Study of the Heavens," to the "The Philosophies of Socrates." The Eye Between the Worlds rested on one shelf. Behind one huge volume was a brass metal lever attached to the back of the bookshelf. It opened up the trapdoor, where steep stone steps lead into the darkness, down into the wizard's laboratory.

Wizard's Laboratory (Dungeon)

From the study, the trapdoor lead down a flight of steep underground stone steps. They curved downward toward the light of the laboratory below the floor. The steps are made of narrow, rough stones, crudely constructed. The narrow stone steps lead up to the wizard's study. The stairs are slick, and very dangerous.

The laboratory was a torchlit underground room. The burning torches throw flickering shadows across the walls, making the room even more ominous.

Against the earthen walls there are rows of shelves holding numerous jars which contains strange, unknown ingredients. The shelves also hold skeletons of small animals and birds, some human skulls and bones, and other odd instruments, whose use Gwydion did not know. Against the earth wall was a massive oak worktable with spacious worktop. Atop the oak table is a large leather-bound book (The Sorcery of Old), a mortar and pestle, a little brazier holding charcoal (and is used for cooking things), and a flint, plus measuring cups, beakers, flasks, and stirrers (a stirring and mixing implement). The mortar is a bowl-shaped implement made of stone. The pestle is a rounded stone that fits into the mortar. The mortar and pestle are used for grinding things into a powder.

The shelves contained jars of strange ingredients, the animal and human bones, and other odd implements which lined the rows of shelves. There were jars of ingredients resting on labeled shelves...shelves bearing such ghastly names as "Powdered Fish Bone," "Nightshade Juice," "Mandrake Root Powder," "Saffron," "Toad Spittle," and "Toadstool Powder." Between the two sets of shelves is a small writing desk. The wizard's desk is curiously empty.

Kitchen

The kitchen of the wizard's house. Other than Gwydion's own bed chamber, this was the only place in the house that he felt he could call his own. The wizard rarely entered kitchen. On cold days, the fireplace was a cozy place to sit. Near the eastern edge of the room, set an oak table. The heavy oak table was used to prepare food for the wizard. On the western wall were many shelves. The kitchen shelf held many ingredients and kitchen implements for cooking. It held the clay bowl Gwydion used for mixing. Pots, pans, baskets, and drying herbs and spices hang along the roof.

On the back wall near the fireplace was a butter churn. Gwydion would spend long churning cream to make butter until his muscles ached. A broom stood between it and the fireplace. The fireplace was used colder months to cook hot food. During the summer, the need to light a fire and cook hot food was diminished. Then it was usually not burning. Next to the fireplace and near the oak table on the floor was an old, oaken bucket. On the wall by the fireplace was an iron rack hanging on the wall. Gwydion's wooden serving spoon and and trusty knife hung on the rack.

One one side of the room were barrels. The barrels contained foodstuffs, and were too large to move.

Hallway

The hallway on the second level of the old wizard's house, had two stairways. One goes up and the other leads down. An open doorway is to the north, leading into Manannan's bedroom. On one end of the hall a door lead into Alexander-Gwydion's bed chamber. Near the door a tapestry hung on the wall below the staircase up into the tower. Gwydion always admired the tapestry. It added one of the few bright spots to the dreary house.

Wizard's Bedroom

Manannan had an elegant bed chamber, large and ornate it was. Fine furnishings from a regal bed to beautifully carved closet fill the room. Near the entrance the floor was adorned with a beautiful rug. Its thick wool was woven with a colorful design. Alexander-Gwydion would sweep the dust under the rug.

Manannan's oversized canopy bed dominated the room. Heavy velvet curtains draped the regal mahogany bed. The wizard's chamber pot was on the floor next to the bed. Alexander would throw the smelly contents of the chamber pot out the open window. Next to the bed is a mahogany vanity. It had a large beveled mirror, where Manannan groomed his dark features each day, but things appeared wavy because of imperfections in the glass. There was a small drawer in the front of the vanity. The wizard kept many uninteresting items items in a drawer, including a handy hand mirror.

A tapestry hung on the eastern wall and below it was a dresser. The elegant dresser was made of mahogany. Its drawers were graced with beautiful gold knobs. One drawer in the low dresser was filled with baubles, trinkets, unmended hosiery and soiled undergarments, and a vial of Rose Petal Essence.

Near the dresser along the northern wall is Manannan's tall closet. The closet was fashioned of ornately carved mahogany. The unlocked closet was filled with voluminous velvet robes, silken gowns, satin slippers, peaked and pointed hats of the magicians' guild, and soft linen gowns. Manannan kept the magic map behind the clothes. The key to Manannan's safe was located on top of the closet.

In comparison Manannan's room was much nicer than the meager cubicle Alexander-Gwydion was forced to live in.

Gwydion's Bedroom

Alexander-Gwydion's own bed chamber was pitiful. Compared to Manannan's fine room, his was almost a cell. The bed was hard and uncomfortable with only a threadbare blanket and a small, flat pillow. The other furnishings were junk. But as poor as it was, it was his own haven, as the wizard never entered it.

The bed was nothing more than a cot, hard and cold, and was difficult to sleep on. The pillow, was small, flat, and made of old rags. Under the bed was cobwebs and dust, but was a good place to hide things. A cracked mirror hung on the wall, above his dresser. The dresser was a full of nicks and scratches, and one drawer was completely missing. A window allowed him to look over the countryside. The wizard anticipated slaves attempted escapes and placed iron bars outside the window.

Tower

The musty tower of the old wizard's looked out over the countryside of Llewdor. A polished brass telescope was directed out a window. From there, Manannan spied upon the poor occupants of Llewdor. Alexander-Gwydion found a dead fly on the dusty floor of the tower. Narrow, steep stairs lead downwards back to the second level hallway, near the entrance to Manannan's bedroom.

Dining Room

The Dining Room was where Manannan ate his meals. Alexander-Gwydion was not supposed to eat there. He ate in the kitchen.

The large dining table was made of pine planking. Benches of its length ran on both sides. It was big enough to seat at least ten people: but the wizard never had any guests for dinner.

A shelf ran along the back wall next to the door into the kitchen. It held an assortment of random things. A moose head hung on the wall above the shelf. Manannan bought the moose head from Ye Olde Antique Shoppe in Kolyma.

A window looked down on Llewdor's countryside on the eastern wall. A door lead back into the entry hall on the west side of the room, and on the north a door lead into the kitchen.

Other rooms

In the outer facade, the castle’s gateway/entrance contains a large blue door that takes up nearly a third of the front of the house (tall enough to extend partway into second floor of the house). Before leading to the much smaller door leading into the entry hall.

The outer facade shows additional areas that are not accessible to Gwydion, at the front of the house. These include a tower on left side of the house (with windows facing south, east and likely west at the top of the tower). Another extension on the east side of the house (with a window facing east), and a window in the middle of the roof in what appears to be an attic. The front of the castle home had two arrow slots on each side of the house’s gateway/door apparently for defense. There is a large window on right side of the facade on first floor. However, notably there are no windows on lower halves of the the corner tower on left and the the extension on right. These areas appear to be between the main gate and the houses entry way.

The east extension blocks view of the main houses east-facing windows (including the kitchen, dining room, and Gwydion’s bedroom).

Mannanan has also been seen sitting in his throne watching his slaves through a crystal ball. The ball also showed a barred dungeon where he punished his slaves at times.

See also

• Manannan's mansion

Behind the scenes

Manananan’s house/castle is portrayed differently in different sources. Basic abstract house in Companion 1st edition map, and even as three story fortress/castle with an outer wall in 3rd edition map. The 2nd edition map more resembles the facade of the in-game house.

The mountain's name is not given. But it is described as a 'lone mountain' or 'dark mountain'.

Manannan's House (unofficial)

Manannan's house appears in the unofficial games, see Manannan's House (unofficial).