What Is Castle Marrach?

Castle Marrach is a game designed and published by Skotos Tech, a company centered around the idea of community and role playing. Skotos publishes many games that appeal to every type of player, including: Monsters! Monsters! Grendel's Revenge, the Eternal City, Galactic Emperor: Hegemony, and of course Castle Marrach: The Forever Winter.

So what is Castle Marrach? Is it a MUD? No, it is most certainly not a dungeon crawl. Is it a MUSH? Well, it is an online real-time role playing environment, however, it contains some elements of the MUD and the term MUSH would certainly not do justice to Castle Marrach, in my opinion. Castle Marrach is a prose-based game - or, in layman's terms, a story. It is written by many authors, staff and players alike, and is forever shaping with plots that can affect anywhere from a couple characters to the entire populace of the Castle. It is a story and a community of authors.

What Is the Story of Castle Marrach?

As a new character, you awaken in a dark and dank chamber, wrapped in strips of linen cloth. You are tended to by Doctor Getheaht and his Apprentice Lith. The Doctor asks Lith for the order from the Queen and the name on the order; apparently this is your name and the order to have you awakened. You have very little memory of who you once were and struggle to remember what you believe may be your past. Lith pulls up the sheets of the gurney, on which you lie, and begins to push it through the dark halls of what seems to be a strange and mysterious castle.

You struggle to stay awake as you are wheeled through the halls and try to remember a bit more about your past, but you cannot willfully stay conscious and fall asleep with the violent rhythm of the wheels agains the stone of the floor. It is not until some insubstantial time later that you awaken, lying on a soft bed in a small, yet cosy room. Lith is standing next to the bed and tells you, "This is your room from now on. The tailors and seamstresses are upstairs, and can provide more clothes. You can get food downstairs, in the dining hall." Before Lith makes her departure, she mentions an obscure rumor of castle life. And as she exits the room, she leaves you with her kind words, "Don't worry -- you'll feel fine soon. Try and get some sleep."

You lie in bed, with scarcely the energy to lift yourself and move about. So you try once again to remember a bit of your past and a scene vaguely dances in your mind. Or is it all your imagination? You shut your eyes once more and drift off into a deep sleep for, yet again, another insubstantial amount of time. When you awaken you have the energy to emerge from your bed. You look into the mirror hanging on your wall and see the person you are now, a guest of Her Majesty the Queen.

Why have you been brought here? Who are you? What is this place of perpetual winter? What is your place in this castle? All these questions can be asked, but will not always be readily answered. This is the beginning of the story - your character's story.

What Are the Themes of Castle Marrach?

The list of themes attributed to Marrach are expansive. To be simple, however, they are: intrigue, mystery, chivalry, romance and fantasy. Intrigue. You have awakened in a place full of oddities, many of which you have never seen. Mystery. There are many mysteries to be solved and made clear throughout the castle. Why you were brought here, who the old denizens are, what the nature of the castle is, etc. Fantasy. While most of the castle populace is human, there are a few elves and dwarves to be seen. Magic is everywhere, from the portal of your guest room to the rituals which take place amongst the sorcerers and other residents of the castle. Chivalry. Honor, justice and righteousness are abundant in much of the castle, especially in the Inner Bailey and among those who have reached the accolade of knighthood. Romance. Many people will fall in and out of love in the castle. Perhaps the most elegant romance is between Her Majesty and the Consort. Hmmm...

There are many other underlying themes of the Castle, however to list them all would be insanity.

How Can I Play Castle Marrach?

All that needs be done to play Castle Marrach is to point your browser towards http://www.skotos.net/games/marrach/ and take a look around. Or, if you would like, you can simply go straight to creating your free 30-day trial account by clicking here. Be sure to check out the tutorial of Castle Marrach to learn about the parser and other technicalities surrounding it as well.

-Steve S.