Sisika Penitentiary

[The Glossary]

“I am convinced that imprisonment is a way of pretending to solve the problem of crime. It does nothing for the victims of crime, but perpetuates the idea of retribution, thus maintaining the endless cycle of violence in our culture. It is a cruel and useless substitute for the elimination of those conditions -- poverty, unemployment, homelessness, desperation, racism, greed -- which are at the root of most punished crime. The crimes of the rich and powerful go mostly unpunished. It must surely be a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit that even a small number of those men and women in the hell of the prison system survive it and hold on to their humanity.”

― Howard Zinn

Sisika Penitentiary, designed in 1835, and created in 1844, serves as an offshore prison encampment. Originally birthed to remedy the mentally deranged, “fallen women”, and those affected by “delirium”, the penitentiary made hopeful strides until suffering a lack of funding from the state. Conflicting politics made it difficult to seek repairs or maintain economic viability.  Revitalization came at the behest of some ingenious moguls - turning the asylum into a self-sustaining, economic powerhouse. By the year 1900, it was now under private ownership of geriatric, greedily charged investors. All rehabilitation practices ended long ago, except for one: incarceration. As of now, Sisika Penitentiary accounts for %25 of all produce for the city of Saint Denis. The prison also harbors trade: paying inmates one cent a day for various work orders. Although divided into two yards, for the opposite sex, inmates are free to work in tandem.

 

“If you want total security, go to prison.”

― Dwight D. Eisenhower

Sisika Penitentiary is a cobbled castle upon placid, murky shores. A guard mans every post, bricks line every wall, and iron keepsakes the inmate populace. Leftover drawings and journals amidst desolate cells speak to dark histories, and far too many notches have been made on the walls. Distant cries, all of gutted octave, echo throughout underground dungeons. It seems this place is cursed; befitting that of isolated purgatory. The surrounding marshland is infested with venomous snakes, teething gators, and other inmates that’ll surely put you below their bottom dollar. The isolated location, and aforementioned dangers, free this prison from the ordinary practices of institutions. There’s little worry about escapees; and not one on the record.

The mainland across the water can always be spotted; a sickly reminder that prisoners will never return to normalcy - and are no longer of consequence to anyone amidst the territories. Forgotten names have plastered themselves in carvings upon brick, and some say this marshland prison lay haunted by maddening spirits. Journey into this thresher to become a bystander, watching the world pass by without you. There is no outside contact, no visitations, and no telegrams available. Inmates are of little discussion in Tahoma, and must brave their way through this fortress without outside assistance, or expectations of attention. Isolation is a factor, and this loneliness has no cure.

This horrid location is home to the wretched. Criminals beware, the law now has an alternative. Discover the rest of your days in bitter resolve for murderous charges, or hope to survive encounters with lifers upon the minimum stay - three months. The penitentiary may have tyrannical oversight, but guardsmen are unsympathetic to small acts of violence, personal sales, feuds, or gangs. As long as the prison industrial complex is well-stocked in agriculture, the guards remain unaware. Explore the reaches of Sisika by tending to the fields, earning your keep as a docile worker and chore setter. Or subtly exploit the system to your benefit, form alliances, and hold sway over other inmates - by any means necessary. No matter the path taken, one thing is certain: you can never escape.

This concept is entirely comprised to afford imprisonment to those seeking it, and will always be a culture of self-sustained, player-driven gameplay - no matter the current population. Players amidst this location subscribe to its narrative amidst the server, and notions of escape, or otherwise harmful or dissociative acts that conflict with the overall theme will be considered offensive. This location is designed without the server's administration in mind, meaning there's never to be an expectancy of population, player-guards, or gameplay mechanics.