Cell Blocks

The heart of the entire Trench facility's primary purpose, cell blocks were the most important facilities in the megastructure when it was still in Organization control. The vast majority of the region designated as "The Lower Levels" is comprised of numerous cell block facilities. They served as permanent detention centers for supernatural entities, both malevolent and benign, in Organization custody. Thereby, keeping humanity at large safe.   Now that the monsters are in control of the Trench, the cellblocks have largely been abandoned by all sapient races and left to rot. Now they remain empty, useful only as temporary shelter, hiding places, or nest for the animalistic monsters.

In their present state, cell blocks are very dark and lonely places. Devoid of all sunlight, the cell blocks are left in a perpetual state of darkness illuminated only by a scant few artificial lights creating an oppressive atmosphere. The metal halls are dark and cramped with numerous systems like lighting and plumbing that are often in disrepair. As are some of the halls themselves. Having decayed from neglect or been forcefully broken.

Sapient species of almost all kinds tend to avoid cell blocks due to their previous imprisonment within them. Only scavengers can be found looting them from useful materials they can sell at a settlement. Vermin such as rats and roaches can be found plenty here, forming the base of a new ecosystem. The only monsters remaining at large within cell blocks are of the more animalistic variety. Anything from chupacabras to mudstompers can be found. Having created their own ecosystem and food web within the ruins. Most of the danger one will find comes from encounters with the various species of these monsters.

The human soldiers who guarded them may be long gone, but cell blocks still holds many dangers. There is the beforementioned wildlife to look out for, but also the remaining security defenses that may still be active. Like any automated turrets or security robots that may still be online. Additionally, it is best to not mess with any electronics whose functions aren't 100% known as one may accidentally trigger a lockdown and trap oneself.

The cell block sub-facilities are multitiered cylindrical structures. A single tier is made up of a circular metal passageway built around a central elevator shaft. The main passageway for each level resembles the interior of a ship with a concrete floor covered by wood varnish and metal bulwarks. Halls branch outwards from the main passageway towards the containment cells and their respective observation rooms for Organization personnel. These halls have several security checkpoints that may be opened with the correct authorization. Small guard stations are located at these checkpoints. Several large metal security doors will close the containment chamber and its corresponding hallway off from the main one in the event of a breach. The central elevator is large and intended to transport large equipment as well as personnel and prisoners. It can only be accessed via a single door for each level of the cell block. Typically a single cell block has one hundred levels with a total of one thousand containment cells. Cell blocks are organized by containment cell type. For instance, cell blocks A through G are all dedicated to humanoid containment, and therefore, only have standard humanoid containment-type cells. (For more about the different types of containment cells, see their respective articles.)

When the Organization still controlled the Trench, each containment cell was guarded by a security team of four armed guards. Each security checkpoint to the cell was guarded by an additional two with two more stationed at the intersection where the hall connected to the main passageway. For each level, ten guards patrolled the main passageway at regular intervals and one was stationed at the elevator door. These guards could be supplemented with a squad of the many types of Organization security robots depending on the danger level of the inmates. Aside from the contingent of human guards, cell blocks also have a number of automated defenses to prevent containment breaches. (Not counting the modifications made to individual cells for security measures.) Several heavy metal security doors are located a regular intervals in both the halls towards containment cells and the main passageway. These doors can be closed in order to trap the potential escape where nerve gases can be administered through the vents to neutralize the threat. If that does not work, there are automated machine gun turrets mounted on the ceilings that will fire upon anything not human. These turrets are modular in design and can have their armaments changed by security staff to whatever weapon is needed to ensure the containment of their level's prisoners. As a last resort, a cell block supervisor can trigger a level's elevator control to fry, preventing its use by the escapee.

Cell blocks were vital to the Trench's function. Containing millions of various supernatural species and objects. Permanently housing them as the Organization researched them. The cell blocks worked without major incident until the day of the Breakout. Where an unknown source caused a large-scale, facility-wide shutdown of vital security systems. Allowing the supernatural inmates to escape. The following days were absolute chaos as the Trench became engulfed in a war between Organization personnel and the supernatural. Guards stationed in the cell blocks were the first casualties of the war due to being stationed at the prisons. They held out for several hours trying to reestablish containment before being overwhelmed.