Because Shivering Isles' total area is only about %26frac14; the size of Tamriel, the game's designers were able to really flesh out NPCs and storylines. In one morbidly fascinating mission, the Duchess of Dementia assigns you a companion who you can order to torture anyone as you see fit. Other sadistic outings have you disposing of hapless dungeon-crawlers for Sheogorath's pleasure or building a monster out of a roomful of severed limbs. As the grotesque oddities pile up, you'll quickly see why no one ever returns from the Isles with their sanity intact.
Many of the new monsters we encountered had peculiar traits. "Shambles" are what might result if the skeletons of several creatures got jumbled together and reanimated. When killed, they give off a frosty blast that deals splash damage to anyone standing nearby. The Gnarl Rootbender (think Treebeard crossed with an angry spider) grows in size when you hit it with a spell, and then gains immunity to that element. Luckily, it then becomes more susceptible to other elements. The quickest path to victory, then, is to alternate between three elements, for example fire, frost, and shock.
The Realm of Madness also has its own orderlies, the Golden Saints in Mania and the Dark Seducers in Dementia. Before you go courting an encounter with these lovely law enforcers, know that if you break the law on either side they'll take all your stuff and chuck you into a dungeon. You'll have the opportunity to fight your way out, Running Man style, and recover your equipment at the end of the gauntlet.
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