Most inmates and guards know Rosa "Riot" Arianwen as the undisputed queen of C-Block. Some see her as a criminal queenpin, extortionist, and drug trafficker.

Most inmates and officers view Poss as a harmless addict, , informant, or useful nuisance. Few people know he is one of Blackstone's most connected information brokers. Very few actually know Pevyn Fane.

Arguments die before they escalate. Inmates speak softly, move slowly, and gather in the prison chapel beneath candlelight and stained glass. Some call it peace. Others call it indoctrination...

A name circulates through Blackstone before the man does. Kairos Slade. Some say he used to be military. Others say worse. Most agree on one thing. He does not get involved unless there is a reason.

Problems in the prison aren’t resolved, where no one can prove they exist. They’re handled quietly, and if handled right, they vanish.

A name appears on the broadcasts long before most people ever see the man called Sylven Vael.

...

Some names echo throughout the prison long before the black panther arrives. Some inmates say he never raises his voice. Others say that's exactly why people listen.

Most inmates in D-block learn quickly not to stare too long into dark corners, because a pair of amber eyes usually stares back, something from an older uglier time when hunting living prey for food was survival...

A shadow hangs over Blackstone Penitentiary, and rumors about its warden spread faster than contraband through the cellblocks.