In the disputed region of Abkhazia lies the wreckage of a vast site that promised heroic sporting victory over western rivals; a dense forest near the Czech capital of Prague hides an eerie castle rumoured to possess supernatural powers; in Liberia, West Africa, the ruin of a luxury hotel taken by a cruel warlord, then transformed into safe haven; and in north-central Arizona, a settlement's scattered remains reveal an ancient community given life by a deadly force.