The Grey Palace

The Grey Palace is the residence of Scrazzor Orkhiner, head of state of Shadra and leader of its military. It is situated in Karzaad, a city in the heart of Shadra and the country's capital.

Purpose / Function

While the initial purpose of the Grey Palace with its construction in 1453 was to act as the residence of the King of Shadra, his royal family, and the royal court, the use for the palace changed with the coup that saw General Orkhiner rise to power, with most of the palace's less functional aspects, such as many pieces of artwork, sold. The palace remains the accommodation of the head of state, but now also acts as both the residence and meeting point of Scrazzor's generals, as well as a key fortress in the control of central Shadra and in the control of the Arwestor River, a major river that runs through Shadra from the Impassable Mountains to the eastern coast of Orlend, internal security being a far more pressing matter since Orkhiner's coup.

Design

The Palace is symmetrical and rectangular in shape, with the front-facing (south) wall an angular concave form, supported by four flying buttresses. There are four main turrets at each of the corners, with fortified bridges extending symmetrically from each tower towards the wall surrounding inner Karzaad.
The Palace is surrounded by a large walled garden, with two entries - a gate on the south side, with a road from the gate to the main entrance of the Palace, and an opening on the west side through which the river can flow, creating a body of water in the garden.

Alterations

The Grey Palace has had several modifications since General Orkhiner's takeover in 1595, most of them fairly rushed due to time constraints. While the palace was originally designed with comfort and extravagance in mind, the political unrest that ensued both before and after the General's takeover required a more defensible building. Wooden palisades are mounted around the castle, preventing access from the palace by attackers without siege engines. Straw mats have been placed around the south face of the palace, which can be rolled down in an attack to absorb impacts by weapons such as trebuchets. Plans are underway for more permanent modifications, although there are fears that any time in which the palace is under modification is a time in which it is open for attack, so it is likely that Orkhiner will have to wait for political tensions to ease up somewhat. There is one net suspended above each entry from the palace to other fortifications of the city, filled with caltrops, so that if attackers attempt to gain entry from the other fortifications, caltrops can quickly be released onto the entrance, blocking entry to attackers.
A pair of small murder holes have been placed in the gatehouse, with which sand can be poured onto attackers.

Architecture

The Grey Palace is primarily built from basalt taken from nearby quarries. Minimal wood is used, as Shadra's plantlife is typically few and far-between. What wood is imported is used in shutters for the palace's windows. The walls are fairly thick, designed to retain heat even through Shadra's harsh winters, where the palace is heated by large fireplaces.

Founding Date

1453

Type

Fortress

Parent Location

Orlend

Owner

Scrazzor Orkhiner

Owning Organization

Shadra