Castle Nightbreeze

Castle of the Ruling Family

Amongst a bustling city stands a monolithic structure, reaching walls and gates that hide all manner of secrets from those on the outside. The navigation of the entire city is built with this castle as its focal point, the center of all life here, but without the proper standing, the blackened castle is nothing more than a mystery, home to a woman that is both despised and loved by the people she leads. Behind the heavy stone walls of Castle Nightbreeze, one may find the Witch Queen and the deepest secrets of the Empire she loves.
Castle Nightbreeze stands at the center of Stronghold, the home of the Human Empire's leader and their family. Its massive stone walls often blackened by centuries of moss and lichen grant the structure a sinister feel, one that both frightens and humbles those that gaze upon it. Even in a city as large as Stronghold, the castle dwarfs everything in sight, making all else insignificant in its wake.
Over the centuries, this castle has been a place of disdain and happiness, great sadness and betrayal. Whoever rules in this place sets the tone for this behemoth structure and how the mortals that travel here remember it. Castle Nightbreeze has held both rulers good and evil, those that cared for their people and those that used their people. Under its new leader, the castle gains a new history, one of benevolence and betrayal ended before more irreparable damage could be done.

Purpose / Function

Castle Nightbreeze serves as the home for the Nightbreeze Family, the ruling family of the Human Empire. All manner of political and diplomatic relations of the Empire happens upon the castle grounds, yet few know what the castle walls truly hold. While the center of Stronghold, the interior of Castle Nightbreeze has been a closely guarded secret for centuries.

Architecture

Inner Courts

Castell de Bellver by Patrick Baum on Unsplash

While most associate black stone with Castle Nightbreeze, this is far from the truth. The inner courts of the castle are made from a brown stone that many believed to have been quarried from the border between the Great Plains and the Cradle of Clay.

The castle utilizes a variety of styles and building materials depending on the area of the castle one is in. The outer walls of the castle are of precise-hewn stone that was interlocked together to create walls that are nearly impossible to disassemble through any means that are not certain colors of magic or intensive concussive force. Many believe the outer walls to have been created using Dwarven craftsmanship, but the Dwarven Kingdom has not claimed this feat of architecture.
The interior of the castle is very different than the outer walls that much of the general public sees. While the lower parts of the outside of the castle are considered to be of Dwarven craftsmanship, the inner portions of the castle utilize similar architecture to the Elves. Vaulted ceilings, areas of open-air hallways and courtyards, and little use for doors on the lower levels are reminiscent of castles found throughout the Elven Forest and Fairy King's Wood.
The upper levels of the castle, including the roof, can only be described as something of strictly Human ingenuity. Overlapping levels, large stone pillars, and roofing tiles that mimic the look of Dragon Scales define the highest points of Castle Nightbreeze. The upper levels often utilize white stones that have turned gray with age and a shining, metal-like material for the roofing tiles that perfectly mimic the color-changing properties of Dragon Scales.
Color oddly plays a large role in the architecture of Castle Nightbreeze, although an unintentional one. Materials were originally chosen due to ease of access, but many of the original materials have changed color with age and the conditions that Stronghold sees throughout the year. It is believed that the outer stone walls were once the same white stone that the upper parts of the castle were built with, but time has caked the outer walls in moss and lichen that have turned the stones black. The interior of the castle was built from a light brown stone, often thought to be sandstone, while the roof tiles are a brilliant shade of emerald green that has dulled slightly over centuries.

Defenses

The defenses of Castle Nightbreeze are another closely guarded secret, but some assumptions have been made about the true nature of some of the defenses. Few are physical defenses while many believe that the castle also has enchanted defenses on par with the Elven city of Alfensil. Many of the more magical enchantments have been placed since Catherine Nightbreeze took the throne, giving more power to her title of the Witch Queen.
The first of many defenses for the castle is the outer walls. While from the outside these walls may seem to be only a couple of inches thick, many of the stones that make up the walls can range anywhere from ten to twelve inches in thickness. This allows for a densely packed wall that can be damaged by only a small number of things. These walls are also accentuated by heavy metal gates that take multiple people to open. The gates are deceptively heavy and those who have attempted to open them have noted it could take nearly six strong men to open a single gate enough to enter the castle grounds.
Beyond the castle walls, little is truly known about the defenses of the castle. Rumors abound that the roofing tiles are made and placed in such a way as to keep all manner of creatures and enemies from launching an aerial attack on the castle, but this has never been proven. It is also noted that the Night Guard have special objects imbued with magic that allow them to open the gates easily or pass through the enchantments unscathed, but this is also little more than a rumor. After the events that led to Catherine Nightbreeze becoming the Empress, the defenses of the castle were heightened, but it is believed that only the Grand Duelist knows to what extent.

Large Stone Walls

Stone Wall by Ryo Yoshitake on Unsplash

Castle Nightbreeze is known for large stone walls that were intricately pieced together, almost to the extent of being Dwarven craftsmanship. Over the centuries, moss and dirt have accumulated, giving the walls their signature black color that most associate with the Nightbreeze Family.

Dragon Scale Roofs

Moscow Red Square by Klim Musalimov on Unsplash

The pointed roofs and spires of Castle Nightbreeze are often noted to be covered in Dragon Scales, but the materials used as shingles were meant to mimic this precious material. It is unknown why this was a design choice, yet it is one of the castle's most remarkable features.

Type

Castle

Parent Location

Stronghold

Owner

Catherine Nightbreeze

Owning Organization

Nightbreeze Family

History

The true origins of the castle are unknown, as rumors and legends can be heard that say the castle was part of the stronghold that the god Dern created for the Humans while others say the castle was built centuries after the people first inhabited the city. Both are interesting possibilities as they change the meaning of the architecture from one of odd Human ingenuity to the creations of a god.
While the origins of the castle itself are unknown, records throughout history have shown the name changes that the castle has gone through. Past names have been lost to history, but it is noted that at some point, the castle was renamed after the Nightbreeze Family when they became the rulers of the Human Empire.