Starpoint Castle
At the heart of every country in Jade, a citadel of power shines a beacon of hope to its people. Arenthia, the bastion of Humanity, is governed from the throne room of Starpoint Castle. Being constructed by the ancient Kalashtar, Starpoint is one of the oldest Citadels in all of Jade, excluding the spires in Elvendom. Its original purpose was lost centuries ago but it now serves the resting point for Arenthia's monarch. It sits in the center of the capital city and has a perfect view of Arenthia's largest body of water, Lake Sapphire. It is currently inhabited by Queen Venmae Davneiros.
Purpose / Function
Starpoint Castle was created for an unknown purpose by the ancient Kalashtar, thousands of years ago. When discovered by the first humans, Clan Arenthia, they turned it into their home and the seat of their power. Clan Arenthia fortified the ruins and used it to raid surrounding clans and to conquer the province. In the ancient times, Starpoint was viewed as a place of death and destruction.
It has since then become the capital of the country of Arenthia and the place where the monarch of the country resides. As Starpoint evolved and became less of a fortress, a second great hall was built which serves as a meeting room for The Lord's Alliance, a committee of world leaders to converse and debate on world issues. Starpoint in the Age of Light became a universal symbol of peace.
It has since then become the capital of the country of Arenthia and the place where the monarch of the country resides. As Starpoint evolved and became less of a fortress, a second great hall was built which serves as a meeting room for The Lord's Alliance, a committee of world leaders to converse and debate on world issues. Starpoint in the Age of Light became a universal symbol of peace.
Design
The Kalashtar built very symmetrical buildings that were mostly made up of squares and rectangles. The main structure has large rectangular shaped hall with two wings that are identical in size and layout. Any segment that does not conform to this tradition was added post-Arenthian habitation.
Alterations
Since its capture by Clan Arenthia, Starpoint has been modified to suit many needs over the last ten centuries. Such alterations include:
The White Walls
-The White Walls of Starpoint were built by Clan Arenthia, the first humans to inhabit the castle. The Ancient Kalashtar Empire didn't ever include exterior walls to surround their fortifications with. Instead the Kalashtar had great energy bubbles to encase the city, in the event of an attack. This magic died out along with the long forgotten empire. To prevent invaders from getting to the front doors, High King Harlof Arenthia had his clan of wars to build a great wall around the castle, dotted with watchtowers. This wall was made with a lavish, but strong white stone that was locally found. The wall has been damaged over the centuries by wars and natural disasters but has always been rebuilt and maintained with the same white stone.
Blackreach
During the reign of King Traven Arenthia (150 years after the rule of Harlof), a siege defending against the dwarves of Draggonfall caused massive damage to the castle. The Tower of the Arch-mage of Arenthia was knocked down by a Dwarven Ballista, and to bypass the White Walls, the dwarves had amassed a second army deep under the castle in a massive cavern. When the dwarves were defeated, the wizard needed a new tower for his experiments. With the approval of the King, Arch-Mage Thelmin Blackreach began the construction of "Blackreach Tower" deep within the dwarven caverns below the castle. To secure it, Thelmin blocked off every passage to the tower and made it so that only the Arch-Mages of Arenthia and the country's monarchs have the ability to enter and exit the space. Thelmin's apprentice, later known as Arch-Mage Nils Pearson, would create the fabled "Blackreach Star." A hundred years later, Arch-Mage Romulus Tarrenhall would bring dragon egg to Blackreach to raise a guardian for the cave. With the star's power and the heritage left behind by previous mages, Blackreach became one of the most concentrated places of magic in the world. Very few Arch-Mages would ever come close to unlocking it's full potential; these would include Arch-Mages Vilhelm Marken, Caroline Warsock, Elrane Foxglove, and Tyreii Lamandil.
The Dragon's Den
One infamous king, High King Warren Terran exploited his powers as king to squeeze his people into submission. He repurposed a section of the dungeons and undercroft into his personal torture room and treasure vault. It is said that King Terran's dungeons were permanently stained red from all the blood and violence done down there. He even fed his victims to his pet dragon, who oversaw the protection of jewels and gold that the king had taken from the land. This treasure room became known as the Dragon's Den. When King Terran died, the dragon was slain and the treasure marked as cursed. Every once and a while a king or queen will enter the dungeon for an item of great value or to withdraw money in times of desperation, but otherwise the treasure is regard as cursed and locked away.
The Starpoint Gardens
Queen Natasha Terran, in an effort to undo the destruction of her grandfather, commissioned the world's greatest druids to full the space between the castle and the White Walls with beautiful gardens. this arboretum is segmented into biomes, based on the many landscapes and regions in Arenthia. Animals and plants were transplanted from all over to create a rich area of nature.
The Forge of Brakin'Duhl
As a gift to the monarchy of Arenthia, The God-King of Draggonfall sent Starpoint all of the components of a great-forge. These special forges are rare and the only forges that can get naturally hot enough to melt and shape star-metal and adamantine. With it put together, it became one of ten known great-forges in the world, and the only one outside of Draggonfall. While a thoughtful gift to celebrate the end of a war between Arenthia and Draggonfall, it is said to be a product of the God-King's insanity. The Ruler of Draggonfall has a "Rule of Two" in his domain where there should always be at least one more of everything with in his world, for he is also known as "The One." By making a second of everything, he rationalizes that it lowers the value of the object and since there is only one king, the King is invaluable and irreplaceable. The Forge of Brakin'Duhl was actually made to satisfy this rule. It is an identical replica of the one gifted to the Warden of Eratha, as found in the workshop of Kaer Dur'Rhen. To get the most of this forge, Monarchs have been designating the most skilled blacksmiths in the realm as "Court Smiths."
The Hall of the Alliance
Following his battles with the Queen of Night, putting an end to the Age of Darkness, King Reginald Oren with the help of the Warriors of Twilight attempted to bring forth an era of peace in Jade. To promote such peace, Reginald built the Hall of the Alliance on the Castle. This was to serve as a big meeting room for world leaders. Arenthia was to become the global moderator and facilitator of peace. There are no thrones nor symbols of power in the great hall, only a large, lavish table with enough chairs for representatives from every world power, no matter how big or small. This fantasy never came to fruition, hence why Scholars mark this time as the "Age of Twilight," an in-between time filled with uncertainty and strife. It wouldn't be until hundreds of years later, under the rule of Queen Venmae Davneiros, that the "Lord's Alliance" would be come a functional reality. Venmae would use the Hall of the Alliance as the place of neutrality. and members of the Alliance would prove to be a valuable resource in the days after the Gith Occupation.
The White Walls
-The White Walls of Starpoint were built by Clan Arenthia, the first humans to inhabit the castle. The Ancient Kalashtar Empire didn't ever include exterior walls to surround their fortifications with. Instead the Kalashtar had great energy bubbles to encase the city, in the event of an attack. This magic died out along with the long forgotten empire. To prevent invaders from getting to the front doors, High King Harlof Arenthia had his clan of wars to build a great wall around the castle, dotted with watchtowers. This wall was made with a lavish, but strong white stone that was locally found. The wall has been damaged over the centuries by wars and natural disasters but has always been rebuilt and maintained with the same white stone.
Blackreach
During the reign of King Traven Arenthia (150 years after the rule of Harlof), a siege defending against the dwarves of Draggonfall caused massive damage to the castle. The Tower of the Arch-mage of Arenthia was knocked down by a Dwarven Ballista, and to bypass the White Walls, the dwarves had amassed a second army deep under the castle in a massive cavern. When the dwarves were defeated, the wizard needed a new tower for his experiments. With the approval of the King, Arch-Mage Thelmin Blackreach began the construction of "Blackreach Tower" deep within the dwarven caverns below the castle. To secure it, Thelmin blocked off every passage to the tower and made it so that only the Arch-Mages of Arenthia and the country's monarchs have the ability to enter and exit the space. Thelmin's apprentice, later known as Arch-Mage Nils Pearson, would create the fabled "Blackreach Star." A hundred years later, Arch-Mage Romulus Tarrenhall would bring dragon egg to Blackreach to raise a guardian for the cave. With the star's power and the heritage left behind by previous mages, Blackreach became one of the most concentrated places of magic in the world. Very few Arch-Mages would ever come close to unlocking it's full potential; these would include Arch-Mages Vilhelm Marken, Caroline Warsock, Elrane Foxglove, and Tyreii Lamandil.
The Dragon's Den
One infamous king, High King Warren Terran exploited his powers as king to squeeze his people into submission. He repurposed a section of the dungeons and undercroft into his personal torture room and treasure vault. It is said that King Terran's dungeons were permanently stained red from all the blood and violence done down there. He even fed his victims to his pet dragon, who oversaw the protection of jewels and gold that the king had taken from the land. This treasure room became known as the Dragon's Den. When King Terran died, the dragon was slain and the treasure marked as cursed. Every once and a while a king or queen will enter the dungeon for an item of great value or to withdraw money in times of desperation, but otherwise the treasure is regard as cursed and locked away.
The Starpoint Gardens
Queen Natasha Terran, in an effort to undo the destruction of her grandfather, commissioned the world's greatest druids to full the space between the castle and the White Walls with beautiful gardens. this arboretum is segmented into biomes, based on the many landscapes and regions in Arenthia. Animals and plants were transplanted from all over to create a rich area of nature.
The Forge of Brakin'Duhl
As a gift to the monarchy of Arenthia, The God-King of Draggonfall sent Starpoint all of the components of a great-forge. These special forges are rare and the only forges that can get naturally hot enough to melt and shape star-metal and adamantine. With it put together, it became one of ten known great-forges in the world, and the only one outside of Draggonfall. While a thoughtful gift to celebrate the end of a war between Arenthia and Draggonfall, it is said to be a product of the God-King's insanity. The Ruler of Draggonfall has a "Rule of Two" in his domain where there should always be at least one more of everything with in his world, for he is also known as "The One." By making a second of everything, he rationalizes that it lowers the value of the object and since there is only one king, the King is invaluable and irreplaceable. The Forge of Brakin'Duhl was actually made to satisfy this rule. It is an identical replica of the one gifted to the Warden of Eratha, as found in the workshop of Kaer Dur'Rhen. To get the most of this forge, Monarchs have been designating the most skilled blacksmiths in the realm as "Court Smiths."
The Hall of the Alliance
Following his battles with the Queen of Night, putting an end to the Age of Darkness, King Reginald Oren with the help of the Warriors of Twilight attempted to bring forth an era of peace in Jade. To promote such peace, Reginald built the Hall of the Alliance on the Castle. This was to serve as a big meeting room for world leaders. Arenthia was to become the global moderator and facilitator of peace. There are no thrones nor symbols of power in the great hall, only a large, lavish table with enough chairs for representatives from every world power, no matter how big or small. This fantasy never came to fruition, hence why Scholars mark this time as the "Age of Twilight," an in-between time filled with uncertainty and strife. It wouldn't be until hundreds of years later, under the rule of Queen Venmae Davneiros, that the "Lord's Alliance" would be come a functional reality. Venmae would use the Hall of the Alliance as the place of neutrality. and members of the Alliance would prove to be a valuable resource in the days after the Gith Occupation.
Architecture
Most of the castle retains its original architecture from the days of the Kalashtar. Compared to Earth designs, it appears as similar to Gothic Architecture.
History
The original history of Starpoint Castle was lost over a thousand years ago. It was built during the days of the ancient Kalashtar Empire that once spanned over the entirety of Jade. Starpoint is one of the last surviving structures of their conquests. It's stones were imbued with magic and it's foundations can serve as an Arcane Conduit. The true intentions for the castle's construction is unclear. The Ancient Kalashtar did not build castles as a center for government and military power. Starpoint is an except it would seem. Many archeologists suggest that the castle was built to accommodate magical intrigue and study, much like the current Mystic Arcanum. The only dispute with that theory is that the Kalashtar did not really use arcane magic like Jade does now. They used psionics and a derivative of divine magic in their conquests. However, there is evidence to suggest is that the Kalashtar's excessive use of psionics is what opened up the world of Jade to the mystical arcane arts.
A few hundred years after the fall of the Kalashtar Empire, the first humans began to roam the Erathan Continent. These first humans were pretty much of the Kalashtar race whom had simply lost their connection to their ancestors' spirits and did not have the ability to manipulate the world with their minds. One such clan was Clan Arenthia, led by a man who, like many other clan leaders, called himself the High King of Eratha. High King Harlof Arenthia stumbled upon the ruins of what is known as Starpoint. Harlof is credited with naming the castle "Starpoint" after telling his clan that an inscription bore the word next to the throne. It should be noted that the original layout of Starpoint had no evidence of any words shown on the structure, nor was there ever a throne or throne room. The great hall was converted to a throne room after Harlof's clan claimed the castle. The name Starpoint stuck nevertheless. Using the castle as a base of operations, Harlof had his clan assemble raiding parties and conquer the surrounding landscapes. Over time, Harlof's clan would abandon their nomadic ways and fortify the walls and built additional defenses. The clan named their new province, Arenthia, after their leader.
Since then, Starpoint has served as the capital of Arenthia, the homeland for most humans in Jade. Every Monarch sits in the same throne room that Harlof had once sit and each king and queen leaves behind modifications and touches that tells an elaborate story of humanity's beginning.
A few hundred years after the fall of the Kalashtar Empire, the first humans began to roam the Erathan Continent. These first humans were pretty much of the Kalashtar race whom had simply lost their connection to their ancestors' spirits and did not have the ability to manipulate the world with their minds. One such clan was Clan Arenthia, led by a man who, like many other clan leaders, called himself the High King of Eratha. High King Harlof Arenthia stumbled upon the ruins of what is known as Starpoint. Harlof is credited with naming the castle "Starpoint" after telling his clan that an inscription bore the word next to the throne. It should be noted that the original layout of Starpoint had no evidence of any words shown on the structure, nor was there ever a throne or throne room. The great hall was converted to a throne room after Harlof's clan claimed the castle. The name Starpoint stuck nevertheless. Using the castle as a base of operations, Harlof had his clan assemble raiding parties and conquer the surrounding landscapes. Over time, Harlof's clan would abandon their nomadic ways and fortify the walls and built additional defenses. The clan named their new province, Arenthia, after their leader.
Since then, Starpoint has served as the capital of Arenthia, the homeland for most humans in Jade. Every Monarch sits in the same throne room that Harlof had once sit and each king and queen leaves behind modifications and touches that tells an elaborate story of humanity's beginning.
Tourism
Starpoint is one of the few castle in the world that brings in it's own rate of tourism. The Castle Courtyard alone is a druidic feat of beauty. The architecture is an engineering marvel for an ancient civilization. Archeologists and budding historians often make a pilgrimage to the "Bastion of Humanity."
Founding Date
Unknown
Alternative Names
"The White Castle", "The Capital of Arenthia"
Type
Castle
Parent Location
Owner
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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