Castle of Terror
The Castle of Terror is the most recognizable place in all of Denyithragorathia . It is not so much a capitol building as it is the capital itself, a self-contained city within the oversized structure of a castle. The towns that surround the building are generally agreed to be the equivalent of suburbs.
Externally, the castle is difficult to describe in poetic terms, but some have done so quite aptly. “…a lumpy black stone monument, with nearly every wall boasting a window that gleamed red in the sunlight.” “Bewilderingly futuristic and astonishingly ancient.”
The main edifice is made of polished black stone, interspersed with many windows of varying size which causes the building to take a red gleam, making it stand out from the otherwise black landscape. A number of walled courtyards break up the levels. The outer wall is relatively short and made of unpolished black stone. It is, by itself, not entirely an effective deterrent but is fitted with a number of highly functional turrets.
The internal architecture is, on the whole, themed after the crest. Black and red are the most prominent colors, with an eagle motif appearing regularly. While this has been the standard for several years, we are currently undergoing renovations to fit the coat of arms of the new Overlord, a blue dragon on a black field. This will take some years before it is entirely complete, but the entire council agreed that the change was necessary, as Adam Winslow represents a new era for the people of Gorathia.
The rooms of the castle are usually divided into three categories. First, there is the “castle proper”, which is the guest areas. The most ostentatious ornamentation is found here, designed to impress and intimidate. As these areas are the most easily accessible by outside forces, there are no important functions or even semi-important functions to be found here.
Second, the “family chambers.” By necessity, certain of the more essential functions of the castle are found here, as well as the living quarters for important staff members and of course the Overlord’s family. It is still quite public compared to other areas of the castle, but is used as a home. A large number of the Overlord’s personal projects are conducted in these areas. These areas are quite varied in decor, depending on which family lived where and how long and if they wanted comfort or power.
Thirdly, the “dungeons.” All control rooms that must be above ground are located in these sections. It is located as near to underground as can be managed, and at the center of the castle for maximum protection. There is limited ornamentation and simplistic architecture, to limit ways in which a hero could use the surroundings against castle staff. Nearly everything is kept locked in someway, password protected and sealed from the outside world.
The whole place is quite immense, being capable of holding several thousand minions, as one might assume for a building that is counted as a city according to records and maps. And thus far I have only considered the aboveground aspects. The subterranean structures are nearly as impressive.
It is thought by some that the Castle of Terror was the original Overlord’s castle built by Kazan Otonos, but there is no way of confirming this. The oldest sections of the building are certainly old enough for this to be possible. It is also a fact that Kazan’s particular legacy is quite prominent in Gorathia, and nowhere more than in the Castle of Terror.
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