Summer Palace of Emperor Meripnos IV

Written by EmperorCharlesII

On the ninth day of travel out from Welgis, your galley begins to pass a jungle-covered island. The bugs become nearly unbearable, and you find yourself staying belowdecks to try and avoid them.
After a few hours of passing the island, you go abovedecks to grab a breath of fresh air, and you behold a grand sight; against the shore is a ruined structure of large size. Large marble columns hold large sections of cracking roof. Vines twist and curl over the building, like snakes crushing their prey. A large tree breaks through the roof in one area, and you swear you see an animal pad its way into an overgrown garden.
"Oh, don't get any ideas now!" the captain barks, following your wistful gaze. "It's filled with ghosts and there's probably nothing left in there anyways."
You shake your head in frustration. There's always next time.

Purpose / Function

The Summer Palace was an old Quempian tradition, and Emperor of Quempo Meripnos IV didn't like to be upstaged by his ancestors. As such, it was meant to be the most remote and ornate palace of its kind, and the decorations inside (long since removed) were of the highest quality.
The royal line of Foltras would have stayed there in the warm summer months, preferring it over the dreary and stifling heat of the capital Kwinan.

Alterations

Over the years, the roof has begun to cave in certain areas under the weight of the vegetation, and the rooms of the palace have long since been looted or emptied.

Architecture

Using marble mined from the famous mines of Niskar, this building was built on a grand scale to rival the summer palaces of previous rulers. As such, the plans stored in the Imperial Scriptorium in Kwinan show the building having six large halls, rooms and lodging for up to a hundred servants, family and dignitaries, three separate gardens, and a large central courtyard with a planted oak tree.

History

Emperor Meripnos IV, who lived from 3E 195 to 3E 238, was responsible for the construction of this structure. It was expected to be the summer vacation home of his large family and the court in general, and a few small celebrations were held there every year. After the Emperor's death in 3E 238, his son Erigos V mysteriously refused to return to the island, and the last servants left within a year.
Following its abandonement, the occasional expedition has traveled there to search the structure - for valuables or clues, no one is ever sure. Many return, saying that they refuse to go there ever again and muttering of ghosts that the Emperor left behind...

RUINED STRUCTURE
3E 239

Type

Palace

Parent Location

The Talen Sea

Surroundings

The palace is located on the large island just off the coast of Darkwater, also named Meripnos Island for the Emperor. The island is covered in a large thick jungle, and it has never been completely explored. Some say the jungle is haunted; others simply find the terrain inhospitable. Regardless, the few expeditions that have been to the island after the palace's construction don't normally want to return.

Art Credit: emperorcharlesii (me!)