Palace of the Stars

The Palace of the Stars is a university that sits atop the Firtin Mountains in the southwestern Middle Kingdoms. The largest university in the known world, it has wide-ranging subjects of study available.

Purpose / Function

The Palace of the Stars serves as capital to the tiny nation of Skyeview, and university for nobility and scholars willing to make the journey. Many of the most learned people in the world live here, and researchers from across the known world have been hosted here while they seek out rare books and knowledge from the extensive libraries. The school university is divided into 3 main regions:
Observatory: The original university started as a floating island, floating over the caldera of an extinct volcano. The Observatory itself consists of a telescope that is unique in its size, quality, and function. Several smaller telescopes and laboratories surround the main Observatory, the entire complex dedicated to science and astronomical research, and higher-end magical studies. Shakir Jan's private residence is here, closed and locked since he left the university. The Observatory is accessed through teleport circles across the university, cleverly designed to allow users to "dial" different locations they wish to teleport to.
Central Campus: The edges of the caldera are topped by towering buildings that contain the main classrooms and offices. Surrounding the main classrooms and carved into the mountainside are dormitories and study halls, kitchens, minor libraries, and sports pitches. A small lake fills the bottom of the caldera, filled by rainwater, which drains off through cleverly constructed sluices and tunnels.
Shrouded Library: Overlooking most of the campus is the massive Shrouded Library, so named as it is often at least partially obscured by mountaintop clouds. Access to the Shrouded Library is permitted only to students, resident researchers, professors, and their guests. The largest library in the world, much of its collection is broken out into several separate buildings, and rumors persist there are deep vaults where the more valuable and even dangerous parts of their collection is stored.
Skye Menagerie: Not far from the Shrouded Library, Shakir Jan created and maintained a menagerie of exotic animals from across the region. He developed a captive breeding program which allowed him to research the creatures kept there. It's existence is widely acknowledged, but the keepers are reluctant to discuss the details of the creatures kept in their care. The Menagerie is not open to outsiders, focusing only on conservation research. Students, teachers, and some wealthy donors are allowed access. Meanwhile the university occasionally contracts adventurers to engage in research expeditions and missions to capture animals alive.

Alterations

In the last decade, the Palace of the Stars has been expanding its magical research and education offerings. Most of the new laboratories and study halls have been built as an expansion to the Observatory.

Architecture

Built on the rim of an ancient caldera, the Palace has been slowly expanding over centuries. This has led to a wide variety of architectural styles being incorporated into the campus buildings.

History

Originally built as an observatory by the ancient wizard-king Shakir Jan, history records that he had 1,003 apprentices and he taught each one a different discipline that they mastered. The new masters invited their own students and apprentices, each new wave requiring additional living quarters, study halls and libraries. As the complex grew to accommodate the new students, The wizard-king emptied his nation's coffers to keep up, certain that it would become a beacon of wisdom known throughout the world.
It was around then the Sulhan Hegemony invaded the Middle Kingdoms. Shakir Jan’s nation collapsed as all resistance was crushed by the powerful giants, but the wizard-king was clever. He sued for peace with the Hegemony, using clever bargaining, trickery and hastily strengthened defenses as leverage. He protected the Palace of the Stars from their greedy clutches by offering a bargain. If the Hegemony would let Shakir Jan continue to build the university free of their control, he would give it over to them upon his death. Since humans are so much shorter-lived than the elder giants, they agreed to his bargain.
Shakir Jan then used powerful and secret magics to survive the Sulhan Hegemony, protecting the Palace, the people, and the knowledge within from the Hegemony. When the Hegemony eventually collapsed, Shakir Jan transferred control of the Palace to a ruling council of scholars and vanished. As the Palace adjusted to his absence in the chaos of the collapse of the Sulhan Hegemony, other newly emerged political powers carved up the lands of the Middle Kingdoms. A few small towns and villages in the Firtin mountains remained loyal to the Palace of the Stars, rebuffing all advances from outside powers to claim more lands. The new nation came to be called Skyeview, and continued to support the university as they did throughout the Hegemony’s occupation.
The Palace now serves as the capital of Skyeview, as well as a cultural and educational center for the Middle Kingdoms.

Tourism

Once a year, the Palace of the Stars opens its doors for a week during Midsummer, offering classes, seminars, tours to the public.
Originally the festival started as a way to thank the people of Skyeview for their efforts supporting the Palace of the Stars. The weeklong festival has grown to become an open house that doubles as a chance to invite potential students to the university.

Type

University / Educational complex

Parent Location

Middle Kingdoms