Duskmourne Spire
General
- Type
- Palace
- Ruler(s)
- Kael'thas Sunstrider
- Languages
- Common, Thalassian, Quietish
- Location
- Deatholme, Quel'Thalas
- Status
- Active
The mark of a new legacy for the sin'dorei, the new palace of the Dusk Court overlooks the place where their people was irrevocably changed forever.
Duskmourne Spire was the royal palace of the Dusk Court that was built into the mountains that bordered Deatholme when the sin'dorei were able to reclaim their home from the orcish invasion. It represented a new era in the thalassian people, one that was ruled by both the living and the dead in tandem.
History
TO BE ADDED WEEEE
Inhabitants
Geography
The Duskmourne Spire was a regal and expansive palace with architecture that was inherited from the legacy of the Thalassian people that came before it, though altered to reflect the darker nature of those that would come to inhabit it. It was built into the side of the mountains that bordered Deatholme, where its towering spires and illuminated stained glass domes were visible for miles. However, in truth the palace visible on the surface was only the tip of the structure, and a massive underground complex was dug into the earth to accommodate the needs and preferences of the undead that lurked within its halls. Stairways were sparse in the heart of the palace, as many of its inhabitants were vampyric San'layn or ghosts who did not require stairs to traverse the levels, and instead transport for those who needed it was provided via magical platforms of arcane energy and short-range translocation orbs.
Surface Palace
The Ruby Wing
The Ruby Wing was a series of lavish rooms and personal quarters that were located on the surface levels of the palace. Each courtesan employed by the palace was given their own room for privacy, and the central chamber of the wing was a shared space that was overseen by the head courtesan, who ensured those employed were treated respectfully and fairly. Any guests to the palace, as well as any employed there, were welcome to visit the the courtesans for whatever entertainment needs they required, be it companionship, song, dance, or something of a more intimate or physical nature.
The central chamber was ornately decorated with sheer drapery, comfortable couches, and plush pillows where food and drink was offered in plenty, and while the private rooms of the courtesans were off-limits, a visitor could invite a courtesan back to their own chambers, or use one of the private chambers set aside for more intimate engagements.
All the courtesans employed by the palace were undead. While many of them were san'layn, other types of undead were also freely welcomed.
The Grand Ballrooom
Used for galas and functions hosted at the palace, the Grand Ballroom was a massive room that is built at the center of the surface building of Duskmourne Spire. Its ceilings were a network of beautiful stained glass skylights that were magically enchanted to emit light even in the darkness of the Ghostlands, and floating candles created a collection of glimmering fire lights. The floor of the Grand Ballroom resembled sleek stone or marble, but could become semi-translucent, obscuring exact details but allowing for a ghostly view of the sister ballroom at the height of the Ossuarium below. The effect resembled a dark mirror, as if the other room served as the ghosts of those who danced above, and was used in conjunction with other magical effects to create a memorable spectacle.
The large interior doors of the ballroom led out into the primary courtyard of the palace, which was the home of the expansive royal gardens.
The Royal Gardens
The Royal Gardens were located in the largest courtyard of Duskmourne spire, and while there were multiple different entrances into the gardens, the largest was off the Grand Ballroom. The gardens themselves were made up of a scenic series of paths that resembled a rose when seen from overhead, and at its heart was a fountain that flowed with anima-infused water. The flora of the gardens was wildly varied, as they housed a great deal of experimentally mage-bred plants that were illuminated by the anima they fed upon.
The gardens were overlaid with a windowed dome like a greenhouse so that the gardens could be maintained year round, though they could be opened during the warmer months to allow natural rainfall to filter into the gardens below. The gardens were home to various birds, though most notably crows and ravens as they were drawn to the vampyrs that resided within the palace, as well as the peafowl that were bred within it.
The Throne Room
The throne room is a large chamber that serves as an audience chamber for those petitioning the monarch of the palace. The only seat presence is the throne itself, which is a large seat with a back that resembles wide wings adorned with red anima gemstones.
Underground Palace
The Ossuarium
The Ossuarium was the name attributed to the large central cavern that opened up beneath the surface building of Duskmourne Spire. It represented the bulk of the chambers and corridors that belonged entirely to the undead residents of the Duskmourne Spire, and was a place living dignitaries did not tread outside special invitation. The cavern itself was ornate and well adorned with massive statues, enchanted sconces, and stained glass depictions of icons and scenes of import to the sin'dorei, through which the glow of the Spire Heart created dancing shadows and ominous lights. An ornate, open ball room was built at the top of the Ossuarium, immediately beneath the ballroom on the surface, and its ceiling—the floor of the upper level—could be made semi-transparent to create a dark mirror to the surface, which served as both an overflow for events as well as a private sanctum for the dead.
The Royal Suite
The royal suite of Duskmourne Spire was unique in that it was not built horizontally, but instead vertically, so that it touched both the surface world and the expansive caverns below. The core of the royal suite was an open chamber over a lavish bathing room, the ceiling of which stretched all the way up to one of the stained glass domes of one of the spires. Various rooms and chambers branched off corridors that surrounded this central room, creating an expansive apartment that was suitable to house the private quarters of the royal family. Access to the throne room could be made via a secret passage off the royal suite, allowing for the monarchs to attend to audiences and return to their chambers with ease.
The Spire Heart
Located in the depths of the underground portion of Duskmourne Spire was a massive anima crystal that served as one of many primary "hearts" of the anima streams that were constructed throughout the Ghostlands. It served as a centralized node for the flow of anima throughout the palace, and was a powerful source of magic that radiated an eerie glow that rose through the central cavern of the underground. Access to the Spire Heart was limited to the monarch and their confidantes, as well as a limited number of trusted magisters that worked to maintain the artifact.
