Jedi Archeologist
Intent: To create a home and seat of power for [member="Beric Layne"], as well as a place for writing and thread development.
Image Credit: x
Canon: N/A
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Structure Name: Frosthall
Classification: Castle
Location: Vandor
Affiliation: Frosthall is the seat of power for House Layne, an ancient house of force-users who's founding dates back to the days of the New Republic, before the Gulag Plague. Currently, the castle is under the control of Beric Layne, Lord of House Layne and heir to Frosthall.
Accessibility: While Frosthall is seated in the unforgivingly-cold mountain ranges of Vandor, starship landing pads and hovertrain routes make it as accessible as anything else on Vandor.
Description: Named for the chilling winds and biting cold that surrounds it, Frosthall is indeed a castle of ice and snow. Situated under and partially built into a jagged spire of ice and rock called the Frostspear, Frosthall is almost always covered in a layer of perpetual snow due to the frozen climate of Vandor. It's grey towers dominate the landscape, even when compared to the jagged peaks that surround it, and first glances give off a cold and unforgiving atmosphere, much like the reputation of House Layne. However, on the inside Frosthall is surprisingly warm -- the castle is heated by geothermal wells dug deep into the mantle of Vandor, which brings up geothermal heat to circulate within chambers and halls. However, the main hall of Frosthall is purposefully kept cold, as a testimony to the icy spirit of House Layne.
Hangar Bay
To allow intergalactic travelers into Frosthall's hearth, a series of hangar bays have been carved out below Frosthall, with stone paths that lead directly up into the castle. Ray shielding prevents the cold and elements from entering the hangar bays, but the hangar bays are only large enough to hold a small corvette, at maximum, and are rarely ever full.
The Tower of Ice
More of a hall than a tower, the Tower of Ice is to the left of the main castle, and includes barracks and training grounds for the Swords of Vandor, separate from the quarters of House Layne and the rest of Frosthall.
The Tower of Winter
A domed tower to the left of the Tower of Midnight, the Tower of Winter is slightly smaller than the Midnight Tower. Inside the Tower of Winter reside the armory and library of Frosthall, with an observation dome built at the top by one of the more scholarly members of House Layne, in a time long forgotten.
The Tower of Midnight
Easily the largest tower of Frosthall, the base of the Tower of Midnight is both the entrance hall, dining hall, and gate into the castle. With thick walls of heavy stone, it is said that the Tower of Midnight could withstand a siege by itself, without even the need of shield generators. Whether or not this is actually true, however, is anyone's guess, as there has never been an opportunity for the Tower to fufill the legend. Sitting centerfront in Frosthall, the upper chambers of the Frosthall are devoted to studies, chambers, and a training hall for the members of House Layne in the ways of dueling and the force.
The Tower of Dawn
More narrow but taller than the Tower of Midnight, but warmer than any other keep or tower in the castle, the Tower of Dawn sits to the right and behind of the Tower of Midnight. The Tower of Dawn is the most secretive of all of Frosthall, and only members of House Layne are permitted to enter. Inside of the tower sits the archives of House Layne, with each member of the family and their lives inscribed in the tower. The highest chamber of the Tower of Dawn is entirely void except for a pedestal on which sits the ancient blade of House Layne, the Frostbyte, a forcesword with unique properties that can only be wielded by the worthy heir of House Layne.
High -- Frosthall is guarded by the Vandorian Swords, a small army of sworn soldiers to House Layne. Armed with vibroswords, blast-resistant armor, and vibrospears, each Sword of Vandor is trained in dueling with their blade, and create quiet a deadly force to content with. Underneath the Castle sits a massive shield generator, able to protect Frosthall from harm in case of orbital bombardment, and laser cannons man the crennelations of the castle's smaller towers and walls, to fend off invaders or to act as defensive weapons in case of a siege. The men and women of House Layne are also warriors, able to defend their hearth and home.
Frosthall was first built by the founder of House Layne, Berr Layne, a former Jedi of the New Republic in exile. Raised during the waxing years of the Gulag Plague, Frosthall was initially only the Tower of Midnight, growing larger throughout the years as different Laynes would expand the castle as their dominion over the ice world of Vandor grew during the four-hundred year darkness. As the centuries passed, House Layne grew into a house of warriors, with legends who led crusades against pirates and raiders, who defended Vandor from fell beasts and demonic beings, to the point that Frosthall had become one of the most important, and iconic, landmarks on Vandor.
