Quietus
Hunting Again
Name: Halcyon Citadel
Image Source:
Southern Road Approach
"Mountain Citadel" by Andreas Rocha
Northern Face Approach - "High Sanctum" suspended between the Hatchery
"Fantasy Environment" by Lee Dongick
Classification: Walled City - place of education, business, training, and home to a modest population of those under the mentorship and employ of Beastia Blackthorne.
Location: Onderon. Approximately 200 miles northwest of the walled city of Iziz.
Affiliation: Quietus [Ruler], Blackthorne Beastiary
Population: Estimated average population is 3,000 people, beasts not included. This number fluxuates with the season, rising during Harvest and Dxun Migration, lowering during the rain swell and "winter" of Onderon.
Demographics: 80% Human, 20% other.
Points of Interest:
Description: Built into a massive mountain range, the Blackthorne Beastiary HQ is an enormous compound of towers, halls, and castle-like structures, networked through several mountain peaks and plateaus. The full campus is interconnected by a series of networked stone catwalks and bridges, as well as tunnels and smaller walkways. Though the main portion of the HQ, Halcyon Citadel, predates the 400 year darkness and the Gulag Plague, over the centuries the Citadel’s fortifications were added upon and expanded. It is the present home of Beastia Blackthorne [Quietus], her family [mate [member="Lucianus Adair"], children [member="Ari"], Dhaldessa, and Eordahn, as well as any visiting relatives or friends], and former Princess of Iziz [member="Thalia Rist"]
Halcyon Citadel: The Citadel itself stands at the forefront, and is the first place travelers and clients alike arrive. A proud beacon of historical power, the Citadel was originally constructed as the home of Sith Lord Korran Halcyon, AKA Daritha, and his family and followers. Secured by several stronghold walls and levels, the fortifications of the Citadel are enough to stave off small civil invasions from Iziz or the Beast Tribes in time of flux, but not strong enough to hold off a galactic invasion force. Watch Towers are present on every level of the citadel town with high, thick walls of stone separating the various districts. Massive metal doors can be opened and closed and barred to secure the levels during an attack.
Today it houses the remnants of the old Pillar of Knowledge, and is the main center of business for Blackthorne Beastiary. The Citadel is quite large, on the scale of large town/small city, and is home to anywhere between several hundred to a few thousand people depending on the season, including Acolytes of the Pillar of Knowledge, the employ of Blackthorne Beastiary, hopeful initiates of the Beastiary, a portion of the local Beast Tribe people, and still has plenty of room for guests of any station or notoriety.
Passing through the outer gates will bring travelers into the Tribes District where the vast majority of the Citadel's Beast Tribe population live, farm, and tend their creatures. The grassy steppes here are lush and used for rotating crops and livestock to feed the citizens within. There exist large gardens and tree farms within the terraformed steppes that extend beyond the outer wall and into the mountain valley below. Most of the livestock herds are kept under very close guard by the Tribespeople and are under constant surveillance for protection from poaching wild beasts. Tribespeople come and go from this district freely and enjoy a fair amount of autonomy over their daily lives. They are lead by the resident tribal Chief who takes orders from the Beastia.
Through the next set of main gates and walls one will find the market and merchant district. Travelers can stop here for trade, supplies, and general business needs. The local pub and inn can feed and house the weary wanderer and there’s never a shortage of entertainment. Blackthorne Beastiary does the vast majority of their business here in this district through various shoppes and vendors. Local beasts can be bought and sold here, but those looking for more specialized items, creatures, or services are referred to the Inner Sanctum.
The Inner Sanctum is where the base Acolytes of the Pillar of Knowledge and the Beast Experts of the Beastiary can be found. This is the first five levels of the main citadel proper and grants access to the connected Hatchery and Pillar towers located further into the mountain chain. The Inner Sanctum is the home of the Acolytes and houses the chambers and facilities related to their work. One can also find the higher echelons of the Beast Tribe people here as well as the employees of the Beastiary. Visiting people of minor importance are housed and dealt with in the Inner Sanctum.
The High Sanctum is accessed by walkways and bridges leading from the uppermost level of the Inner Keep. It is the newest portion of the structure in comparison to the original, having been constructed nearly 500 years after. Formed as a castle of sorts suspended between two main peaks over the river and falls, its six levels make the main citadel proper and are primarily used for housing clients and visitors of greater importance as well as the top tier levels of employees, Acolytes and dignitaries. The High Sanctum is also home to the main internal HQ of the Beastiary and is where the heart of the business is run. The entirety of the top two levels are devoted to the living space of Beastia Blackthorne, her family and friends, and the most recent addition of former Onderonian Princess Thalia Rist.
Other locations to note within the citadel proper: a grand feast hall, a library and archive, several conference and study halls, training rooms of various uses, a medical hall, a massive open stone courtyard overlooking the gorge, an expansive hangar for varying sizes of transports, an atrium, throne room, and other necessities and amenities one would come to expect of a major residence location of this size.
The Hatchery: Located on a separate peak east of the Citadel [left peak in the second picture], the Hatchery is a massive tower whose structure is carved into the peak itself and extends down into the mountain. 80 levels make up this tower, many of which built into it like a honeycomb to allow free passage of tame skreevs and rupings where they may nest. Several lower levels are breeding and birthing dens for the land-walking beasts such as dalgos, maalraas, and zakkegs. There is a courtyard surrounding the base of the structure used for tending nests that are close to hatching. This forms a precipice over the gorge and main waterfall. Several chambers and levels of the Hatchery are used for training and taming beasts as well as new riders. New gadgetry, armor and tack for beasts is tested and perfected here and a good majority of controlled field training for the Beastiary is done here as well.
The Pillar: Located on the peak to the west of the Citadel [right peak in the second picture], the Pillar is the original HQ of the Pillar of Knowledge from the days of the Dark Sith Order, long before the ravages of the 400 year darkness. This tower is now devoted to the continued order and work of the Pillar - the gathering of information from across the galaxy. It is home to a massive store of knowledge collected over the centuries and is one of the most high-tech areas of the Citadel proper. The entirety of the central structure is an interconnected archival hub that spans 50 floors. A good majority of this has gone unused since the 400 year darkness as the numbers of Acolytes devoted to the Pillar have dwindled. Only the first 30 floors are presently open and accessible, the remaining lower levels have been sealed off by order of Quietus.
History: -
Intent: To legitimize a structure that is important and integral to both the history of this character (Quietus) and the world of Onderon, as well as providing a OOC record of the IC base of operations for Blackthorne Beastiary.
Links: Blackthorne Beastiary
Image Source:
Southern Road Approach
"Mountain Citadel" by Andreas Rocha
Northern Face Approach - "High Sanctum" suspended between the Hatchery
and the Pillar
"Fantasy Environment" by Lee Dongick
Classification: Walled City - place of education, business, training, and home to a modest population of those under the mentorship and employ of Beastia Blackthorne.
Location: Onderon. Approximately 200 miles northwest of the walled city of Iziz.
Affiliation: Quietus [Ruler], Blackthorne Beastiary
Population: Estimated average population is 3,000 people, beasts not included. This number fluxuates with the season, rising during Harvest and Dxun Migration, lowering during the rain swell and "winter" of Onderon.
Demographics: 80% Human, 20% other.
Points of Interest:
- Tribes District
- Market / Merchant District
- Inner Sanctum
- High Sanctum
- The Hatchery
- The Pillar
Description: Built into a massive mountain range, the Blackthorne Beastiary HQ is an enormous compound of towers, halls, and castle-like structures, networked through several mountain peaks and plateaus. The full campus is interconnected by a series of networked stone catwalks and bridges, as well as tunnels and smaller walkways. Though the main portion of the HQ, Halcyon Citadel, predates the 400 year darkness and the Gulag Plague, over the centuries the Citadel’s fortifications were added upon and expanded. It is the present home of Beastia Blackthorne [Quietus], her family [mate [member="Lucianus Adair"], children [member="Ari"], Dhaldessa, and Eordahn, as well as any visiting relatives or friends], and former Princess of Iziz [member="Thalia Rist"]
Halcyon Citadel: The Citadel itself stands at the forefront, and is the first place travelers and clients alike arrive. A proud beacon of historical power, the Citadel was originally constructed as the home of Sith Lord Korran Halcyon, AKA Daritha, and his family and followers. Secured by several stronghold walls and levels, the fortifications of the Citadel are enough to stave off small civil invasions from Iziz or the Beast Tribes in time of flux, but not strong enough to hold off a galactic invasion force. Watch Towers are present on every level of the citadel town with high, thick walls of stone separating the various districts. Massive metal doors can be opened and closed and barred to secure the levels during an attack.
Today it houses the remnants of the old Pillar of Knowledge, and is the main center of business for Blackthorne Beastiary. The Citadel is quite large, on the scale of large town/small city, and is home to anywhere between several hundred to a few thousand people depending on the season, including Acolytes of the Pillar of Knowledge, the employ of Blackthorne Beastiary, hopeful initiates of the Beastiary, a portion of the local Beast Tribe people, and still has plenty of room for guests of any station or notoriety.
Passing through the outer gates will bring travelers into the Tribes District where the vast majority of the Citadel's Beast Tribe population live, farm, and tend their creatures. The grassy steppes here are lush and used for rotating crops and livestock to feed the citizens within. There exist large gardens and tree farms within the terraformed steppes that extend beyond the outer wall and into the mountain valley below. Most of the livestock herds are kept under very close guard by the Tribespeople and are under constant surveillance for protection from poaching wild beasts. Tribespeople come and go from this district freely and enjoy a fair amount of autonomy over their daily lives. They are lead by the resident tribal Chief who takes orders from the Beastia.
Through the next set of main gates and walls one will find the market and merchant district. Travelers can stop here for trade, supplies, and general business needs. The local pub and inn can feed and house the weary wanderer and there’s never a shortage of entertainment. Blackthorne Beastiary does the vast majority of their business here in this district through various shoppes and vendors. Local beasts can be bought and sold here, but those looking for more specialized items, creatures, or services are referred to the Inner Sanctum.
The Inner Sanctum is where the base Acolytes of the Pillar of Knowledge and the Beast Experts of the Beastiary can be found. This is the first five levels of the main citadel proper and grants access to the connected Hatchery and Pillar towers located further into the mountain chain. The Inner Sanctum is the home of the Acolytes and houses the chambers and facilities related to their work. One can also find the higher echelons of the Beast Tribe people here as well as the employees of the Beastiary. Visiting people of minor importance are housed and dealt with in the Inner Sanctum.
The High Sanctum is accessed by walkways and bridges leading from the uppermost level of the Inner Keep. It is the newest portion of the structure in comparison to the original, having been constructed nearly 500 years after. Formed as a castle of sorts suspended between two main peaks over the river and falls, its six levels make the main citadel proper and are primarily used for housing clients and visitors of greater importance as well as the top tier levels of employees, Acolytes and dignitaries. The High Sanctum is also home to the main internal HQ of the Beastiary and is where the heart of the business is run. The entirety of the top two levels are devoted to the living space of Beastia Blackthorne, her family and friends, and the most recent addition of former Onderonian Princess Thalia Rist.
Other locations to note within the citadel proper: a grand feast hall, a library and archive, several conference and study halls, training rooms of various uses, a medical hall, a massive open stone courtyard overlooking the gorge, an expansive hangar for varying sizes of transports, an atrium, throne room, and other necessities and amenities one would come to expect of a major residence location of this size.
The Hatchery: Located on a separate peak east of the Citadel [left peak in the second picture], the Hatchery is a massive tower whose structure is carved into the peak itself and extends down into the mountain. 80 levels make up this tower, many of which built into it like a honeycomb to allow free passage of tame skreevs and rupings where they may nest. Several lower levels are breeding and birthing dens for the land-walking beasts such as dalgos, maalraas, and zakkegs. There is a courtyard surrounding the base of the structure used for tending nests that are close to hatching. This forms a precipice over the gorge and main waterfall. Several chambers and levels of the Hatchery are used for training and taming beasts as well as new riders. New gadgetry, armor and tack for beasts is tested and perfected here and a good majority of controlled field training for the Beastiary is done here as well.
The Pillar: Located on the peak to the west of the Citadel [right peak in the second picture], the Pillar is the original HQ of the Pillar of Knowledge from the days of the Dark Sith Order, long before the ravages of the 400 year darkness. This tower is now devoted to the continued order and work of the Pillar - the gathering of information from across the galaxy. It is home to a massive store of knowledge collected over the centuries and is one of the most high-tech areas of the Citadel proper. The entirety of the central structure is an interconnected archival hub that spans 50 floors. A good majority of this has gone unused since the 400 year darkness as the numbers of Acolytes devoted to the Pillar have dwindled. Only the first 30 floors are presently open and accessible, the remaining lower levels have been sealed off by order of Quietus.
History: -
Intent: To legitimize a structure that is important and integral to both the history of this character (Quietus) and the world of Onderon, as well as providing a OOC record of the IC base of operations for Blackthorne Beastiary.
Links: Blackthorne Beastiary
