Onderon's Open Terrain

CARDINAL’S PERCH
EXTERIOR
The Cardinal’s Perch was built atop the ruins of an ancient fortress on the world of Onderon. The fortress itself was not where the castle stood, but instead originally stood camouflaged by the waterfall at the base of the twin peaks that suspend the Perch high above the clouds. Conceptualised by the Count shortly after his joining of the Dark Jedi Order, the massive castle was intended as a self-sustaining retreat for the man after discovering that communal living in the temple, nor the dark, heavy architectural style of the temple did not suit his extremely refined tastes. However, it’s design also allowed for a more clandestine purpose, for contained within the twin mountains that surrounded the building was a military complex of a massive scale, intended to house the military of both Aderon and other members of the Dark Jedi, and serve as a defendable fortress. As a result, the castle, while impressive from an exterior point of view, was actually much larger than it first appeared to any outsider who decided to venture into the vale which houses the castle. The exterior is mostly inaccessible, save for a few terrace gardens.

MAIN HANGAR
The Atrium of the castle is of a curious design, and rather out of the ordinary as far as fortress designs go. The approach is only possible by one direction, since mountains obscure the path from any other side. By this way, one will he presented with dramatic views of the mountains, as well as face the hangar dead on while entering, allowing the guidance lights to activate. Located at the top and center of the fort, one entire side of the hangar has been left open to the elements, with the floor having been constructed of black marble. Statues line the walls, which consist of large arches holding up a vaulted ceiling. Contained within this hangar was a docking area for the Nexus, alongside 3 other spaces for other shuttles, alongside racks for fighter escorts. However, the clandestine military base area contains a hangar for more ships. A single door at the end of the hangar farthest from the large open end leads down into the entrance hall.

ENTRANCE HALL
The entrance hall of the castle is a two story tall cylindrical room. Double staircases lead down from the top floor, where the exit from the main hangar is situated. A small dome, reminiscent of the one in the Grand Atrium of the castle. Three columns on the left and right sides hold up the upper floor, which is a balcony that loops around the main floor in a circle. Beneath the balcony on the side of the room across from the stairs was the arched entrance into the grand gallery leading to the atrium. The floor and stairs was made of an off-white marble color, with an emblem of House Dooku in the middle of the floor. The columns and the side paneling of the stairs were made of a black material, with gold enameling on all of them. Arches on the second level balcony were also in place around the edge of the balcony. Under the balcony behind the stairs were a number of seats and tables for guests who were waiting to meet with someone. A chandelier hung from the center of the dome, bathing the room in a brilliant light.

GALLERY
The long gallery room was rather simple in overarching scheme, yet very complex and detailed in its scheme. A number of columns went down the corridor, separating out the busts, statues, and paintings on either sides of the room. Wall sconces on either side of the paintings provided light, and the floor was made up of the same off-white marble as the entrance area, with the addition of black triangles that segmented the white into diamonds. These diamonds ended and began where the columns were.

GRAND ATRIUM
The Grand Atrium of the palace is a truly grand and imposing space, and could be considered the piece de resistance of the palace. Each staircase was built in solid Alderaanian oak, with each banister containing elaborate wrought iron grilles with ormolu swags. The surrounding entrance halls were appointed in the same polished oak paneling carved in the Neoclassical style. The panels of the newel posts were carved with high relief garlands, each one of unique design, and topped by pineapple finials. Just behind the staircase were three elevator shafts that provided people in the palace access from their rooms to the main level. The lifts were immaculately decorated with classical order. The floors were laid with cream-colored marble tiles interspersed with black medallions. Armchairs and sofas upholstered in blue were provided just off the staircase and potted palms in raised holders dotted each level. On the upper level was an upright piano allowing the palace’s orchestra to hold impromptu concerts in the atrium. The atrium also featured a large wrought iron and glass dome overhead that allowed natural light to enter the stairwell during the day. The dome was fringed with a delicately molded plaster entablature and rested on the housing surrounding the stairwell. It was covered by a protective box to protect the dome from the elements and which also contained the lighting to illuminate the dome from behind in the evening. In the center of the dome hung a large crystal and gilt chandelier. Small beaded crystal chandelier fixtures provided additional lighting to the space.

OFFICE
Aderon’s office, located in the West Wing of the castle, is yet another testament to the grandeur that the Count is fond of. Made nearly entirely of black and white marble, it is at the end of an intersection point of three other corridors. At the t-shaped junction where the three corridors meet, a golden seal on the floor, depicting the coat of arms of House Dooku, superimposed on a circle, is aligned so that the top of the chevron faces towards his desk. Above this seal is a dome that allows in natural light. Along the corners of this junction are four black columns, with flared caps, holding up the ceiling. The floor is made up of patterned marble in both straight and curved angles, meant to emphasize and draw attention to the seal at the center of the room. The desk itself, set further back into the room, is on a raised platform. The curved table has all of the curiosities that a Count would need, and behind it is a four paned bay window with thin strips of wrought iron separating each panel. At the top of the windows, the thin bars become an arched web. The windows themselves provide beautiful views of the vale, and are designed such that a directed strike at just the right point can break them. This would simultaneously deploy a hang glider from the ceiling, allowing the occupant to escape in the event of an attack.Red banners wearing the emblem of House Dooku hang in between the columns completing the look of the room.

LIBRARY
As an avid student of many schools of knowledge, particularly historical ones, the Perch includes a vast library, to serve as a repository for any knowledge that the Count or his subordinates come across. Built in a style similar to what you might expect of the Imperial Palace on Coruscant, the room is of a long, rectangular shape, with a large half circle fitted at the end of it. A red carpet runs down the center of floor of the room, which itself is made of marble. The vaulted ceilings of the space are decorated with large frescoes, depicting various scenes from galactic history. These vaulted ceilings are supported by sweeping columns, with round bases and elaborately decorated pyramidal capitals. At the far end of the space, where it curves around into a half circle, a large staircase leads up to a landing area, with extremely large windows overlooking the valley the castle is situated in, along with stairs leading up to the second level. The lower floor itself is in something of a pit, surrounded by mahogany shelves covered in various physical materials. The second level, however, is where the vast majority of the information and space within the library are stored. At the center of the “pit” that makes up the lower floor, an armillary sphere depicting the galaxy sits atop a marble pedestal, and above this, from the ceiling a tri-tiered chandelier hangs. While there are vast shelves filled with physical records, many of which date to before the founding of the Galactic Republic, an advanced computerised system has also been set up, to store copies of the information, or information such as videos that cannot be kept in physical form.

EAST PARLOR
Modelled in the (real world) Louis XV style, it offered views onto the approach to the castle. Intricately carved wood panelling with intermittent motifs of musical instruments were the dominant feature of the room. Bronze sconces and large rounded mirrors were installed throughout. A 49-light opaque glass and ormolu chandelier with crystal embellishment occupied the central recess of the ceiling, which was itself elaborately molded with instrumental motifs. Adjoining the open seating area were cosy alcoves with inset mirrors and tall bay windows of leaded and stained glass.

Groups of tables and chairs, sofas, and armchairs upholstered in plush velvet with green and gold floral patterns were scattered throughout. At the centre of the forward wall was a gracefully carved grey marble fireplace. A replica statue of Darth Tyrannus stood on the mantelpiece, with a large mirror above. At the opposite end the wall curved and contained a wide mahogany bookcase.

WEST PARLOR
This U-Shaped room was decorated with dark mahogany panelling inlaid with mother-of-pearl and richly carved. Numerous large stained-glass windows were installed in pedimented niches within the panelling, illuminated from behind. For increased height and the room was flanked by alcoves with bay windows, also in stained-glass.

The floor was laid with white and black tiles and the plaster ceiling was moulded with plaster medallions. In the centre of the far-back wall was a painting of the Serenno Countryside, which hung over a fireplace in white marble.

PRIMARY DINING HALL
As the primary space for hosting guests, this space is one of the grandest in the entire castle. A rectangular room, this one complements the library in its shape, being an exact carbon copy in terms of the shape of the room. However, the layout is quite different. Upon entry into the room, one will be presented with a small reception area in front of a large staircase similar to the one in the atrium. The reception area, complete with small seating arrangements and various plants, is but a taste of what is to come. Upon proceeding up the stairs, one would find themselves in an enormous room, with a long table running down the center of the room. The floor, composed of the purest white marble interspersed with diamonds formed of the black marble, is expansive. Large columns run up the side of the room, breaking up giant windows that stretch from the floor to the ceiling. From the ceiling, enormous 5-tiered chandeliers hang, bathing the space in light. Atop the table, which is decorated with flawless white linen, sit several enormous ice sculptures. These ice sculptures are formed by pouring cold water into a mould that is custom made for each one, producing spiralling crystal shapes. They are specially made and put in place whenever the count has guests over. These ice sculptures are twice as tall as most people, but do not even come close to touching the ceiling. Around the edges of the room, trees have been put into place, and are manicured perfectly to provide a splash of color to the otherwise black-and-White room.

SECONDARY DINING HALL
A tastefully appointed space, this room is perhaps the most elaborate in its design scheme. Made to give the impression of being in a forest, this room’s decorative scheme is dominated by large columns that have been formed from actual trees, perfectly manicured and trimmed every day to ensure that they do not outgrow the design scheme. With bark fashioned into columns and a number of square lamps hanging from the ceiling, this room is perhaps the most out of theme with the rest of the castle, but was designed as a respite from the grandiose design seen elsewhere. The entire space, save for one side, is surrounded by windows, interspersed by very light wood panelling, giving the impression of being outdoors, while actually being inside the castle due to the harsh weather Onderon is known for. Small clusters of mahogany tables and chairs sit underneath the hanging lanterns, allowing for more informal events to be held inside this room.

CHAMBERS OF THE SABLE COUNT
This large, circular room was rather sparsely furnished compared to the rest of the castle. Decorated in shades of red and gold, this room had massive windows that went from floor to ceiling, but were inserted into the walls such that the large velvet curtains used to obscure the windows could be completely flush with the wall, giving the appearance that the room had no windows at all. The walls were a pale crimson color, with heavy use of worn gold trim in the Louis XVI style used to outline the walls, along with to provide heavy decoration at the lip of the ceiling., woven into floral patterns. The ceiling itself was a domed structure heavily gilded in similar shades of gold, and containing beautiful paintings of various plants. The floor was made of white marble and covered with a simple red velvet rug, which had gold edges before opening back up onto the floor. A golden two tiered chandelier, covered in crystalline lights, hung from the center of the dome, just above the enormous red silken bed. The head of the bed was covered in plush silk upholstery, and the entire thing was framed in the same dulled gold that could be seen throughout the rest of the room. The head of the bed was made entirely of this dulled gold formed into a spade, two and a half times taller than the average human. Onto this spade various motifs of plants were imposed, and three large portraits were arranged in a triangle on it. The two bottom points of the triangle were the portraits of Aderon’s mother and father, and the portrait that was front and center was of Aderon himself. A red chaise sat at the foot of the bed, and the rest of the room had a few dressers, tables, and chairs in it.

RUINS
The ruins, now seriously fallen into decay, were at one point an ancient nexus of the Force created by the Sith. However, the Dark energy of the temple was at some point cleansed by the Jedi, making it a force neutral space. Most of the fortress is made up of impressive corridors, with high pillars and massive windows looking out over the waterfall. Vines and other invasive plants have spread throughout the structure, and the roots of the trees that sprout around the base of the mountain have broken in, twisting around the columns, statues, fountains, and other impressive architecture the ruins house. At the center of the temple stands a large colosseum, five stories high and surrounded by columns. The stone brick floors of the circular space house mysterious channels that make up a star on the floor, and lead to a strange, patterned circle in the exact middle of the room. The purpose of this is still unknown, as Aderon has tried numerous times to pour various ancient substances into the channels, albeit to no effect. An investigation into this is ongoing, and he may consider inviting experts from the Dark Jedi Order to help him decipher this.

After a few moments of Ifrit waiting, the large doors at the end of the room slid open, revealing Aderon and a small contingent of three guards, as well as two servants. While the entourage stayed behind at the door, Aderon stepped out across the black marble floor to greet the Fallen. The demonic creature was evidently extremely out of place here in the castle, contrasting very sharply against the elegant, clean lines that made up this part of the hangar. It was no matter, but it certainly presented an interesting contrast. As he reached the Fallen, he made a bow as a sign of respect.

“Greetings, Fallen.”

“Yes, it took a bit of doing, but I managed to put something... nice together. It may lack the same sort of accessibility to the city that my home on Carannia had, but it does not lack for features.”

Even from the hangar alone, anyone who was not an idiot could tell that this was no humble home. Rows of shining, bronzium plated Geonosian Fighters covered the walls, their expert metalworking shining in the evening sun that poured in through the open side of the hangar. While the building itself was impressive, however, there were other things that would likely interest the fallen far more about this place, namely the Sith ruins and the areas beneath the castle’s supports...

“I trust you had a pleasant flight?”

He gestured to the door.

Aderon gave a bit of a smile as they passed through the entrance hall, with a few servants who were there offering their recently arrived guest water, wine, and other refreshing items to recover after the flight. New starships, while interesting, could hold nothing to the technology of the past, if you asked Aderon.

"Indeed. I would hope so. Now, onto the reason, I asked for you to come here. I have a few things built here that you might be... interested in seeing."

The two of them passed by the various paintings, busts, and other precious artifacts that dotted the hallway, including artifacts from events of great galactic significance. All lost to time now, but it was through collections such as this that the history of the galaxy was preserved. The history of both the Republic and Empire could be traced back through his collection, and in many ways it inspired him to do what he did today. To follow his purpose with vigor.

"I can assure you, Fallen, that it will certainly have been worth the trip."

As they entered the Atrium of the castle, rays of light streaming into the room through the glass dome built into the roof, they made their way up the staircase, past the cherub and the large clock built into the wall overlooking the landing area. Making their way onto the right side of the upper level, a servant unlocked one of the lifts for them. The lift in question led to Aderon's office, where the access to the project he wished to show the Fallen was. As such he waved for Fallen to enter the elevator. Though he would likely not be able to see the artistry in the detail it had been intended, he would likely get the sense, simply from the Force, that this was a grand space indeed.

"It's located through this lift to my office."

As the two of them stepped into the elevator, it lifted effortlessly and smoothly off its base, before beginning to rise up the large shaft at quite a high speed, the inertial compensator preventing the occupants from feeling any negative effects from the high-speed ascent. As they did, Aderon looked out the glass window of the elevator, over the valley below. This was a wild world indeed, but peaks such as this made it ideal for projects like his. Plus, the scenery was beautiful in its own way, and reminded Aderon somewhat of the forests on his planet.