Bristol, Castle Shandyrot, METAPHAZE, World of Magic

METAPHAZE

World
of
Magic

Castle Shandyrot

Bristol, Dnalgne

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The Castle from Afar

Standing on shore, and looking towards the castle Shandyrot, the entire castle is whitewashed a brilliant white. Towers, buildings and the immense keep in the center all are bright alabaster. Large iron rods point skyward from atop every tall structure in the complex and strung from them is an immense web work of fine netting. Bright birds can be seen flitting from place to place under the immense canopy.

The central tower of the keep is the only structure that extends above the boundaries of the netting. This tower has a set of large doors that open up onto unrailed balconies at the level just above the mooring points for the netting. Armored knights of a wide variety of devices can be seen entering and leaving on numerous types of flying mounts. Within the room revealed within the tower, other figures can be seen at guard posts and moving about within.

Causeway and Gatehouse

Entry to the castle is across a wide two-wagon causeway. On the shore side, it is guarded by two barrel shaped towers, squat in stature, but bristling with activity. At no time is this point unoccupied. So busy is this particular outpost that it has become a sort of tourist attraction. People regularly stop to watch the "changing of the guard".

Passing the two towers, one finds themselves on the great causeway, a large arched bridge almost a half-mile long. The highest point is in the center and allows all but the largest ships to pass unobstructed. The center sports a complex of several towers, and a droppable drawbridge that can be used to block entry or exit from the harbor. The main bridge can also be raised, cutting off the castle from the mainland, and allowing large ships to pass between.

After crossing the midpoint, one is on a downhill run towards the main castle gate. An impressive set of six towers arranged in a hexagonal pattern point skyward for almost 100 feet. A series of skybridges connect the six towers for defensibility. The main walls are 75 feet of the total and the elaborate fine netting is hung as filler between the tops of the walls and the rods mounted in the tops of the towers.

The six towers of the main gate form what is referred to as the gatehouse. Making a 90 degree turn at the bottom of the causeway, one is confronted with the massive gate structure in its glory. A great stone plaza acts as a staging area for traffic entering and leaving the castle. A wide road wraps around to the right, and allows access to the Castle Wharf. A small guardhouse marks a checkpoint for access to this area.

The gate, placed in the wall of the gatehouse is 30 feet tall and has a pair of great iron doors, both a rust-brown from oxidation, solid in their separation of the outside of the castle from that which lies within. Entering through the gates, the clop of horse hooves on stone echoes in the wide archway. Then the visitor is in the gatehouse proper. Open to the sky, the six towers stand massive around a 300 foot courtyard. Gardens and fountains inundate the senses with fragrant flowers, the quiet splash of water and the quiet murmur of voices in conversation.

Occasionally, a bright flash can be seen darting through the air, a bird of one type or another, all beautiful in their coloring. Off to the left is the portal to the "Guests Atrium".

Guest's Atrium

A smaller, finely crafted wooden door, almost a foot in thickness marks the entry portal to the guests hall. Spanning the distance between two of the towers, the Guests Hall is almost as long as the Gatehouse area is wide. Smooth marble floors, a salmon and white in color and shined to a bright polish, whisper under hundreds of feet awaiting their turn at business within the castle. The roof is finely carved wood and carries row upon row of devices from the heroes of the kingdom. All are represented here.

The walls have great portraits of past kings and queens, all fine renditions from famous artists of their times. Most of the portraits are massive and take up large portions of the walls.

Doors to the right lead off to the various administrative and bureaucratic offices that are housed within the walls of the castle. Most of the visitors to the castle are waiting patiently for access to the administrators of this land.

Moving to the far end of the hall, the crowds lessen and a carpeted area marks the point at which the line to see the queen starts. A green carpet extends up to a second pair of wooden carved doors with a gold lion, rampant on each door, facing each other. Two golden armored men face each other, great halberds held vertical in their hands, they stand totally motionless and one can almost imagine that they are simply statues were it not for the periodic replacement of these fellows by others of their ilk.

Queen's Audience Chamber

Upon being granted audience to the queen's presence, one waits in line and then is allowed to enter through the doors. A short hall sits beyond the doors, and a second open set of doors stands between the visitor and the Queen's Audience Chamber. Entering the room, a slight wavering at the second threshold is dismissed as quickly as one passes through the portal. The room is round, and about 100 feet in diameter. A colonnade around the outside edge separates the main room from an outer walkway that extends around the room.

At the far side of the room, opposite of the main doors, is the queen's chair, a great carved wooden and cloth throne, intended to impress all who enter this room. The floor is laced with a fragmented pattern, impossible to fathom by any mage, and intended to thwart any teleport attempts to this room by its intricate and changing pattern. Magic waves ripple across its expanse and tingle underfoot.

A great purple banner hangs behind the throne and hides anything beyond the throne. Other smaller banners intended to provide a variety of colors and textures to the upper part of the room. The room extends three stories high and has two viewing balconies that appear empty.

Other than richly garbed advisors and a few knights of high standing to the queen the room is typically mostly empty. Only on special occasions and during festivals and other celebrations is the room full of important dignitaries. The green carpet leads up to a point 30 feet from the throne and stops. Flowers and elaborate trunks and chairs form a small wall across any path to the queen's throne. Obviously, there are protective procedures in place for the safety of the queen.