Castello di Penumbra

“Welcome to my domain, brave one. Pay heed because this will be the only warning I give you. My castle will challenge you in both mind, body and spirit. As you traverse across rooms of magic mirrors, ancient catacombs and the chambers housing my most brilliant creations - you shall earn the right to stand before my throne. That is, if you survive.   On the other hand, I will not judge you for turning back. At the end of the road, this fight is not even yours. No, you are little else than a sacrificial pawn sent in the place of self-righteous men, are you not?”   -Luciano Penumbra

 

Castle Grounds

  Castello di Penumbra lies at the heart of the baronies' twisted woodlands, with its back covered by a tall and dark mountain range. As the temperate heat rises up to the icy cold reaches of the mountain tops, storms gather here to crash upon the rocky peaks. With the help of sharpened metal spires, thunder is drawn around the entire region like a large supernatural shield.   The energy gathered by the thunderstorms is harnessed into massive cable-tubes that slither down the mountain like metal snakes. Gathering into a colossal statue within the center of the castle courtyard, where a bloated mass of silver wire creates the shape of a blood tear.   Between well kept trees, a rose garden and a beautiful basalt fountain covered by red glowing alchemical street lamps - this electrical generator reaches down into an ancient well. Empowering the machinations hidden within the catacombs underneath.  

Architecture

  The Castello is, like most of the barony’s buildings, made in an architecture that combines the design of northern Diestria with that of the Golden Empire. Tall round towers mix with smaller rectangular shapes. The roofs are pointy like spires, with red painted palladian windows.   This is a castle where large archways and walls meet with a grim gothic decor with a plethora of balconies, alcoves and watchful gargoyles overlooking the cobbled roads beneath.     A large corridor within the castle catacombs. Here, a large gauntlet makes up walls of silver mirrors that weaken and keep vampiric specimens locked in a paralysis. At the end of this room is a round chamber from which the silver cables stretch down. Powering a set of machines meant to strip, experiment and infuse objects or creatures with sanguine serums.   If stripped from the power supply, velvet red carpets will fall down over the mirrors. Causing a violet red sheen to emerge through the room. Breaking the creatures from their confinement and empowering them to savage any heroes that try to shut off the power supply.   Inside of an ancient gilded doorway, a round catacomb with walls made out of pure bronze make up the protective shell to a central blood altar. The altar itself is flanked by thirty tombs that serve as resting coffins to his elite dhampir knights.   Through bloodrunes forming the symbol of a nine tailed sun, a powerful magical rift is drawn from here to empower Luciano’s blade - which rests within the altar. Drawing from the energies around it to fuel his vampiric powers that are taken, not inherited.   Should one make their way through the catacombs and into the castle, the walls here are lavish and the floor covered in a red and yellow checkered carpet. Furniture is made out of fine woods, gold and bronze, imported from Diestria, Âzhgaard or even Peregon.   The castle is of a moderate size with several rooms, in which Luciano’s closest servants, bodyguards and comrades live. All who are evolved through blood alchemy and ritual - not to become hulking monstrosities - but graceful dhampir champions.