Vôhil's Keep

  Vôhil's Keep is a formidable castle that overlooks the capital of the Empire of Pallernen, Aûrkustel. Its construction began on the orders of Vôhil I, the King of the Hartilians, in 1169, but due to the magnitude and scale of the project, neither he nor his son saw the conclusion of its construction in 1220, a year into the reign of Âldal I. Since then, the imposing fortification has stood as a key landmark in the city, serving both as a seat of power for the House of Pentiwichen and a symbol of their, and their empire's, might and splendour. The castle is also home to the imperial court, serving as both a workplace and a safe-haven for various government officials, administrative workers, and their servants.   The thick whitewashed walls of the castle stand atop a large hill that lies next to the Pallern, the great river that flows through the city. There are believed to be hundreds of tunnels and rooms within the hill itself, but most of these remain hidden from the rest of the world, except for a few obvious ones designed for the transfer of goods from the river directly up to the keep. These known tunnels could also be used for evacuation, should the need for such a drastic action arise. Ignoring the potential hidden space beneath the surface, the rooms above-ground are on their own sufficient enough to house the population of a sizable town, and thousands of servants and soldiers are required for maintenance and security.  

Symbol of Stability

Following the chaos and destruction of the Ocher Outbreak that led the realm into the dark days of the Interregnum of Pallernen, Vôhil's Keep stood as a symbol of endurance and stability amidst the chaos that surrounded it. During the first years of the Interregnum, the capital had been in disarray as violent bands of opportunists roamed the streets. The keep, under the control of the Final Council, a gathering of the emperor's former advisors, opened its doors to women and children desperate to escape the brutality that had claimed their neighbourhoods. Adult men were granted entry as well, but they were to prove their loyalty and serve either in the garrison or the Council's private army that was tasked with restoring order.   The order and stability that the Final Council brought to the city and its surrounding territories in the Duchy of Hartil had turned the keep into an everlasting symbol of security and stability for the residents of Aûrkustel, even while the legitimate heir to the throne of Pallernen was nowhere to be seen.