The Immortal Palace, The Heart of Pa'Oria

Deep within the mountainous kingdom of Pa'Oria lies the Immortal Palace. Half built and half grown out of the side of a mountain, the Immortal Palace is a living thing of contested intelligence they bestowed power over its homeland. Bound for millennia to the royal bloodline, the Palace grew and changed according to the strength and desires of the current king. As time went on, and each successive king saw less change and could command less power over their kingdom, the Palace seemed to slow fall into a slumber. This culminated in the Palace refusing, or failing, to choose an heir upon the death of the king. The Court became split with half backing the young nephew of the king, and the other an elder cousin. The Immortal Palace had always recognized its new lord, but now its silence plunged the kingdom into civil war.   One's first glimpse of the Immortal Palace is sure to be breathtaking. The outer parts of the palace grow out of the side of Paradise Mountain and can only be access by a narrow path that must be walked on foot. The entrance, also known as the Golden Gate, is the oldest part of the Palace. It is belived that the Hero-King who founded Pa'Oria finally came to rest there and his spirit molded the mountain to his whim. Supposedly whenever one spoke with disrespect about the Hero-King the Palace would shudder and the careless speaker would be flung out of the gate and down the mountain. It is consider very dangerous to speak casually within the Palace as every wall has ears to hear uncareful words.   Within the mountain the Palace has taken root, although some halls and rooms seem to change or vanish completely over time. Some areas, like the royal treasury, are unable to be located except by the king himself. Plants will grow inside, even when there is no light or anyone to tend them. Once it rained for a day within the entire Palace. Many of Pa'Oria's signature animal, the jackalope, come and go from the palace as they please often leaving gifts for favoured members of the court or acting as guides to specific members of the royal family.   While being a place of power, it is also extremely dangerous. As the civil war raged, the landscape of Pa'Oria began to change. Flora and fauna began to wither and die. Servents in the palace notice a strange smell of rot in the lower levels, and several people wandered down hallways never to be seen again - along with the hallway. Perhaps without a king, the Palace is dying. Or maybe it has reached the end of its lifespan.