
The White Castle[1] is the residence and administrative headquarter of the reigning monarch of Makt. It is located in White London, close to the Sijlt.
Overview[]
The White Castle is a stone fortress surrounded by a high wall.
During the Dane twins' reign, all guards were bound and controlled by Athos Dane and stood motionless at their posts. Notably, ten guards were usually positioned by the stairs leading up to the castle.[2] Later, after Holland Vosijk became king, more servants and guards tend to the castle and its residents out of their own free will. Between the twins' and Holland's reigns, the castle was ransacked and emptied.[3]
Structure[]
The building resembles a cathedral because of its long, narrow construction and simple layout. The castle has a main entrance on its north side and three smaller entrances on its west, south, and east sides.
A wood door leads to the throne room. A circle of twelve symbols has been carved into it; it functions as a dial or clockface and a code needs to be entered to open the door. In October 1819, the code is 1-7-3-9. The throne room is circular to carry sound better, and lined with a ring of pillars. Two stone thrones rest on a platform in the middle of the room. The flooring is white with lighter specks made of bone.[4] During Holland's reign, the bone pieces were seemingly removed.[3]
Between the wall and the castle lies a stone courtyard; it used to feature the Krös Mejkt, the infamous "Stone Forest" created by Astrid and Athos Dane. The forest consisted fully of statues that had been possibly made by turning people into stone.[2] When Athos fought Kell Maresh, half the forest was destroyed.[5] Later, the forest was fully dismantled.
When Holland was king, only two statues of the kneeling Dane twins stood in the courtyard. Astrid's statue showed her in the moment of her death, stabbed and screaming, and Athos was depicted in pain and staring down at the whip in his hands which was wound around his wrists.[3]
Now, a stone court full of statues of Makt's previous rulers can be found in the courtyard, the line ending with the Danes. These statues are not the same as before; now Astrid is bound on her knees and Athos is upright and being eaten by a massive snake. As of six years ago, there was no statue of Holland, though the space had been made for one, positioned where anyone entering the castle by this door would see him.[6]
Known residents[]
Current: |
Former:
|
Known staff[]
Former:
References[]
- ↑ A Darker Shade of Magic, XII: Sanctuary & Sacrifice, III
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Darker Shade of Magic, IV: White Throne, II
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 A Gathering of Shadows, II: Prince at Large, V
- ↑ A Darker Shade of Magic, XIII: The Waiting King, II-III
- ↑ A Darker Shade of Magic, XIII: The Waiting King, II
- ↑ The Fragile Threads of Power, V: The Queen, the Saint, and the Sound of Drums, III