La Kosa Nostra
- Intent: To create a rural estate, and the home of ‘The Family’
- Image Credit: Castello Banfi, Italy; edits by Marcella Fiora
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: NAKAIOMA Contract | Angel Arms Contract
- Links: Thread - “A Place To Call Home”; Castello Banfi tour (Youtube)
- Structure Name: Castello Matrisca
- Classification: Homestead/Villa, Castle, Winery
- Location: Epica; in the foothills of the Matriscan Mountains
- Affiliation: Moonveil, inc; The Family; Iliana Rohr; Ivory Stroud
- Accessibility: Located deep within rural Epica and nestled in the foothills of the Matriscan Mountains, Castello Matrisca is most easily accessible via flight; however it is possible to reach on-foot or using a speeder following a long journey. Built on a hill, the villa is very conspicuous - it can be seen from the surrounding mountains and villages, as can its many vineyards.
- Description: Akin to a miniature village, Castello Matrisca consists of a main structure in the centre which exclusively houses members of Kosa Nostra. Outside of the main structure there are a number of guest houses and staff accommodation which house their housekeeping and winery staff. Castello Matrisca is an incredibly picturesque villa, with surrounding mountains, many acres of vineyards and distant villages to be seen in the distance.
There is very little to indicate the Estate & its surrounding countryside are owned by a Galactic Crime Syndicate. Upon close inspection, one may easily notice the high security, but only upon entering the walls of the Compound itself will one recognize there may be more “behind the scenes”.
Main Complex: ‘The Big House’. The largest building on the property, topped by a prominent stone tower overlooking the surrounding region. This building is the beating heart of Castello Matrisca, and houses a large kitchen, both a formal & informal dining room, a large sitting room for entertaining guests with access to a patio outside, and a total of 15 bedrooms - ten individual rooms and five large suites. The interior is lavishly decorated, and there is near-constant activity even in the dead of night.
Staff Accommodations: Numerous apartments reside in a smaller section of the complex, detached from the main building. Staff for the Villa are provided basic amenities. Up to four individuals may bunk in a single large flat, and there is space enough for up to 16 people to live comfortably. Men & women cohabitate together.
Guest Accommodations: A separate building nearby the main house has been renovated to provide comfortable lodging for guests with four large suites. A servant is on-hand at any time, day or night, to see to the needs of any guests.
Security Barracks: Another separate building has been converted into simple, rustic accomodations for Security Staff. This building sees almost as much foot-traffic as ‘the big house’, with suited men & women seen entering or leaving at all hours of the night.
Vineyards: Surrounding the fortress in every direction, sprawling vineyards stretch over 8,000 acres in-total.
Wine Cellar/Bunker Complex: Originally built as a store-room for wines once produced for the vineyard, the cellar has been restored to its original stone & wood construction, and reinforced with the latest and most modern materials. Three quarters have been designated for storage of wine barrels, as well as a stock of food, water, and supplies enough to keep the Villa running smoothly for up to six months without needing a resupply. The remaining quarter of the expansive underground space has been converted into an up-armored ‘blast shelter’, which houses an Armory, the main Security & Operations center, and a vault with space enough for a large amount of hard credits & valuables to be stored. Access to the cellar may be gained either by a staircase leading from the building above, or an armored security door to the outside. Within the blast shelter, the building’s primary power source - an Isotope Trithium Zero Generator, purchased from Angel Arms - is protected and maintained.
Workshop: Another building, nearby the landing pad, serves as the Estate’s workshop. Equipment useful for maintaining the structure, as well as the fleet of vehicles & speeders in-use daily by the residents, are kept busy with countless projects. A store-room within the workshop maintains an inventory of commonly-used tools and supplies, and two large bays provide easy access to any vehicles or farming equipment which may require service.
Medical Clinic: A fully-operational, well-supplied Medical Clinic has been established near the Staff Quarters, with a private apartment above for the Vineyard’s resident doctor. These facilities are capable of treating all manner of wounds from minor lacerations up-to & including life-threatening injuries. Space for up-to two recovering patients is available, by-way of a small bedroom which has been converted into an in-patient care center.
Landing Pad: Set apart from the main complex on the western edge, concealed by a copse of trees, a landing pad has been established for convenience.
Luchtaire Stables: Home to a number of these elegant four-legged Equines native to Epica. They are fed & given shelter. The building possesses plenty of storage space for food, running water, and assorted tack & equipment necessary to keep the animals in good health.
Caggni Kennels: Home to a small number of these furry bear-like dogs, males are kept separated based on maturity. These animals serve as guard-dogs, livestock dogs, and as a cheap counter to the various pests & predators that roam the Epican wilds.
Chapel: Dedicated to Ashla, a small chapel exists down the dirt road to the west where local residents may go for weekend services.
Vineyard Staff Bunkhouse: Located about 2km from the main gate, this bunkhouse serves as off-site housing for the farmhands & vineyard staff - none of which have any idea their employers are anything more than wealthy corporatists.
Ms. Rohr’s Residence: Iliana Röhr manages her own personal home on the western edge of the property. On her (albiet rare) time off, she may be found here.
High
- Biometric Security: Access to the secured areas of the compound relies upon layers of Security, including a database of individual biometric data. All information is stored on-site, with no access from the outside.
- Estate Guards: Civilians employed from the local population; lightly armed, whose sole job is to ensure the vineyards & surrounding countryside remain unmolested by predators, poachers, thieves, etc.
- Compound Security: Professional Security Forces; mainly consisting of Kosa Nostra “Goons” hand-selected by the Syndicate. Well-armed, organized, and extremely loyal.
- Shield Generator: Designed for use in emergencies; deployment protects the main estate from orbital bombardment or direct attack from outside.
- NAKAIOMA Full-Spectrum Security Suite: Consisting of cameras, hidden turrets, and a wide range of sensor equipment, certain areas within the walls of Castello Matrisca are monitored around the clock. This also includes a comprehensive scanning suite which allows the Estate’s Security Forces to monitor the surrounding area for life-forms, comm-signals, transponder codes, etc.
Castello Matrisca has existed deep in the Epican Countryside for centuries, but was abandoned 50 years ago; it has since laid dormant, decaying & forgotten. When “The Family” arrived on Epica & purchased the estate through an auction, members of the Syndicate began investing heavily in its revitalization; funneling massive amounts of credits, resources, and man-power into its construction. Over the course of a year, the once-decrepit fortress has returned in all its glory - becoming a fully-functioning Vineyard as well as a Headquarters for “The Black Oak”; Kosa Nostra’s elite leadership.
The fortress is articulated around a central courtyard, with three sides occupied by various buildings. The fourth side (facing east) is enclosed by a 3-meter high wall. To the north, a large metal gate decorated by the words “Castello Matrisca” has been designated as the boundary of the ‘outer perimeter’. A high stone tower stands at the center-most point of the Estate, providing overwatch throughout the region with a 360-degree view. Evidence of the building’s history of a bygone feudal era are obvious; stone battlements decorated by crenellations decorate the top-most walls of the central building, providing a reasonable measure of protection from both the wind and long-distance observation. The central courtyard is a splendid example of ancient Epican architecture with low arches on octagonal pillars, a large outdoor fireplace, vaulted ceilings, arched & decorated windows and a large marble fountain which has been painstakingly restored to fully-working order.
