OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a detailed location submission for the Tidewatch Aerie, serving as a palace-sanctuary and narrative setting in RP.
- Image Credit: [Pending – insert links/artist credits here.]
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: [Insert links to relevant RP threads, characters (Braze, etc.), or faction pages when available.]
SETTING INFORMATION
- Structure Name: The Tidewatch Aerie
- Classification: Palace-Sanctuary / Retreat
- Location: Veridia
- Affiliation:
Braze
- Accessibility: Perched high among colossal Sequoia-Maples atop coastal cliffs. Access limited to hidden lifts, cliffside approaches, or concealed hangar bay within tidal caves. Remote, concealed, and well-guarded.
- Description: The Tidewatch Aerie is a palace sanctuary built between towering Sequoia-Maples, rooted in the deep earth of coastal cliffs and overlooking the endless expanse of sea and sky. Perched high above, it serves as both fortress and haven.
At its feet stretch rolling grassy meadows, with three stone pavilions blending alongside cultivated gardens. A river winds down from the inland mountains, its waters feeding waterfalls and pools that spill across terraces before plunging into the tidal caves below and out into the open sea. These caves, carved naturally by the waves, conceal hidden hollows that expand into secret underground caverns beside a hangar bay, large enough to shelter ships and boats.
The Aerie draws power from solar panels hidden in the canopy, a water wheel at the cliff's base, and a few windmills along the heights.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Arrival Deck
A circular landing platform crowns the approach to the Tidewatch Aerie. While wide and stable enough to accommodate small starfighters, shuttles, and other small transports, it cannot support large freighters or capital ships. At its center, a massive elevator-lift rises and descends connecting the meadows directly to the upper halls. The edges are engraved with knotwork patterns and inlaid with faintly glowing crystals.
Grand Entry
The formal entrance to the palace is a set of monumental arched doors of woven wood and crystal aranged as 'stained glass', approached by two sweeping staircases. The stairs are wide enough for processions, their sides flanked by carved stone balustrades twined with flowering vines.
Observation Towers
Slender spires and domes rise above the canopy, their walls of glass and stone giving unobstructed views of the skies and ocean horizon. Used both for navigation and stargazing, these towers contain delicate instruments and holo-maps but are disguised to resemble decorative details.
Cliffside Terraces
A series of carved ledges step down the cliffs, overlooking waterfalls and the sea. These terraces serve as both meditation spots and defensive outposts, fitted with concealed seating, low walls, and lantern hooks for festivals.
Balconies
From the main halls, wide balconies extend outward, offering sweeping views of both forest and sea. Some are furnished with lounges, others left bare for martial practice, all positioned to catch breezes and the sound of waves.
Rope Webs
Between the great Sequoia-Maples, vast woven nets of cord and root serve as both safety meshes and playful climbing structures. Younglings and visitors often traverse them, while guardians may use them as hidden canopy walkways.
Beachfront Coastal Caves
At the base of the cliffs, the sea has carved an interconnected system of caverns. One such hollow has been expanded into a concealed hangar bay, able to shelter starfighters, shuttles, and small craft away from prying eyes. Others serve as storage or secret escape tunnels, their entrances masked by tides.
River, Waterfalls & Pools
A mountain-fed river winds down through terraces, splitting into waterfalls that cascade into turquoise pools before plunging into tidal caves. These natural features not only define the Aerie's beauty but also provide fresh water, hydro power, and irrigation for the gardens.
Hidden Approaches
Secret lift platforms and drawbridges are carved directly into cliff faces, masked by stone and foliage. Known only to residents, these approaches allow stealthy entry or evacuation when the main gates are inaccessible.
Windmills on the Heights
Tall, slender towers rise along the cliff peaks where sea winds are strongest. Each windmill is fashioned of pale stone and wood, its vanes inlaid with metal to endure storms. They supplement the Aerie's energy supply while blending seamlessly into the skyline.
Animal Chambers
Terraced alcoves along the lower levels serve as stables and roosts for beasts of burden, riding animals, or messenger birds. Open to sea air but sheltered from storms, these chambers allow mounts and companions to rest safely within the sanctuary.
Gardens & Tool Sheds
Tucked near the cultivated grounds, these functional structures store tools, seeds, and supplies for tending orchards, terraces, and decorative gardens. Simple in design, they ground the Aerie's grandeur with the quiet rhythm of daily labor.
Millhouse
At the base of the river's falls, a water wheel churns ceaselessly, its gears powering both storage and grinding mechanisms. The millhouse doubles as a granary and energy anchor, providing a steady current of strength from the cascading waters.
Power Generator Vault
Carved deep into the cliffside, this concealed chamber houses a compact generator. Stabilized by ward conduits, it acts as the failsafe backbone of the Aerie's energy grid, able to sustain lights, shields, and life support even if natural systems fail.
Coastal Farm & Docks
Extending from the beach below, piers and wharves allow access to the sea. Small tidal pens hold crabs, clams, shrimp, and krill, while fishing boats provide a steady stream of fresh catch. Nets, baskets, and salt racks line the docks, tying sustenance directly into the rhythm of the ocean.
Main Entry Hall
The heart of the Aerie's interior is dominated by a colossal, ancient tree trunk that rises through the structure like a natural column. Its surface has been intricately carved into channels where water flows constantly, cascading down into a vast turquoise pool at its base. Orchids, ivy, and flowering vines spill across the stone, filling the chamber with color and fragrance. Above, ribbed vaulted ceilings catch the light of blossom-shaped crystal chandeliers and stained-glass windows, scattering shifting patterns of color across the flagstone floor. The effect is one of cathedral-like awe mingled with natural serenity.
Stage Rotunda
At the core of the great hall rests a circular stone platform used for performances, rituals, and ceremonies. Its acoustics were deliberately tuned during construction, allowing a single voice or instrument to carry effortlessly across the chamber. During festivals, the rotunda is draped in lanterns and flowers; during solemn occasions, it becomes a space for vows, duels, or rites.
Library & Lounge
A panoramic chamber lined with shelves, alcoves, and quiet reading spaces. Its windows overlook the sea and the forest canopy, flooding the room with natural light during the day and starlight at night. Plush seating is arranged in small clusters, with low tables carved from living wood. Crystals embedded in the walls offer soft illumination for night study. The space functions equally as a center of knowledge, leisure, and conversation.
Kitchen
A broad, circular kitchen designed for both practicality and beauty. A massive stone island anchors the space, used for preparation and communal dining. Behind it flows the
Living Sink: a stream-fed basin where water runs continuously from the mountain river, cycling through carved stone channels before draining away. This constant movement keeps the water fresh and lends the room a tranquil soundtrack. The backsplash is alive with moss and orchids, and herbs are cultivated in stone planters set into the counters for immediate use.
Workshop
A functional crafting and repair space filled with workbenches, tools, and storage racks. Here weapons can be maintained, artifacts restored, or simple repairs carried out for the daily needs of the Aerie. Though utilitarian, the workshop's walls are lined with polished wood and carved motifs, blending function with artistry.
Gymnasium
A wide, open hall floored with mats and mirrored walls, designed for physical training and martial practice. Beyond traditional sparring areas, aerial rigs and tightropes hang from above, supporting acrobatics, dance, or even meditative balance exercises. The hall is often filled with sound — clashing blades, laughter, or the rhythm of training.
Weapons Cache
Hidden behind carved stone panels and secured with both locks and wards lies the Aerie's armory. Compact but well-stocked, it contains weapons, armor, and defensive gear for emergencies. The cache is cleverly concealed so it does not intrude upon the elegance of the surrounding halls.
Guest Tea Pavilion
Connected to the gardens, this small open-air chamber provides a serene setting for quiet gatherings and ceremonial hospitality. Stone lanterns line its perimeter, while polished wood floors and low tables overlook the orchards and terraces. Guests are often received here before entering the greater halls, making it a place of diplomacy and intimacy alike.
Guest Bedrooms
These suites are set aside for visitors, each with its own en-suite bathroom and a view of the sea or gardens. Though smaller than the master chambers, they are furnished with rich woods, soft textiles, and touches of stained glass, making them comfortable retreats. Each suite includes a private alcove with a small plunge pool or reading corner, ensuring every guest has a place of quiet seclusion.
Master Suite
The crown jewel of the Aerie's private halls, the Master Suite is as much a garden as it is a chamber. Indoor rose gardens flourish in carefully cultivated beds, their fragrance carried on the breeze of hidden vents. Flowing canopies drape from the vaulted ceiling, creating a layered veil of silk and light. Elaborate Living Walls form the centerpiece, blooming seasonally with blossoms and moss. The suite also includes dual showers carved into polished stone, a deep bathing pool, and private balconies that open to both sea and sky. It is at once luxurious, serene, and alive.
Star-Dome Bedrooms
A series of smaller chambers with domed ceilings that project constellations and celestial maps across the interior. At night, the ceilings shimmer with drifting stars, nebulae, and planets, offering the illusion of sleeping beneath a living galaxy. Some rooms replicate the current sky, while others show ancient or symbolic constellations, making each space unique.
Labyrinth & Meditation Chamber (The Singing Bowls)
Hidden beneath the Aerie, a winding stone labyrinth leads to an acoustically tuned cavern known as the Chamber of Singing Bowls. Within, massive stone bowls float in suspension, drifting slowly in the air. When they touch, they resonate with deep harmonic tones that echo throughout the chamber, creating waves of sound that seem to vibrate in both stone and soul. The chamber is used for meditation, focus training, and rites of clarity a place where silence is alive with music.
Banquet Hall
Carved into the cliffside, the Banquet Hall is a vaulted chamber with walls that open to sweeping ocean views. Its ceiling is adorned with stained glass that casts shifting colors across the long stone tables. Beneath, a lower level holds a marvel: a vast crystal wall that looks directly into the sea. Here, guests may dine while watching fish, rays, and the slow drift of sea life beyond the glass, as if the hall itself were suspended between land and water.
Wine & Nectar Cellars
Directly beneath the Banquet Hall, cool stone vaults serve as storage for rare wines, honeyed nectars, and preserved fruits. Amphorae and crystal-sealed casks line cedarwood racks, while herbs hang from beams to scent the air. The cellars double as a tasting space, where small gatherings are held in candlelight, surrounded by the quiet weight of stored abundance.
Gallery of Echoes
A subterranean passage where walls have been transformed into art. Murals depict scenes of past ages, while tapestries hang between crystal-lit alcoves. The chamber has a haunting quality, for even whispers seem to carry and repeat themselves. Some say the voices of the past linger here, their words layered into the stones themselves.
Hidden Sanctum / Safe Room
The most secretive of the Aerie's chambers, the Sanctum is buried deep within the roots and stone foundations. Accessible only by hidden doors and biometric or Force-sensitive locks, it serves as a redoubt against attack. The chamber includes:
- Core Shelter: A reinforced space with blast-proof doors, collapsible bunks, and independent air supply.
- Supply Stores: Rations, water reserves, medical kits, survival gear, and hidden weapons.
- Command Niche: A compact console linked to the Aerie's cameras, security, and shield dome, disguised beneath crystal-inlaid panels.
- Escape Routes: Narrow passages leading into the cliffside roots, some opening into coastal caves or the tide tunnel.
- Defensive Systems: Micro-shields embedded in walls and ward crystals interwoven through the stone, muffling scans and Force detection.
- Atmosphere: Despite its purpose, the chamber mirrors the Aerie's aesthetic, moss-paneled walls, faint bioluminescence, and calm air that makes refuge feel sacred rather than confining.
Sky Garden Terraces
High upon the upper levels of the Aerie, open terraces bloom with bonsai-style trees, rare flowers, and winding paths. Water from the cliffs mists the air, creating a soft haze of dew that keeps the gardens vibrant. Bridges connect one terrace to another, offering spaces for meditation, casual gathering, or the quiet tending of plants.
Butterfly Conservatory
A vast glasshouse filled with rare butterflies and exotic birds, their colors flashing like living jewels in the air. Misting systems regulate the temperature, while flowering trees provide constant nectar. For many, the conservatory is less a display and more a sanctuary, where the creatures are free to live, reproduce, and bring movement to the air.
Bioluminescent Gardens
When the sun sets, mosses and flowers scattered throughout the grounds begin to glow. Paths illuminate themselves softly, casting trails of blue, green, and violet. Pools shimmer with faintly glowing reeds, and the living walls seem alive with stars. Walking here at night feels less like strolling a garden and more like wandering through constellations.
Fruit Orchards
Terraced groves hold loquats, plums, and seasonal berries. Blossoms in spring perfume the air, while summer yields baskets of fruit for meals and preserves. Some trees are cultivated in symbolic patterns, their branches interwoven to create archways and shaded alcoves.
Vegetable & Herb Gardens
Beyond beauty, the Aerie sustains itself through carefully tended vegetable plots. Rows of leafy greens, root vegetables, and climbing vines are interwoven with beds of culinary herbs. Gardeners use traditional methods alongside irrigation channels drawn from the river, making every plot a seamless blend of art and function.
Medicinal Herbarium
A specialized section dedicated to healing and alchemical plants. Here, medicinal herbs, roots, and fungi are cultivated in shaded plots, tended by careful hands. The herbarium is both practical and symbolic — a living reminder that the Aerie's strength lies not just in defense, but in restoration.
Aquaponics Pools
Circular pools carved into terraces serve a dual purpose: raising fish and feeding crops. Nutrient-rich water flows from the ponds into surrounding beds, where vegetables and fruits thrive. The design ensures sustainability, providing fresh food while keeping the system in balance with the river.
Irrigation Systems
Hidden aqueducts and carved channels distribute water from the mountain river across gardens, orchards, and terraces. Stone sluice gates allow for careful redirection, ensuring that even in drought or siege the Aerie's living systems continue to flourish.
Infinity Edge Baths
At the highest terraces of the Aerie lie pools with crystal and glass walls that spill water outward into the horizon. Stepping into them is like floating in the sky itself, with no edge between bath and sea. At sunset, the water reflects the blazing colors of the horizon, and at night, the stars shimmer both above and below.
Aromatic Steam Chambers
Circular stone rooms are infused with fragrant orchids, cedarwood, and herbs. Heated by concealed geothermal vents, they fill with cleansing steam. Crystals embedded in the walls refract the mist, bathing bathers in shifting light as they inhale the perfumed air. The chambers serve both as places of healing and as social gathering rooms, where guests sit together in quiet relaxation.
Crystal Grotto Spa
Deep beneath the Aerie, a geothermal cavern glows with natural geodes. Warm mineral pools bubble within, their waters infused with restorative salts. The chamber feels almost otherworldly: a place where glowing crystals light the steam and stalactites echo with dripping water. Many claim the grotto's waters restore not only the body but the spirit.
Private Plunge Pools
Each luxury suite includes its own spring-fed alcove, where stone-carved plunge pools collect water from hidden channels. These intimate spaces provide privacy while retaining the natural feel of mountain springs. For some, they are places of calm solitude; for others, private retreats for conversation or ceremony.
Crystal Chimes
Strands of carved crystal hang from beams and terraces, tuned to ring harmonically when caught by the wind. Their tones are soft, resonant, and ever-shifting, sometimes echoing like bells, sometimes humming like voices. More than decoration, they serve as the Aerie's living music, turning breezes into song.
Lantern Decks
Terraces throughout the Aerie are designed for festivals and gatherings, where enchanted lanterns are strung across beams or floated on reflective pools. During seasonal celebrations, the entire sanctuary glows with light, lanterns drifting like stars between the trees and over the sea.
Hanging Flower Lamps
Lanterns shaped like blossoms illuminate the halls, terraces, and balconies. During the day, their petals glow faintly with captured sunlight; at night, they shine like constellations in bloom. Each lamp is crafted uniquely, so no two flowers are ever the same.
Living Walls
Throughout the Aerie, vertical gardens bloom like murals. Seasonal flowers, ivy, and mosses cover stone surfaces, changing colors with the time of year. In some halls, these Living Walls are cultivated into intricate patterns or symbols, making them as much art as they are architecture. Their presence ensures the Aerie is always alive with greenery, fragrance, and natural beauty.
Hanging Walks
Hidden high among the Sequoia-Maples, slender rope bridges and narrow walkways link the canopy. Used by guardians and scouts, they allow quick traversal without drawing attention on the ground. From here, lookouts can observe approaching ships or intruders while remaining unseen.
Secret Tide Tunnel
A concealed passage carved into the cliffs that connects directly to the tidal caves. It serves as both a hidden supply route and an escape path, leading outward to the open sea. Accessible only through sealed doors, its entrance is masked by rockfall and tides, making it invisible to the untrained eye.
Root Passages
Tunnels woven through the cliffside roots and foundations. Some are narrow crawl spaces, others large enough for small groups to move through. They provide hidden access between chambers, allow for ambushes or retreats, and serve as emergency escape routes.
Water Diversion System
A series of aqueducts and sluice gates carved into the cliffs, allowing control over the waterfalls. In times of peace, the system regulates irrigation and pools; in times of war, it can redirect torrents to flood choke points or cut off access to vulnerable approaches.
Ward Crystals
Defensive pylons of carved crystal are embedded within the walls and foundations of the Aerie. These serve dual purposes: amplifying energy flow for the generator and acting as mystical wards. They project subtle protective fields that dampen Force detection and reinforce the structure against bombardment.
Shield Dome
An energy barrier that can be raised over the Aerie during times of threat. Anchored to the ward crystals and powered by the generator, it is capable of deflecting blaster fire, resisting bombardments, and sealing the sanctuary against assault. Normally dormant, it activates only at need, shimmering faintly like a veil over the treetops and cliffs.
Hidden Security Eyes
Surveillance devices are placed throughout the halls and terraces, often disguised as lanterns, carved motifs, or crystal chimes. Subtle and easily overlooked, they provide a constant stream of visual and audio data to the Safe Room's command niche, ensuring the Aerie is always watched without feeling monitored.
Camouflage Systems
Light-bending projectors and holoshrouds are embedded within the cliffside and canopy. When activated, they distort the Aerie's outline, making it appear as unbroken forest canopy or barren stone from a distance. This concealment system is subtle — designed to avoid drawing attention rather than to create perfect invisibility.
Hidden Armory Alcoves
Beyond the main Weapons Cache, small alcoves are hidden throughout the Aerie's halls, terraces, and even some gardens. These caches hold blasters, melee weapons, and defensive equipment for emergencies, allowing defenders to arm themselves quickly wherever conflict breaks out.
Sensor Array / Early Warning System
Built into the cliffs and disguised within observation towers, the sensor array monitors both sky and sea. It can detect approaching ships, storms, or seismic disturbances. Its data feeds directly to the Safe Room's command niche, giving guardians time to prepare or evacuate if danger looms.
Water Purification Vault
A concealed chamber containing purification and recycling systems that ensure a constant supply of potable water. Even if the river or gardens were cut off, the vault could sustain the Aerie's population for extended periods, making siege survivable.
Waste & Recycling Systems
Refuse processors and compost vaults ensure nothing is wasted. Organic material is broken down into compost for the gardens, while other waste is recycled for building material or energy reclamation. The system ensures the Aerie remains clean, self-sufficient, and balanced with its environment.
SECURITY
Rating:
Medium
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Tidewatch Aerie
