Shadow Hand
Image Source: Regnar@Deviantart.com
Intent: To flesh out the new and improved lair of the Zambrano Royal Family after Vain Hollow was first destroyed
Classification: Mountain Castle
Location: Vain Hollow is located in the Iron Mountains north of the Panathan capital of Canthar on the planet of Panatha.
Affiliation: Darth Prazutis and the Zambrano Royal Family
Description: The citadel is extremely large consisting of exterior complexes built onto and around the mountain, as well as inside. It is riddled with countless tunnels, dungeons, storerooms, barracks, halls, stables, stairways, courtyards, balconies, and gardens. Vain Hollow is even complete with several hanger bays large enough for the movement of goods, supplies and people, and the private hanger bay of the Zambranos higher up in the tower. The complex built into the top of the mountain holds the special barracks for the elite Crownguard, the headquarters of the 100 soldiers who are found here at any one time with the exception of performing escort operations.
Although it was the crownguard who failed to defend the citadel that resulted in the castles first destruction, Braxus remedied that by having the Vornskr'ei, the cult of personality turned sole religious organization worshipping Kaine Zambrano on Panatha, staff it with Imperial Sentinels, silent guardians whose knowledge of creation was bequeathed upon them by Darth Vornskr himself.
The citadel is riddled with statues, gardens, fountains, and other pieces of beautiful architecture, but besides all of that there are many barracks and armories where new generations of guardsman who work outside of the Royal Family's personal level, train to serve the Zambranos until their dying breath. Due to its use in increasing effectiveness the old fighting pits were added, and expanded so the guardsman could test their skill against one another, and even against creatures kept in pens. The Citadel also features large homes to house the innumerable lesser servants who are bound to the eternal will of the Zambrano Line, serving there for live whether its through some sick dedication or dark magic has yet to be seen.. They are often crowded and unfurnished, with a single bed allocated to each servant to sleep upon, and nothing more.
The upper complex holds the chambers of the more respectable servants of the Zambrano family. The upper echelons however comprise the Zambrano Royal Family's expansive personal wing and quarters. The Zambrano Family are the only ones allowed, and the only ones that can be found in this level with the exception of Crownguard and Imperial Sentinels. The upper floors are the most exquisite and well-kept, the floors being comprised of shining black marble, a design imported from the previous citadel, and the walls made of tightly packed permacrete bricks over thick durasteel walls. The Zambrano Personal Wing is lavishly decorated with statues, busts, artwork, even chandeliers hanging. There is also a throne room in the apex personally designed by Kaine Zambrano so he can hold court and conduct private business. The exterior of the castle contains a number of defenses:
The current numbers of these defenses are as follows:
- Four Surface-to-Air Missile Emplacements: The three are situated higher up on the castle's walls, Two face north, one facing southeast, one facing southwest.
- Four Dual Turbolaser Emplacements: The four are situated towards the base of the castle, one facing northwest, one northeast, one southwest, and the last facing southeast.
- Various smaller gun emplacements meant only for infantry combat, which can be uprooted and moved if need be.
The first Vain Hollow stood as a crowning achievement of Kaine's success, a monument to the cruelty and vanity of the Zambrano Family. It stood as their home for many years and the place where many horrific atrocities were committed by the Butcher-King himself, earning a dark reputation as "Rarsaza it ri Siqsa" meaning Den of the Demon. It seemed as if the castle would stand forever as a monument to the tyranny of the Zambrano family. But much to the shock of everyone the Dread Citadel was destroyed by the enemies of Kaine Zambrano, its many halls and vast subterranean levels blown up by Kiskla Grayson who sought to end the Butcher-King's tyranny.
But this wouldn't be the absolute end of Vain Hollow nor the end of Zambrano Citadels high in the mountains. Braxus Zambrano the Apprentice of Darth Vornskr was made the Prime Designate of the Kainate Authority, the Second in Command of Kaine Zambrano's dominion in the Pacanth Reach. Braxus's master amidst their weavings of nefarious works was tasked with building his master a castle worthy of a god. Braxus gifted with the full and unrestricted layout and original plans of the first Vain Hollow gathered many of the Authority's influential around him for the task. Among these individuals were those including but not limited to: Malgrog the Warchief of the Graug of Fornow, Xithyl the Ascended the Grand Warlock of the Vornskr'ei, and Osbasid the Highlord of the Blackblade Guard.
The first stages in creating the new Vain Hollow began by selecting a new, better build site in the Iron Mountains. After screening several locations it was decided that they would build it upon Blacktalon Peak. Blacktalon Peak is a particularly massive mountain with a dark history. Solomon Zambrano also known as Solomon the Great, or Solomon the Black was renowned for being the first God-King, his reign lasted for over three hundred years on Panatha. A magician of terrible power Solomon carved subterranean tunnels through the mountain and had intended to use it for his great citadel, working hundreds of thousands of slaves and killing even more in his experiments in these dark tunnels.
Blacktalon Peak was never successfully completed due to the mysterious disappearance of Solomon marking the end of his reigh of terror. The construction on the Peak was abandoned, as many believed it to be haunted by the countless men and women he had killed, and the many more experiments he conducted while briefly living there. There were even unconfirmed rumors of the man's spectre haunting the halls that turned out to be a myth. The dark tunnels were abandoned to mother nature and the many creatures of Panatha's jungles, its layout forgotten to history. Braxus decided this location was perfect and immediately began the construction process. Hundreds of thousands of slaves, innumerable hordes of graug laborers and slave masters, as well as incalculable amounts of droids to complete the construction.
After many months of working Blacktalon Peak was completely transformed as the mountain was cleaned of the creatures that lived there, the Sorcerer-King's tunnels were expanded and countless dungeons, storerooms, barracks, halls, stables, stairways, courtyards, balconies, and gardens were created, along with an equally massive complex built onto and around the mountain. Massive statues were sculpted in effigy of a number of individuals including Kaine Zambrano, the God-King of all the Epicanthix. As part of a secret project he had in mind, Braxus opened the sealed portions they had built upon in the deepest parts of the mountain dungeons complex and brought a select group of slaves who carved out a sprawling labyrinth that only he was privy to, along with his master. Many labs, dungeons, vaults, dungeons, and containment chambers were built here. Once the underground portions were finally completed Braxus had every slave, and everyone who had knowledge of it's layout killed. Finally after several more months the citadel was complete, and Vain Hollow was reborn.
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