Counselors Halls

Overview

The Counselors Halls were built after the first war of the Dragon Sun Empire and was formerly used as a royal escape from the palace, hidden behind large hedges and iron fences. They had a different name in old times and was known as "House of Splendour". Royalty engulfed in festivities, private gatherings and so forth. And every rumour about wine, the best food in the country, unclothed skin and more bloody things... well, they were all true.
As the royalty was vanishing over the decades, especially after the war against the Northern Realms, the building was left unattended and raided at some point. Since it was really close to the palace, even separated, it was re-purposed after the founding of the human kingdom of Hulwar to be used as the Counselors Halls.

Clients

After installing the new governmental system the halls had the following residents with their staff:

• Counselor of Arms
• Counselor of Science
• Counselor of Magic & Knowledge
• Counselor of the Coin
• Counselor of the Soil
• Counselor of the City
• Counselor of the Quill

Program

The idea behind re-using the House of Splendour was to have the govermental machinery in sight and reach and protected by fences, hedges and really nasty wards.

Concept

The concept of the Counselors Halls was defined over the first years and installed in the years after. Every Counselor can be of any species in Koria, even the Garladans, so every department has to be outfitted for the specific needs of every species. So there is always one architect at hand and only contracted for the Halls. There are designers for the rooms and the offices, so every Counselor can design their department as they like (except for the load-bearing walls).

Style

The architects and the designers scrapped the entire style of the Dragon Sun Empire, removing all the wing-styled things and the scales and pillars and replaced it with marble, wood and a more floral style. The pillars are white with floral veins in their bloom, the floor is black marble or dark wood and sometimes earth for the elves.

Scope

The Counselors Halls are big enough to house a councelor, their close family (up to ten people) and their staff. Every department is like a small mansion with private rooms and gardens, separated from another. There are meeting rooms as well, housed in the middle of the Counselors Halls.
Every department has its own kitchen, storage rooms and a dining hall, all outfitted for the needs of every species. Even a stable for horses and carriages is attached to every department.
The entire Counselors Halls is directed to the south so every department can get nearly the same amount of sunlight and no one might have the feeling that another counselor is being favoured.

Designer

The designer of the Counselors Halls is long forgotten. Tale is, that the ruling king and queen had killed and buried the original architects, copied the blueprints after the redesign of the House of Splendours and locked them away. There are no signs of the original architects in the building either as one would imagine. Not a crest, a flag or initials of the name.

Materials

The basis for the original House of Splendours was granite and wood, a thing that the architects of the Counselors Halls kept. They added more wood, more granite and balanced it with black and white marble, adding plants and fountains. There is silk, there is linen, nearly transparent fabrics in front of the large windows and a really small amount of iron in form of iron portcullis.

Controversy

The old building was built on a graveyard, formed after the first war of the Dragon Sun Empire. It is said that it was the graveyard for all the fallen heroes and some political enemies. The Dragon Sun Empire citizens wasn't very happy about it, because the rulers tried to bury the deeds of the heroes and it carried over to the Counselors Halls, where rumours are that there are ghosts in the halls. Citizens which are living close report strange howling in the night or screams, laughter or other noises, even when the lights are out.

Type

Government complex

Parent Location

Manvongr