The Red Palace

The Red Palace is the headquarters of The Crimson Court and the home of their king, Sassan.
It is a palace in Mercercle, in the capital city of Abellaren that serves as the base of operations for the syndicate.

by C. S. Wachter

_{Inside the throneroom}

Architecture

The Red Palace consists of an inner and outer courtyard, with a ring of various rooms that create the wall between the two courtyards. The inner courtyard can only be accessed from two entry points: one to the east and one to the west. 
They lead into a columned pathway that connects the rooms that form the wall with the inner sanctum, only used by the Crimson King and, on occasion, the Princes and Dukes when they come to visit. The inner sanctum also holds the throne room, where all official business is conducted.
The outer courtyard's wall houses the barracks for the various guards and provides housing for the Barons and Lords, should they come to visit. The household staff also are housed here.
There are two dining halls: the large, extravagant banquet hall where live festivities are held and all Court members feast together, and the small, intimate dining hall when the Crimson King sits his most honored guests for a quieter night. 
The last place of any importance is the hidden vault beneath the inner courtyard. The vault in itself is large, but is divided into a few different areas: a large armory, a treasury, a war room, and a small prison. The prison is hardly ever used as the Court has enough influence to simply have enemies charged with legitimate crimes.

History

The Red Palace was constructed by the first Crimson King, Zareen, near the end of his life. It was to be a monument to the success of the underworld in a time when anarchy ruled the "civilized" world, but his time was not to last. He was murdered by his own second-in-command only three years after the completion of the palace, but it has always remained in the hands of the Court, and the king has always lived in the palace.

Founding Date

1324

Type

Palace

Parent Location

Aberella

Owner

Sassan

Owning Organization

The Crimson Court