Moonlit Keep

The Moonlit Keep is the bastion of knowledge and learning within the Free States, and amongst the greatest centres of learning throughout all of Runetalras. It is fortified and guarded by the Lunar Order.

Geography

The Moonlit Keep is a bastion of knowledge and learning, it is located between Toc’Vastil and Runia in the Kingdoms of Righteous Flame. The Keep itself is atop a solitary mountain which is surrounded by the Marcher River, part of which is redirected to form a large moat. The sole pathway to the Keep is a long, winding walkway of stone and earth that can be partially flooded during times of attack, rendering the Moonlit Keep a fortified island.

Structure

The Keep’s outer walls rise up from the harsh cliffs that surround it; they are tall, thick, and of grey stone, the walls are peppered with crenulations, arrow slits, and murder holes. The gatehouse of the Keep is fortified by characteristically black metal Adamantine gates, known as the Gates of Knowledge, and boiling oil to turn back even ardent siegers. Behind its walls several structures make up the Moonlit Keep, the Moonlit Library, Reading Nook Inn, stables, armoury, and barracks. Additionally, at the centre of them is the Grand Concord, a verdant area with fountains.
The Moonlit Library, also simply called the Moonlit Keep, is the largest structure within the Keep; it is a massive structure, amongst the largest in the Free States, made of beige and brown stone, its style is gothic in nature with pointed arches, rib vaults, and large stained glass windows. The Library has five towers all of which are deeply intricate, with engravings and stained glass representative of their specialised subjects, those being the Tower of the Arcane, Tower of the Gods, Tower of the Occult, Tower of the Planes, and Tower of Reclamation. The core and large part of the Keep is the Grand Library, several massive floors dedicated to the organisation, storage, and sharing of an almost limitless number of books. Below the Library are sprawling caverns that have been converted into the Upper Archives, and Grand Archives which store the secrets, valuables, and delicate pieces that the Lunar Order has gathered. Unknown to almost all, save for the highest ranks of the Lunar Order and a few trusted others, below the Grand Archives is the Dragons Den the home of the keep's wounded resident Dragon, a powerful and fearsome creature that serves as both protector and deterrent to those who would seek to do the keep harm.
The Moonlit Keep, as well as some structures and furniture within it, are enchanted so that they emit a warm glow, to both illuminate the Keep in the night and for perfect reading in the dark. The Keep is similarly enchanted to prevent the use of teleportation to or within the grounds of the Keep.

Entry

To gain entry through the Gates of Knowledge a person needs to provide the Keep with either knowledge not already in its catalogue, magical objects, or a monetary gift. The amount of time someone can remain in the Keep, and the number of individuals able to be admitted are dependent upon the quality of the gift. Once a creature gains entry they are not left to wander around unfettered, they are assigned a Lunar Scholar who guides them to the Grand Concord. There they are free to roam the impressive courtyard, the Reading Nook Inn, but must once more be guided by a Lunar Scholar throughout all other areas. The Towers and the Archives of the Keep are restricted to the Lunar Order and trusted friends of the Order.

Interior

The Moonlit Library is the largest structure and is what most who visit the Keep see. The interior of the Moonlit Library is a massive, awe-inspiring space which is a multi-tiered space, with floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books and knowledge on a vast array of subjects. The shelves are made of polished dark wood, filled with countless volumes of books, scrolls, and other forms of knowledge. The floors are made of gleaming marble or dark stone, and the furniture is ornate, yet functional, crafted from the same polished wood as the shelves. It boasts high, vaulted ceilings and large stained-glass windows that allow natural light to flood the halls. In the centre of the Grand Library is a massive, circular reading room, filled with comfortable armchairs and desks where visitors can peruse tomes and research.
The five towers of the Library each have their own distinctive style and purpose. The Tower of the Arcane has a gothic-style architecture with tall, narrow arches, and is filled with volumes of spell books, magical tomes, and arcane knowledge. The Tower of the Gods is grand and opulent, with large stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the lives of the gods and goddesses. The Tower of the Occult has a mysterious, almost otherworldly feel, with shelves filled with tomes of dark magic and forbidden knowledge. The Tower of the Planes is a hub of cosmological information, filled with maps of the planes, treatises on planar travel, and volumes of information on extra-dimensional creatures. The Tower of Reclamation is a warm, inviting space, filled with knowledge about the history, culture, and achievements of lost civilizations.
The Upper and Grand Archives, which are located below the Moonlit Library, are secure and protected spaces, filled with ancient relics, valuable treasures, and other precious items. The Dragons Den, hidden below the Grand Archives, is home to the Keep's most guarded secrets and a wounded Dragon.

Knowledge Within

The Moonlit Keep contains a nearly limitless collection of books and manuscripts, covering a wide range of subjects including history, magic, religion, science, and the arts. The Keep also has specialised towers, each dedicated to specific subjects: the Tower of the Arcane for magic, the Tower of the Gods for religion, the Tower of the Occult for hidden or forbidden knowledge, the Tower of the Planes for the study of other dimensions and realms, and the Tower of Reclamation for lost or forgotten knowledge. The Moonlit Keep holds the greatest collection of records on the Kingdom of Avadel, the Crystal Catalyst, and the most comprehensive Human collection on the Elventine Empire and The Ages prior to the Age of Conquest.
Additionally, the Keep houses the Upper Archives and Grand Archives, which store secrets, valuables, and delicate pieces that the Lunar Order has gathered. These archives are only accessible to the highest ranks of the Lunar Order and a few trusted individuals.

History

The history of the Moonlit Keep is not well-known; it was an Elventine library or academy that was captured in the Age of Conquest by humans with much of its records, history, and even its name being lost in its fall to steel and flame. The Keep simply served as a fortress for centuries, before the Lunar Order captured the Keep from petty lords and restored its purpose, and made it one of the greatest bastions of learning in the known world. The Lunar Order has guarded the Moonlit Keep and the knowledge, from those who sought to topple it in the Age of Conquest, evil forces of undead, fiends, and the Crystal Catalyst during the Age of Blood, and the political turmoil of the Age of Contempt.
In the year 756:Blood the mages, led by Helrand Trice, of the Crystal Catalyst initiated a violent coup. The coup was only thwarted by the noble sacrifices of the Lunar Order and the activation of its greatest ward, the Imprisoned Legion. In the aftermath of the bloody event a number of changes were made, teleportation magic was warded against so no force could transport itself into the Keep, powerful mages were no longer permitted innate access or to wander the grounds unaccompanied, weapons were no longer permitted within the inner grounds, and wards were installed to both track and detect if visitors within the wall had cast magic.

Lunar Order

The Lunar Order has a history dating back to the Age of Conquest, being founded in Conquest:910. The Moonlit Keep serves as the primary base for the Lunar Order, although the Keep was not built by the Order. The Lunar Order is a monastic academic and militant organisation dedicated to the protection of the Moonlit Keep and the knowledge contained within.

Founding Date

Unknown date Prior to the Age of Conquest

Type

Acropolis / Citadel

Owning Organization

Lunar Order