Gandenye (GAN'dehn'yeh)
Overview
The Gandenye (long form -> Gandayan Denye in Eoin, trans. loosely as Imperial Seat), the imperial palace located within Niuus, is a city within a city spanning 2.5sqkm in size. It has been the home of the Shiroko Dynasty for centuries. The entire orientation of the palace is in an east to west direction, with all buildings facing to the east. The original structure was the royal palace of Eoion, but construction of the building as it is currently known was begun in 355 by Emperor Sava I and each successive ruler has added to it in some way over the centuries.Main Structures
High Grand Hall
The main meeting room of the palace. This is the location of the central throne room (there are smaller ones), where official guests present themselves to the ruler, and where formal government business is conducted. Large decisions are made here and the hearings are open to all living in the palace. The building itself is very large, at a height equivalent to ten stories, although it is divided into four floors, with the hall at the center and spanning to the ceiling. Which floor a person may stand on is determined by social class. Most of the decoration is white and gold, with statues of tsirin and other fierce animals. Flower motifs are used on columns rather than statues, with diamonds and other jewels inlaid into the walls, along with silver and gold metalwork.Gilded Banquet Hall
All major banquets are held here. Regular meals are taken in other areas. This banquet hall is lined with gold and mirrors, jewels in between and marble columns on the outer walls. A long table faces parallel to the door and is reserved for the ruler, the royal consort, other family, and the ruler’s favorites. All others are seated in descending rank order from the ruler’s position, with tables perpendicular to the door.Grand Ballroom
Celebrations and balls are held here. It is the second biggest structure in the palace and decorated with gold on all surfaces. Paintings of famous battles cover the ceiling, divided by swirling silver and gold designs. The floor is polished marble with opals and pearls inlaid into the stone.Government Departments
Each major department within the empire has a small collection of buildings inside the Gandenye. The main building of each is three stories tall with two floors. Each floor is divided into several offices, meeting halls, and conference rooms. The smaller buildings are used for small meetings, paperwork, and house more offices.Royal Family Apartments
- Extended family-These are single level buildings with a flat roof decorated with gold along the outer edges. Two stories in height, each one houses a parent-children unit. Depending on their rank, the children may have one room to share or separate rooms to themselves. Parents share a room. The Furnishings are mostly gold and light colored in keeping with Eoin tradition. There are only bedrooms and one common area for the whole house.
- Uncles, Aunts, First Cousins- The buildings for more immediate family members are one floor, two stories in height, but wider than those of the extended family. The opulence increases and they are furnished more thoroughly. Older relatives have their own rooms, each one with its own antechamber. Two common areas are present, one main sitting area and one reception room.
- Parents and siblings- Two floors, three stories tall. Each person has their own room with an antechamber. One servant lives with every person and sleeps in the antechamber. One private common area is set aside for siblings of the ruler. The ruler’s parents have their own common area as well along with a second antechamber to this area. As with other buildings, furnishings are in light colors, but this is where jewels begin to be seen sewn in and statues line the walls of the common areas.
- Children- Three floors, three stories tall. All children share one building, but have their own rooms with an antechamber, common area, and garden section to themselves. Chandeliers made from gold and diamonds decorate the common rooms for the first time. Paintings of famous ancestors are also prominently displayed Servants have their own quarters within the building as well. As Taras Shiroko was an only child, he had the entire building to himself and sometimes moved from bedroom to bedroom depending on which he liked best at the time.
- Spouse- The royal consort has their own residential building. Three floors, four stories tall. This is beside the residence of the ruler and is the second most important residential structure. Servants live in the back of the building, mostly on the first and second floors. Three antechambers lead to the bedroom proper, each one with a specific theme and function. More trusted friends and family are allowed closer to the bedroom. Silks and gold are extremely prominent, along with a larger presence of diamonds. A common area is on each floor with first floor access to the private garden and pond with a marble fountain depicting baby tsirin. Erasure has never used this residence as he always sleeps beside Taras. Only if absolutely necessary will he greet people here.
- Ruler- The largest residential structure in the palace and the fourth largest overall. Five floors and six stories tall. Servants live in the basement below the first floor. This is the only residential building to hold a kitchen. The first floor is for greeting those the ruler invites to private conversations or meals and contains multiple common rooms, an indoor swimming area, a small dining hall, and a throne room. The second floor holds more private sitting rooms along with art galleries and a small tea room overlooking the large private garden. Floors three and four contain statues, relics, art, and the most private dining area. This is generally for meals taken with just the royal consort. The fifth floor is where the ruler’s bedchamber is held. Several antechambers lead to this area, all of which are decorated with paintings, statues, gold, and jewels. The first two are for socializing, the third for private meetings and games, the fourth for morning audiences, and the fifth for the morning/evening dressing ceremonies. Only the most senior nobles officials and family are allowed at these daily events. The bedroom walls are done entirely in intricate gold metalwork and mirrors line each one along with master paintings showing landscapes from around the empire. Wood inlaid with marble patterns makes up the floor while the bed is surrounded by a violet silk curtain with diamonds sewn into the fabric. Five chandeliers hang from the ceiling, four small ones surrounding one large one representing the four kingdoms subsumed into Eoion to form the empire. No one aside from the ruler, the royal consort, and the First Valet are allowed in the ruler’s bedroom.
- The garden attached to the ruler's home contains a swimming area along with several fountains decorated with famous Ilyannoi and, in particular, Ilya’s tsirin, Soloia. Flower bushes and trees line the pathways along with a rock garden to the south. Meals are sometimes taken outside, but these tend to be only with the royal consort and/or close family. Being invited to the royal residential garden is seen as the highest personal honor a noble or courtier can receive
Walls
The entire palace is surrounded by a 10m high, 4m thick wall and a 30m moat. At each corner is a large guard tower and three more are situated between them on the north, west, and southern walls.Gates
The main entrance to the palace is the Eastern Divine Gate which is 25m high and 30m wide. As the main gate of the palace complex, it is the most decorated, depicting tsirin, griffons, dragons, and lions guarding the sides, high golden wings on the roof, and heavy gold plated doors that can be shut with enormous metal rods. The Western Grand Gate is decorated in the same style, but about ¾ as large as the Eastern Divine Gate. The last two gates are the Northern Stronghold and Southern Stronghold, ½ as large as the Eastern Divine Gate.River
A man-made river runs through the palace from north to south, with ornate bridges crossing it at various points.Gardens
Along with the gardens in the royal family residences, there are several larger gardens throughout the Gandenye. The largest is the Imperial Pavilion. This garden is 1000sqm and houses plants from across the empire. Expert gardeners along with a large team of servants and slaves maintain it through the year to ensure all plants are growing healthy. Five gazebos stand in the garden, one at each corner representing the four conquered kingdoms, and the largest in the center for Eoion itself. Ponds are scattered throughout, filled with exotic fish. White pebbles are used for walkways and bridges go over the ponds. Sometimes, outdoor banquets and galas are held in the Imperial Pavilion.- Other gardens are spread through the palace, mostly at the corners and on either side of the main path, although the central ones tend to have fewer trees.
- Short trees and flower bushes line many of the pathways within the palance and decorate the outer areas of the buildings
- One garden on the northwestern end is flatter, with more pathways, and bushes are arranged in swirling patterns. This garden also contains a large, circular pond called the Mirror
History
The Gandenye was originally a much smaller structure built around 53 by the founding dynasty of the original Eoion kingom. At this time, the structure was mostly a fortress used to guard the ruling body and keep invaders out. The city of Niuus was constructed around the castle in the years leading up to Ilya Shiroko's takeover of the kingdom.
At the time of its original construction, the Gandenya was simply called the 'Eoioni Shigochi', or 'Palace of Eoion'. Once construction was complete, the royal family moved in and this was their seat of power until the rise of Ilya I.
Upon his ascension, he kept the name of the palace before he began his conquest. After four of the five other kingdoms were subdued, he renamed the palace to 'Imperial Seat' in order to official solidify Eoioin's change from a single kingdom into an empire and to show that this would be the main location of imperial power. He also expanded the borders of the palace and added several buildings to house the various governmental departments in order to keep a closer hold on their affairs.
Later rulers expanded the palace. In terms of function, the Imperial Seat gained a moat, an organized structure for the royal family's residences and the twelve departments, along with a Bolugama temple. Aesthetics and superfluous additions were also made in the form of a race track, small arena, and gardens.
Founding Date
355
Type
Palace
Parent Location
Owner
Characters in Location
Related Tradition (Primary)
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