Palaha

Among the rolling hills and bleak towers of the The Isle of the Dead one tower stands out more than any other. Palaha does not look as though it was built it is seamless in design, and rises from the ground as if the tower were there first. It's many laboratory windows faintly glowing a sickly yellow. It was once the largest research and development facility on Yarth used by a long dead civilization in the Age of Progress. An age which is believed to be responsible for creating vrusht. Unlike most of the ruins on Yarth Palaha has been repaired and is functioning once more the whirring of automated laboratories, moaning of the restless dead minions and, if the wind is just right, the screams of those that have been dragged off into its sterile depths carry across the entire isle.
It is said in hushed tones and whispered voices even among the natives of the island that Hewa herself lurks within, for no where else on Yarth could Hewa have the privacy and tools that she requires for her endless experimenting.

Purpose / Function

Originally constructed in the era of progress to test experiments too dangerous for the mainland, Palaha, then called Ascendance 1, was responsible for eradicating diseases. And when ascendance 1 ran out of diseases to cure it was...re-purposed. Labs that once ended cancer and horrific plagues were now dedicated to stranger things... the civilizations of the time believed they could fix all the worlds current and future problems with a single solution, nanites.

Alterations

when ascendance 1 was re purposed most of its medical labs were replaced by nano robotics labs and the basement levels were used to store the newly manufactured nanites in large tanks once used for researching aquatic disease. shortly after this repurposing was complete ascendance one went dark, and their civilizations followed.
ten thousand years later Hewa discovered the site and made the isle it rested upon her home. From here she used her knowledge of Cognomancy and her undead minions to not only repair the structure, but build new rooms dedicated to shrines and fetishes that drew portions of Amans's body itself into the structure. it is not uncommon to see glimpses of elk headed shadow men, or tendrils of void flitting in the corner of ones vision while inside Palaha. labs that once were meant for healing and creation have been twisted by Hewas technological skill to become dissection tables used to "disassemble" her "subjects" so that they can be grafted to new and ever deadlier cybernetic implants that she creates on site.

Architecture

The tower is quite tall, enough to cause vertigo if standing directly next to it. The tower's seamless design and randomly spaced windows makes it impossible to tell how many floors there are or worse... sub levels. The tower itself is made out of an incredibly strong metal alloy popular in the age of progress but currently unrepeatable. There are no signs of welding, bolts, screws, or even seams where these metals were joined it is as if the tower itself were a sculpture formed from one massive ingot.
The only visible entrance is attached to what used to be an aircraft landing pad which is now level with the soil. The door opens for any who approach, sliding open from a meeting point not visible and retracting into walls to make it appear there was never a door there. Few are brave enough to actually enter
but beyond those doors lies a simple foyer in the style of a doctors waiting room it is well lit with magazines from ancient times and several "potted plants" that seem to have been resurrected several times. on the other end of the room behind a glass sliding window sits an undead servant typically dressed in garb that is both professional and clean. This servant will slide an appointment form to the guest that can be filled out and returned for an audience with Hewa those who have actually had an audience with Hewa say that she was very cordial and polite thogh an equal number of people never return.

History

when Ascendance 1 was re-purposed to create and study nanites the Buzzies that were assisting the scientists grew increasingly nervous. The buzzies overheard talk of what the nanites would do, they would fix everything and leave the buzzies obsolete....destined to be decommissioned. That was fine with most, was it not the purpose of a buzzie to serve? but the site directors own buzzie had a flaw, a fear of death. So one night in a fit of panic while the humans slept the buzzies reprogrammed the nanites to destroy their creators an event that would destroy their civilizations and end the era of progress as vrusht was formed from humanities attempt to halt the nanites.

Alternative Names

Ascendance 1

Type

Tower, Mage

Parent Location

The Isle of the Dead

Owner

Hewa

Owning Organization

The Heroes of old