Nornskeep

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   **Nornskeep** is the personal and private residence of the S'iege, while it inhabits material form; spanning the size of a small city, the estate encompasses the main palace residence, enspelled to be larger within than even its outward size conveys; the palace will always have a room for any need or purpose. Also on the property are other manor homes and utility structures and buildings. The acreage of **Nornskeep** consists of agricultural and animal land; sparse glens; groves and orchards; as well as, dense forests. In residence are the Ladies and Lords of the Twilight Court, the personal court of the S'iege, the elite Swan-Maiden guard, as well as private guilds of artisans, craftisans, heralds, herders and smiths. **Nornskeep**, as the Cirtceles, itself, responds to the desires of the S'iege, but usually maintains its integrity except in exceptional circumstances; one such exception is when the S'iege literally separates **Nornskeep** from the Cirtceles and uses it as a private transcendent vehicle to move between dimensions and universes.

Within the bowels of **Nornskeep** are chambers dedicated to the divine, mystical, philosophical and scientific foundations of Reality.

#### Grotto of the Dragon

A cavern, at the deepest point of **Nornskeep** dedicated to the Dragon aspect, wherein still dark water covers most of the ground with nine islets spiraling from the center of the grotto to the entry arch. The entry arch is carved and enspelled with the runes of the ten arcana; the first islet shimmers with shifting lights representing the nine-worlds of the cosmos, each light can coalesce into a portal for observation or travel; the second islet has cascades of light similar to the first islet, save these represent the eight essences of Creation, these cascades may be harnessed as power sources for magical, scientific or alchemical pursuits; upon the third islet motes of the seven elements orbit in perfect synchronization the islet's center; the fourth islet has motes of the six states of matter that constantly interact forming atomic-like models; the fifth islet provides a sanctuary for the five divinities; the sixth islet holds at each cardial point, one of the four gates-of-the-seasons; the seventh islet, in triangular design, is home to the three-eternal-totems; the eighth islet is half sheer darkness and half brilliance; while, the last and center islet, is empty until occupied.

##### References

1. ↑ The 10 Arcana: death, fate, forces, life, matter, mind, prime, space, spirit, and time
2. ↑ The 9 Worlds: Alfheim, Asgard, Jotunheim, Midgard, Muspelheim, Nidavelir, Niflheim, Svar Alfheim and Varheim
3. ↑ The 8 Essences: body, energy, matter, mind, space, spirit, soul and time
4. ↑ The 7 Elements: air, fire, metal, soil, stone, water, and wood
5. ↑ The 6 States: solid, liquid, gas, plasma, light and quantum
6. ↑ The 5 Divinities: Maiden, Mother and Crone (Goddess) & Father and Son (God)
7. ↑ The 4 Gates: autumn, spring, summer and winter
8. ↑ The 3 Totems: dragon (primordial), phoenix (potential), Yggdrasil (manifestation)
9. ↑ The 2 Primes: night and day
10. ↑ The Self

#### Keystone Spire

The center point of **Nornskeep**, the spire rises as high above ground as it is embedded within the earth, representing "as above so below", from the center access there are 333 steps both ascending and descending with a center step/platform, with each step being one foot higher/lower than the next. The height and depth represent three-to-the-power-of-three. Each of the 667 steps represents a manifestation of self, reality and imagination. The interior is still and quiet but not stagnant. Through the spire the S'iege may view and interact with all possibilities of Creation. At the base of the Keystone Spire is the access point to the Grotto of the Dragon; at its apex, the Aery of the Phoenix

#### Aery of the Phoenix

At the apex of the Keystone Spire is the Aery of the Phoenix, a nest like structure capped with a dome of the every changing heavens. At the farthest western point is a towering statue of silver of a great raptor, the Rukh of the Moon; at the farthest eastern point a towering statue of gold, the Rukh of the Sun. The aery is bathes is soothing light and embodies all things that have, do and may yet be, a nexus of (im)possibility. At high sun the Rukh of the Sun "lays" a huge egg (the size of a boulder, 963 lbs.) of pure gold, while the Rukh of the Moon "lays" a similar egg of pure silver (depending on the phase of the moon the eggs is proportionately bright silver, normal silver, or mithral (dark silver). Each egg follows a spiral slide down into a chamber adjacent to the Grotto of the Dragon.

#### Chamber of the Forge

Adjacent to the Grotto of the Dragon is the Chamber of the Forge wherein guilds of smiths and artisans work round the clock rendering the gold, silver and mithral of the Rukh eggs into marvels of craftskinship and coinage. The works of the guilds are displayed throughout **Nornskeep**.

#### Treasury

Adjacent and slightly above the Chamber of the Forge is the treasury of **Nornskeep**, consisting of many multi-tiered levels housing the monetary wealth amassed by the S'iege over countless millennia. Meticulously administered to by manifested servants, each item is inventoried and valued according to several world's' currency system. Among the most noteable stores are:

* The *Pyramid of Helios*: composed entirely of gold the pyramid is built from the exact interconnection of smaller, equilateral tetrahedrons four-inches per side; the *Pyramid of Helios* is 21 1/3 feet in height, length and width and contains 262,144 tetrahedrons and weighs approximately 2,265 1/3 tonnes.
* The *Pyramid of Selene*: composed entirely of bright silver the pyramid is built from the exact interconnection of smaller, equilateral tetrahedrons two-inches per side; the *Pyramid of Selene* is 10 2/3 feet in height, length and width and contains 262,144 tetrahedrons and weighs approximately 146 2/10 tonnes.
* The *Pyramid of Hekate*: composed entirely of mithral, dark silver, the pyramid is built from the exact interconnection of smaller, equilateral tetrahedrons two-inches per side; the *Pyramid of Hekate* is 10 2/3 feet in height, length and width and contains 262,144 tetrahedrons and weighs approximately 146 2/10 tonnes.
* *Sphinx Sentinels*: eight sphinx statues of pure gold encircle the three pyramids; each being six-feet in length, and approximately three-feet high at the shoulder and wide; each weighing between thirty-to-thirty-one tonnes.
* *Well of the Sun and Moon*: deep cylindrical pits housing gold or silver coins (one troy ounce weight) that have been minted from the rendered gold and bright silver. The pits have been enspelled to allow for an infinite holding capacity; and although its volume grows daily the treasury accountants have an accurate count that is continuously updated.

#### Tetrad of the Divine

A cathedralesque grand cavern with a central "hub" and four antechambers. Each antechamber is dedicated to a separate apportionment of the Divine: Earth, Heaven, Sea and Underworld. At the center of the central chamber stands a statue of Hekate, as Key-Mistress, to enter one of the antechamber the key must be taken from Hekate and presented to the Gatekeeper of the respective chamber. If the key is attempted to be taken by one uninitiated death is exacted immediately (no one has ever proposed a manner in which any being could enter **Nornskeep**, gain access to the palace and make their way to the Tetrad chamber and secure the key and not be sanctioned to do so; but theoretically it is a possibility). Each chamber is a temple wherein the S'iege seeks meditation, solace and communion with the Supreme Origin; each temple is designed in the appropriate motif for it's dedication (eg. sylvan for Earth). Each temple is hemispherical and at the farthest end house statues of the respective divinities representative of the temple, stylized and positioned similar to the major chess pieces on a chessboard.

* Temple of Earth:
	+ Gatekeeper - a stag and wolf
	+ Dedicated to Gaia
	+ Statues: Pomona, Artemis, Kore, Demeter, Pan, Dionysus; Orion, Priapus
* Temple of Heaven:
	+ Gatekeeper - Eagle
	+ Dedicated to Hemera; constorts Aether, Khaos and Ouranos
	+ Statues: Iris, Ares, Hestia, Hera, Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Hephaestus
* Temple of the Sea:
	+ Gatekeeper - Hippocampus
	+ Dedicated to Thalassa; consort Pontus
	+ Statues: Sirens, Nereides, Aphrodite, Amphitrite, Poseidon, Triton, Nereus, Phorkys

* Temple of the Underworld:
	+ Gatekeeper - Cerebus
	+ Dedicated to Nyx; consorts Erebus and Tartarus
	+ Statues: Medusa, Styx, Hekate, Persephone, Haides, Hermes, Charon, Orpheus