Soner Rast

**Soner Rast**, also known as the "Beating Heart" or the Red Palace, is the residence and administrative headquarter of the reigning monarch of Arnes and their family. It is located in Red London, right above the Isle.

## Overview

Soner Rast is constructed of glass, bronze, and stone, and has curved spires that glitter "like beads of light." It bridges the Isle and is in close proximity to the Night Market which runs along the riverbanks. Guards are positioned inside and outside the palace at all times.

The palace is a popular destination for tourists, and it is common practice to lay flowers by the river or on the palace steps.

Friends of the crown receive pins with the House of Maresh's emblem on it; it gives them full access to the palace. The pins are usually put on the shoulder.

## Structure

The labyrinthine corridors are filled with portraits, trophies, and tables.

### Halls

The palace possesses a total of five halls:

* **Gold Hall:** A reception hall, made of stone and precious metal.
	+ Rhy's masquerade ball to his twentieth birthday takes place here. For the festivities, the Gold Hall was decorated with numerous flowers of all kinds.

* **Grand Hall:** A ballroom with three stories; it is made of polished wood and sculpted crystal. The hall is lit by dozens of chandeliers that hang from the vaulted ceiling. It has oak flooring, and spiral staircases leading upstairs wrap around the hall's columns. A raised dais stands in the room's center.
	+ The Summer Feast party is celebrated there.
	+ During the *Essen Tasch* of 1820, the tournament ball takes place in the Grand Hall.

* **Jewel Hall:** It is located in the heart of the palace and made completely out of glass.

* **Sky Hall:** It is situated on the roof and features mosaic flooring.

* **Rose Hall:** The throne room; it is located near the front of the palace and accessed through its own hall and doors. The walls and floor are constructed of royal marble, a pale stone threaded with garnet and gold that was exclusively crafted by mineral mages for the Arnesian royal family. In lieu of columns, massive urns in parallel lines display bouquets of flowers, and a gold runner runs from the throne to the doorway.
	+ Kell was introduced to his adoptive family in the Rose Hall.
	+ In February 1820, the Arnesian royal family greet their Veskan and Faroan guests, and host the Banner Night of the *Essen Tasch* there.

### The Basin

The Basin is a circular room and place of meditation. Its walls and floor are made of glassy stone, and the entire room hums with energy and power. The room was carved out of a pillar that holds up the palace and is, thus, located underneath the Isle. Because of that, the room's walls glow faintly red. In an alcove stands a table with containers holding different substances: water, oil, sand, earth, etc. The floor bears a concentration circle to channel power. Furthermore, two sets of stairs lead to the Basin: One connects the room with the palace above and another narrower staircase leads directly outside.

After the Black Night, Kell uses the room for combat training.

### Private chambers

An elegant, narrow staircase leads to the royal family's private rooms. In 1819, the ceilings of the royals' rooms are draped with fabrics, their colors based on the different hours of the day: Kell's fabric is near-black and woven with silver thread (midnight), Rhy's red, gold, and dark blue (dawn), Emira's clear blue (noon), and Maxim's yellow and orange (dusk).

A private hall connects Rhy's and Kell's rooms. They used it since they were children and covered the walls in various markings for games, bets, and scores.

* **Kell's room:** Dark oak doors open to Kell's chambers. The walls are decorated with billowing cloths and tapestries. Kell has a luxurious canopied bed and silk bedclothes, as well as a private balcony. In an adjourning, smaller room, Kell keeps his private library which consists of tomes on a variety of magic, i.a. *Antari* magic, and his own journals on magic, e.g. a slim black notebook is about the black stone. Kell put various symbols on the inside of the room's door; each of them allows him to travel to specific places by using the *Antari* spell *As Tascen*. An X leads to Kell's room in the Ruby Fields, a circle with two crossed lines through it to the London Sanctuary, and a star made of three intersecting lines to a courtyard in Disan.
* **Rhy's room:** Ornate cherrywood doors engraved with the royal emblem and an "R" lead to Rhy's chambers. The doors are not particularly thin, and people can easily eavesdrop on conversations held inside the room from outside. Protective spells were woven into the lanterns, windows, and doors after Rhy was abducted by the Shadows.

### Other known rooms

* **Conservatories:** There are two conservatories, an eastern and a western one; the eastern conservatory gets more light.
* **Emerald suite:** It is located in the south wing. Col and Cora Taskon stay there during the *Essen Tasch* of 1820.
* **Royal baths:** The bath has arched ceilings and windows with colored glass. Most of the bath is taken up by a wide, deep pool made of black rock with edges of glass and gold.
	+ Rhy seldom peruses the baths alone.
* **Royal library**
* **Sunroom:** A courtyard enclosed by glass. The royal family sometimes has lunch there.

## Known residents

* Alucard Emery
* Nadiya Loreni
* Ren Maresh
* Rhy Maresh
* Emira Maresh
* Kell Maresh
* Maxim Maresh
* Nokil Maresh

## Known guests

* Kell Maresh
* Lila Bard
* Col Taskon
* Cora Taskon
* Sol-in-Ar

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *A Darker Shade of Magic*, II: Red Royal, II
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 *A Gathering of Shadows*, III: Changing Tides, I
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 *A Darker Shade of Magic*, XI: Masquerade, III
4. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, XIII: The Waiting King, II
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 *A Darker Shade of Magic*, II: Red Royal, I
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 *A Gathering of Shadows*, V: Royal Welcome, IV
7. ↑ *A Universe of Wishes*: "A Royal Affair", III
8. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, Bonus short story: "Brothers"
9. ↑ *A Gathering of Shadows*, II: Prince at Large, I
10. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, XI: Masquerade, II
11. ↑ *A Darker Shade of Magic*, XI: Masquerade, V
12. ↑ *A Universe of Wishes*: "A Royal Affair", I
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 *A Gathering of Shadows*, IV: Londons Calling, II