Pluto's Floating Fortress

Pluto's Floating Fortress, also known as the Manse of Ebony Shadow, is a building found in Aether World that doubles as a spaceship. It's the Dark Hound of Pluto's base of operations.

## History

It used to be a fortress on a small floating island in Aether World's outskirts, but ever since the civilization's fall, it has been reduced to ruins. A blueprint of its creation, along with some books on engineering and space ship crafting were used by King Athos and Orcus in its construction. On the day of its completion, Orcus as the Dark Hound of Hidden Pluto swore to watch over the gate to the Dark Side of the universe to ensure that the Devourer of Worlds does not come out and that no one comes in.

Since then, the flying fortress would circle Aether World before going to the Dark Side of the universe to watch for intruders. The Dark Hound Warrior of Pluto would visit Aether World and its university every time his flying fortress reaches it.

## Description

The flying fortress is a spaceship with elements of a fortress. Built from granite, it looks scary and imposing on the outside, but is actually comfortable inside, like any other palace of Aether World. It has tapestries, murals, and statues as part of its decorations, and it has many rooms too.

### Interior

Eigengrau Foyer: A room on the ground floor of the floating fortress. It has a lobby with malachite columns holding up the ceiling. Statues of past warriors decorate the stair hall, and anyone visiting the floating fortress when it lands enters this room first before ascending the staircase to the other rooms. The stair railings are made of Stygian metal. It's also called the Gallery of Pluto.

Ebon Throne Hall: The hall where the Dark Hound Warrior receives guests and hold court. It has white walls and ceiling, in contrast to the other rooms. The throne is carved of wood overlaid with Stygian metal, with dog statues flanking it. On the ceiling are frescoes of the heraldry of the Solar System Guardians. It has windows for staring at the stars in space.

Ballroom: The Dark Hound rarely hold parties, but it's also where he holds concerts and grand receptions. It has a fireplace decorated with bats and guards, and a musician's gallery.

Fortress Pilot Room: Located behind the throne hall, it has a seat with holographic maps circling the head of the occupant and facing forward at a window viewing outer space. The controls in front of the seat can be pressed to determine where the fortress goes, activate its defenses, and even scan for activity outside it. Only the Dark Hound Warrior can enter this room to steer his fortress, and he can coordinate with the Solar System guardians, Crusaders of the Constellations, and the Warriors of Sun and Moon in battle from there.

Hound's Chambers: It is the Dark Hound's private quarters. It has an antechamber as a receiving area, a bedroom, private bathing and restroom chamber, a personal study with bookshelf, a solarium allowing views of scenery, and a private herb garden. The Dark Hound Warrior rarely invites people here.

Dining Hall and Kitchen: The kitchen and dining hall are connected, like some of the other palaces of Aether World. The kitchen has the usual kitchen appliances, and there is a fireplace where the meat is roasted, though the flames burn green. It has a synthesizing station that makes good foods, and basement storage for ingredients. The dining hall has a black and white silk tablecloth draped over a table and the chairs are made of stone. They float due to zero-gravity technology, and from the ceiling hangs a silver chandelier with candles.

Military Hall: The hall is vast enough to fit a squad of soldiers. It has paintings depicting the battle between the Star Crusaders and the monsters of the Devourer of Worlds on its walls and benches for tired people to sit down. Its door has ancient Aetherian suits of armour flanking it, and it has a viewing gallery supported by obsidian columns for others to view the lower level's activity.

Suites of the Obsolete: A series of suites rumoured to host the 'black-ops' serving the Dark Hound Warrior. They each have a bedroom, living room, and a private bathroom and restroom. Their walls and ceilings are black, with real stars on them as the source of light. Some have fireplaces and lamps as other light sources.

Healing Shadows Bay: A medical bay, it consists of a doctor's office and several rooms with healing pods. Equipped with advanced medical equipment like Aether World's palaces, they serve not just to heal the sick, but to determine the cause of death in a victim. The infirmaries have healing pods donated from Zenith Castle, and invisible servants bring food to the patients resting on them.

Strategy Room: Where the Dark Hound Warrior meets with Celestial Dimensional Warriors to brief them before missions. It has a small stone table and steel chairs with velvet cushions. It has a projector screen and a holographic projector to show things like enemies and their information.

Fortress Gym: The Dark Hound's exercising spot, it has obsidian walls and the typical exercise equipment. Beside it is an indoor swimming pool, with a skylight above it. It has a robot vacuum cleaner for cleaning the floors.

Library: A small library which has marble columns holding up the ceiling. The frescoes on the walls portray the dead being judged. Books on a wide variety of subjects can be found here, including a self-help section on dealing with death. The basement is used as a storeroom for forbidden texts and is barred shut.

Gardens of Bliss: At the centre of the floating fortress is a garden with plants. It has been known for the marble staircases leading to the viewing platforms with wolfsbane plants growing on them. The ground floor of the garden has pine and cryptomeria trees growing along asphodel and lilies, and a pond. A statue and plaque dedicated to the previous count who owned the fortress are found at the centre of the garden. A small Stygian iron guardhouse where Kerberoar sleeps in is there too. From the other rooms, it is possible to enter the garden.

#### Minor Areas

Core Reactor Room: Where the energy crystal for the floating fortress is kept. It floats in the centre of the room, and serves as the fortress's 'battery', with the circular panel below it transferring its energy throughout the huge spaceship. The room itself is large to have machines measuring the energy levels of the fortress. When the crystal runs out of energy, all Orcus does is to go to the Realms of Aether World to get a new one.

Engine Room: Where the fortress engines are maintained daily by robots. Known for its reactor domes.

Portal Room: A grey room with a golden portal to the Empyrean Castle's Tower of Pluto. Torches burning with purple flames decorate the walls, and the floor is made of lava, with an obsidian pathway to the portal built on it.

Ship Garage: A small garage holding lightweight starships. One starship called the 'Mynah' is the Dark Hound Warrior's personal spacecraft.

Dungeons: Where criminals are kept. The average prison cell has beds and a Stygian steel bar door. There are black marble columns holding up the ceiling and two doors: one leading to the dungeon, and another leading out. The door leading to the dungeon has a dog head carved from sapphire mounted above it.

Laboratory: It has the latest scientific equipment in it and even an alchemy furnace. The walls are also made of obsidian enchanted to be invulnerable.

Hound's Keep: A fortified tower where one can look out of its windows and get a view of Aether World and its realms. The tower is decorated with gargoyles and has a golden roof with dogs sculpted on it. Inside the tower, there's a brass telescope, astronomical instruments and a voice-activated teleporter for when one needs to go to the Fortress Pilot room or any other location in the fortress

#### Exterior

Laser Turrets: The Fortress is equipped with defences such as these turrets. In the Fortress Pilot Room, there are buttons that activate them.

Gatehouse: An entrance to the fortress, it has two towers and decorated with dog statues. The door is wooden and there is the Dark Hound Warrior's emblem on it. When the fortress is on land, Kerberoar stands guard at the entrance.

Satellite Dish: It’s found on the fortress’s main roof. Made of steel and black pearl steel, it is useful for communications, scientific instrumentation and attitude control.