[Residence] Longshadow Pavilion

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

Located in one of the Phoenix District's more refined neighborhoods, Longshadow Pavilion had taken its name when the local Adjurator had purchased the mansion and upgraded it to fit her purposes, creating a contrast of sorts between the lighthearted architectural style of this elegant two-story pavilion and the nature of its occupant. A pavilion's distinctive feature is its external shape framed by a series of slender columns that separate the outside from the inside. The interior then follows a simple and regular subdivision into rooms, halls and corridors. Longshadow was no exception, though it came with two lateral wings that were built against the supporting walls. The first was a party room for hosting large gatherings of guests; it could even be turned into a small ballroom as the need arose. The second, equally large and built on the opposite wall, was a typical Kemite dojo and it was where the mistress of the house practiced her Zinn'ka and swordplay. The building was made of black stone, a color dear to Kemite architects and masons. All windows and outer doors were of a graceful rounded shape, and the columns supported a narrow balcony running around the pavilion. A simple path led from the iron wrought gates to the front door, though there were smaller paths reaching the two wings and stables. A simple but tasteful Kemite garden decorated the front yard of the pavilion.

Secrets : The visitor would find themselves in a comfortable foyer and first experience one of Longshadow's main features - the light. Unlike what its name might suggest, the ample and numerous windows, many of which running all the way from the floor to the ceiling, gave its rooms a feeling of gentle but powerful illumination and contrasted with the dark color of the walls. Much like the garden, furnishing was tasteful but not showy - it was trying its best not to steal attention from the house itself. Twin flights of stairs allowed access to the upper floor, whereas two doors led to the two main sections of this floor. A third, more discreet door directly in front of the entrance would instead lead to the inner courtyard. To the right, were the more utilitarian quarters of the house. The staff, or those among them who actually lived here, had their apartments here, somewhat secluded from the rest of the pavilion. The laundry room and a multi-purpose utility room were also found here; the latter was also the entrance to the newly dug crypt level of the pavilion - something the new owner had had excavated before even moving in. To the left, one would enter the great hall. A long dining room designed to easily handle meals with over 20 guests, it was vaguely reminding of a Vagaran longhouse in its arrangement, except that the hearth, the largest in the mansion, was on the far end of it. Beyond the great hall were Longshadow's ample kitchens, which were rumored to never stop working, and given the owner's reputation, one could only wonder whether that was for the living or for the dead. Possibly the most striking feature of this floor, however, was the beautiful inner courtyard which accessible from three sides, though all sides had multiple windows with a view on it. Here was a small but pristine patio with a garden that was quite possibly more cared after than the main one. On a sunny brightening, one could sit in the garden, enjoying life under a large parasol, or take a lazy stroll around the paved porch framed by columns connected by gentle arches.

Secrets : Longshadow's first floor was much more quiet than the bustling ground floor. Its layout was that a long corridor wrapped around the inner border of the building, with the rooms forming the outer ring. Longshadow had five bedrooms, three for permanent residents and two for guests situated in different wings. The master bedroom, located in the south-east corner of the pavilion, was by far the largest and most furnished, though, like the rest of the house, it was not opulent. Furniture was in pastel shades and featured a mix of Kemite and Imperial pieces. Amelia's personal study and library was in the opposite corner of the pavilion, with the best view on the rest of the Phoenix District. This was the witch's new favorite place of methodical research, and where she welcomed clients of importance, people who would not have visited her in her previous Lorka. Next to the study Amelia had turned an unused bedroom into a room type not featured in the original design - an armory. Weapons and armor of various types were lined up on shelves and racks, a testament to the conflict-oriented nature of this mansion. It was also the trophy room, where various creatures she had previously killed had been embalmed and hung on display. The bath chamber, a typically Kemite thing, had become one of her favorite places in the house. A large polished alabaster tub allowed for long and relaxing bath - a true luxury, especially for one who had never enjoyed this in her private residence. All in all, Kemite and Easterner references pursued and intertwined throughout the floor, giving it an intriguingly exotic look.

Secrets : (built throughout Cryxatum, Era 15 PF) The Crypt was Amelia's personal addition to Longshadow, and it showed. While this level started as these things usually do, with a wine and food cellar, it was beyond the oak door, the one the servants did not have a key to, that the interesting part began. Of course, the staff was fully aware that their employer practiced the ways of witchcraft, and there was a lot of business going on beyond the oak door, but its true nature would only become apparent upon entering. A large room had been dug into the earth for the practice of Adjuration, filled with shelves and witch supplies - things within glass jars that were perhaps best left unidentified. The deepest of all rooms was going to house a full containment unit for huge numbers of unwanted spiritual entities - or the Great Cage, as Amelia sometimes referred to it. A small but tidily organized ossuary with organic samples from various sources completed this part of the dungeon. The other part was possibly even more unusual. On the one hand, one could find a pair of rooms designed for the practice of treating and preserving bodies through embalming. Mummies, either complete or in their essiccation stage, were placed in a storage room. The other end of the corridor led to a group of four cells - for no dungeon would be complete without those. Here Amelia kept any strange creatures or people of interest: a room existed specifically for the study of strange beings, something Zinn'Sunn literally crawled with.