Castle of Flying Cranes

Rating: ••••• 

Aspect: Air. 

Hearthstone: Gem of Honest Destination

Bearer: None.

Attuned: Tepet Marek, Tepet Mavariq, Tepet Vergus, Tepet Berel, Tepet Nerigus, Tepet Sadayo, Tepet Inou, Tepet Saigo, Tepet Chotei, 
Tepet Leamah, Tepet Majan, Ragara Shindai, Tepet Gyachidei, Tepet Tel, Tepet Meri, Tepet Rock, Argent Dreams, Tepet Aniashoro, Tepet Manshoon, 
Tepet Tarako, Tepet Hoshiko, Tepet Xhou, Tepet Kazeken, Tepet Zaku, Tepet Danev, Tepet Keden, Tepet Misha, Tepet Vadim, ?.   

The Castle of Flying Cranes is a massive fortress located in the center of the city of Lord's Crossing. It has capacity to serve as home to two hundred and fifty Dynasts, plus an entire Imperial Legion including auxiliaries and support staff, though even in better days it was not filled to capacity and with the losses suffered by House Tepet against the Bull of the North the halls ring cavernously empty.

The Castle is first and foremost a military fortification, with high walls mounting emplacements for archers and artillery and a central donjon tower rising high above the surrounding area to accord clear and unfettered views. Yet it also contains a number of libraries for military texts and poetry, galleries of images depicting past campaigns, and gardens of ponds or cherry trees where residents can meditate or host poetry readings. The largest of these is the Garden of Cranes, featuring a large pond and willow trees which are a favoured residence for a flock of pure white cranes. The castle includes glowstone lighting, hot and cold running water, and a plumbing system. Three smaller towers rise beside the central one, each housing both defenses and rooms for guests: one for visiting Tepets, one for non-Tepet Dynasts, and one for Legion military officers and the occasional caller from Lookshy.

Within the central tower can be found the Chamber of Five Winds, whose pentagonal table hosts meetings of House Tepet's highest leadership to plan the course of the family.

Currently the Castle serves as headquarters for the 9th Legion of the Realm, though the contingent present is understrength. Its drill yards and barracks house the next generation of Legionnaires being recruited by the 9th.