Castle Pantera

Castle Pantera is the ancestral seat of the Pantera clan and the seat of the Hu court for most of the year. It is a fortified castle on a rocky islet off the coast of Felidia (across the harbor from New Felix). As a fortification on a rocky outcropping, Castle Pantera is very defensible. King Omri said of Castle Pantera (and its position to the east of all major land masses) that "no one can sneak up on your from behind when you are at the edge of the map/playing board."

The heart of Castle Pantera is a keep, flanked by two large top-heavy towers. Within the walls of the castle there is also a market--and a small makeshift "village" containing the homes of the sellers and artisans that service the market. The market arose to serve the needs of people residing or sojourning in the castle. On one hand, the bustling area, which can be accessed by almost anyone, can be seen as weakening the castle's "impenetrable" defenses. But, on the other hand, having a market which traded in meat and other foodstuffs and essentials could supplement the royal storehouses and support Pantera if it needed to endure a siege.

Under the constructed castle, the rocky island itself is riddled with caves, tunnels, caverns, corridors and chambers, some of which features are natural and others manmade. In the prehistoric era the island and its cave complex were occupied by the ancestors of the Panteras. The entire network of caves is not fully mapped out. There are gates and even guarded sentry posts placed for security concerns at the end of caves. Some of the tunnels lead directly into the castle. In general these represent a weak spot in the castle's defenses, but they can also provide the royal family with a means of escape in case of emergency.

The only transportation to Castle Pantera are ferries crossing the harbor from New Felix and, when the waters are particularly ferocious, vessels are unable to reach the Castle at all (or unable to carry courtiers back from the Castle to the mainland).

The castle structure is not very hospitable--with some rooms no warmer than outdoors and areas with damp particularly on the lower levels.

Some more elegant or modern chambers were constructed recently and "retro-fitted" into the old stone structure with smooth walls covering the original stones.

The ground floor is basically open to the public. The lower floors are occupied by governmental and administrative office, such as that of the castellan, and the second-third floor house the throne room and other state rooms, and above those is the royal residence. The castle houses many suites which may be occupied by officials who are based at court temporarily or long term and visiting dignitaries.