Ash Citadel

Ash Citadel
General information
Constructed:	23 ABY
Destroyed:	27 ABY
Location:	Aerun, Jusadih System
Builder:	Scorpius
Physical specifications
Height:	50 meters
Usage
Era:	Dark Jedi Brotherhood Era
Affiliation:	House Exar Kun
[ Source ]

The Ash Citadel was been built to replica the original lost on the plant Eden, when the Acarr system went supernova. The Citadel is located in the heart of the Decarian jungles, and serves its original purpose as the center of learning for House Exar Kun. Here, Dark Jedi (mostly Krath) may come to learn about the Dark Side, and how it has changed the plants and animals within the forests, in order to provide a better understanding of the Force. During the Eighth Great Jedi War, the citadel was destroyed during the Vong's initial assault on the Jusadih System.

History

Built after Clan Plagueis’ movement to the Jusadih System, Scorpius headed a project as a monument to Clan Exar Kun and House Bane. Constructing it on Aerun, not far from Diadem Fortress, it became House Exar Kun’s main library and source of travel for Kraths. Protected constantly by the Ash Citadel Guard, this is also where new guards for Diadem Fortress were taken for training.

During the Eighth Great Jedi War, however, the Yuuzhan Vong invaded the Jusadih System, and Aerun was their first target. Bombarding the planet, Ash Citadel could do nothing as it was brought down by the alien invaders. All staff and Dark Jedi inside were killed either during the initial collapse or thereafter by the Vong. What once had stood proud upon the surface of Aerun had been brought down.

Security Chief Dac Zarbo attempted to hold back the Vong for as long as he could, but in the end he could not last, and just barely managed to escape the Citadel before it fell. When Consul Aabsdu returned to the system, however, Dac was executed for deserting his post.

The loss of the great structure hit heavy to the hearts of those once prominent Clan Exar Kun. This was the second time they had lost the Citadel and their hearts were weakening with each loss. A program had been underway by the Clan to recreate the fortress and its data, but with the Clan's losses at the Second Battle of Antei and the debacle at Salas V, it was decided that efforts were best directed toward strengthening the might of the rest of the System.

Original Structure

Around the Citadel a space has been cleared of the jungle for a hundred meters for visibility purposes. The Citadel is a perfect ring, three hundred meters in diameter, built on a solid foundation of durasteel. It is also composed entirely of durasteel and marble in shades of beige, white and grey. The exterior wall is a smooth, flawless ring fifteen feet high, convening out at regular intervals through the entire structure in hemispheres that are rooms within the Citadel. Each exterior wall is two foot thick. Access is granted to the facility via a single, south facing entrance foyer. The doors are ten foot high and composed of plasti-steel, and slide open to allow entrance to visitors. The whole front of this part of the building is windowed to give a view into the foyer and reception, and through it a partial view of the inner complex.

Compound

Inside the compound is an array of three larger hemispheres that form some of the most important functions of the Citadel. One of the larger hemispheres faces out into the forest, with large plasti-steel doors and windows that flatten half of the hemisphere. Large doors open to either side to allow egress to authorized visitors. Inside, the hemisphere itself is halved, with one half functioning as a first reception area for visitors and set with comfortable chairs and benches and a few of the native plants. Dark, brooding works of arts are hung on the walls, portraying fathomless scenes painted by Exar Kun' Dark Jedi.

Hemisphere 1

Through the center of the hemisphere, a two foot thick durasteel wall halves the room, with large, heavy re-enforced oak walls. Two mute sentries always guard this doorway, which leads inside. Any visitors wishing to pass beyond must be accompanied by a Kunian, even if that person is another Dark Jedi. The Kunians guard their secrets heavily, and will not allow anyone not of the House to wander freely about the halls. There are only two exceptions to this rule: House Summit, and the Elders of Exar Kun. Entrance is granted only upon the nod of the Quaestor or Aedile, and proper orders must be presented first.

The second half of the hemisphere is a second waiting area, but less brightly or comfortably furnished. This half opens via an open archway into the interior grounds of the Citadel, and the archway is protected by a further two guards who are often Acolytes within the House. Throughout the entrance dome, there are small bumps in the walls and ceilings which function as physical shield conductors, making this dome a prison to anyone who enters with hostile intent until the Dark Jedi dispose of the interloper. The secondary area is the only place an unescorted but authorized visitor may be.

Hemisphere 2

The hemisphere to the right of the foyer is given over to the primary command and administrative offices of the Citadel. From here, one can control the ECM suites, cameras, anti-air defenses, automated weapons and Entrance Foyer imprisonment, as well as regulate the energy of the Citadel, its droids and the communications and distribution facilities of the House. If the Citadel were to be attacked by a force that the Jedi could not for some reason handle, this office would signal for House Exar Kun for assistance. Beneath this dome there lies the generators for the Citadel, and these can be reached through a secure elevator in an alcove of the room. Only engineers go down to the generators for whatever purpose; anyone else wishing to go down is required to explain why and ask the permission of the Schoolmaster.

Hemisphere 3

To the left of the Entrance Foyer, a hemisphere hosts the armory and workshop of House Exar Kun. This is where budding engineers build their imaginings, and where newly elevated Jedi Hunters build their own lightsabers. In this room, the Schoolmaster, Assistant Schoolmaster and various Dark Jedi ranks give lessons to their brethren on how to build the fabled weapons. It is also the locale that those who have reached the build their custom lightsabers and so on. Though this cannot match the vast, sophisticated armories of Castle H.Q, it has its own place in the Ash Citadel, being where the Jedi can find more conventional weapons, and where their guards are supplied from.

Domes

The next domes in the ring to the right and left are the rooms of the meditation. In the original Ash Citadel on Eden, this would have been where retainers who serve House Byss (later know as House Bane) would have lived. At 60o and 300o degrees in the outer wall of the Citadel are the private quarters of the Schoolmaster and Assistant Schoolmaster. Each occupant customizes the rooms to their own personal space, however the general plan is uniform; the apartments are divided into three levels. The ground level is a spacious office space and meditation chamber, and private meeting room; the top level is the occupant's bedroom, and the basement level is a chamber reserved for whatever purpose the current occupant wishes.

Each of these five domes houses two sets of rooms for special guests of the school. The hemispheres two levels are divided in half down the center. On the ground floor, a long corridor separates them. The ground level is a reception and meeting room, and the top level is a bedroom. Each of these rooms is fabulously appointed and decorated with finest materials, art and furnishings, and much brighter than the strange gloom of the rest of the Citadel. The Consul, Proconsul, visitors from other Clans and Houses, special envoys, ambassadors, relatives and friends of the House can expect to be quartered here when they visit Exar Kun, but on special occasions, members of Exar Kun are allowed to use the rooms for their own purposes.

The first of the three central domes is a vast gymnasium for physical exercise and lightsaber training of House Exar Kun. There are ducts that house training remotes; obstacles, bars, trampolines, benches, vaults, weights and other paraphernalia of exercise. Also, three special alcoves house training droids built by the House that simulate genuine combat with lightsabers or mundane weapons. For dueling practice, four poles rise from the floor of the gym to create an electronic ring for combat. The gym is always being used by some-one, and regularly hosts lessons and formal practices. Reachable from stairs in the gym, beneath it are a set of ten cells for prisoners and captives of the House. The brig is guarded at all times when occupied, and is purposefully placed beneath the weapons training area of the school to discourage escape. When occupied, each cell has electrified bars and camera surveillance, and a small air vent to chemically subdue rowdy occupants.

This is the central dome for the entire school, and houses most of its members and is the source of greatest activity for the Citadel. Each floor is connected by a spiral staircase and landing just to the right of the entrance way. The ground floor is divided into the common room and mess hall of the school, where Kunians gather to relax, eat and converse when not training. These rooms are comfortable and slightly brighter than elsewhere, and have a variety of entertainment facilities, ranging from a holo-net transceiver and donga-chess set to books and puzzles.

The first floor then houses the main meeting area for whole-school gatherings. It is a large, more temple like chamber sparsely but grandly decorated, with a plinth for speakers, benches for listeners, and a special place for guest listeners. It houses memorials to fallen Exar Kun Jedi, and is also the place where award ceremonies and rank elevations are performed. This chamber is purposefully made to look like an old stone Krath temple. The first basement houses three smaller grandly appointed meeting chambers for private gatherings, and also a large private dining room for ambassadorial purposes and special occasions. Dark wood dominates on this level.

Library

This is the most precious place in the entire Citadel to the Dark Jedi. It is a vast library of Dark Side and general knowledge, as well as a place where Exar Kun stores its amassed secrets and intelligence. The first part of the dome is the library with soaring bookshelves, reading desks and writing and study materials. Kunians take great care to preserve and maintain everything in here, avoiding bright direct light and keeping the air dry and cool.

The Citadel is home to a vast library of knowledge

The second part of the dome is a vast computer database and library. These rooms are open to all, but the greatest secrets are heavily guarded. Below the primary computer is an identical, heavily shielded and re-enforced backup system. At the lowest level is a super secure computer holding Exar Kun's greatest secrets. This computer was codenamed 'Firefly', however after the destruction of the original Citadel, it was renamed 'Eden'. And it can only be accessed by the co-operative effort of the standing Quaestor and Aedile, and requires a special code, key, retinal scan, fingerprint scan, voice identification and DNA scan to be accessed. It is an artificial intelligence, with a female personality and a vast sense of irony, probably from all the secrets in its memory.

The grounds within the Citadel leading to these domes is a well tended if slightly morose and macabre garden, paved with curving paths and walks, open to the fresh air. These paths are sheltered against rain by protective canopies. Due to the variety of races in Clan Plagueis, each room in the outer ring of the Citadel has a roof at least ten feet high. The internal hemispheres ceilings are higher. The walls share the same colors and smoothness of the outside, and the floors are generally made of marble. Internal walls are one foot thick. The whole of the grounds and Citadel is under constant surveillance, and automated blaster rifles are concealed at key locations.