...

I can't even pretend there's measured thought here. I'm just vibing my way through this.

Setting

From the bottom of the great hill, the Chateau was an impossibility. The heart of the fortress leaned into the sky, spires pressing into the cloudy blue. It stacked above the cluttered towers and rooftops of the outer walls, which stacked above thick evergreens. Hiking towards the building it seemed to grow upwards, the top of the nearest and lowest spire sliding out of view, the solid mass of smooth stone becoming a reality.

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This is the Chateau. A mix between estate, mansion, and castle, it houses hundreds. Known primarily as a place of rest due to its place on the map, the Chateau functions as it's own internal township run by the lord of the castle. Guardsmen make up a militia, servants and their families a populous, and a collection of resident nobles an aristocracy. Despite this, the chateau still has empty corners. One of these is a renowned historical archive, operated by Rudy.

The Chateau is far south and at high altitude, wreathed in cold temperatures. Standing atop the towering outer wall gives a view over spruce trees and foggy valleys, wrapping the estate in isolation. While the occassional traveller or caravan finds its way here, new faces are few and far between. The citizenry is equal parts migrants and Chateau born, a slow trickle over time filling the community to a point not seen in hundreds of years. The castle lord has been at the head for many years now, gray beginning to set on his visage, but not long enough to yet pass along the great monument to his only son.

Living in the Chateau is a quiet, curious life. One could choose to wander the great courtyards inside the walls, or across the pristine fields and gardens behind the castle. Inside, one could roam the halls of the outer fortress where citizens lived, were educated, and maintained workshops and services to keep the building running. Towers, dungeons, store rooms, living quarters, battlements, and more could keep one exploring for days on end without rest. But the true treasure of the Chateau is the Heart, the castle at it's middle. This broad building climbs up, up, up with numerous layers and landings, balconies and ballrooms, steeples and spires to dominante the already grand fortress. This is the true mystique of the Chateau (its tour de force some might say. laugh.).