Belvedere Castle

From OSWIKI

Belvedere Castle sits upon Vista Rock, the second highest natural elevation in Central Park, New York City. It was designed as an additional feature of the Central Park. Belvedere Castle was built in 1869, using Manhattan schist from excavations elsewhere in the park, dressed with gray granite. An architectural hybrid of Gothic and Romanesque styles, boasting a center piece of a bronze cockatrice in a transom.

Belvedere Castle was originally built as a shell with an open doorway and window openings. Since then, the castle went through many faces, including an observatory, which was later moved to Rockefeller Center. The castle began to fall in disrepair in the late 1920's after the stock market crash; it was at that time purchased by a private owner who renovated and maintains the site. The exterior of the castle has been developed into a garden which is open to the public during the daylight hours. The interior is private, but occasionally is used for special occasions, such as weddings. It is now registered with the New York Historical Society.

Belvedere Castle provides a vista over the Great Lawn, an oval of turf with eight baseball diamonds, loosely defined by plantings of trees in clumps in the manner of the English landscape garden, and, at the foot of Vista Rock, the Turtle Pond. Sunken concrete shelving at varying depths provide ideal water depths for shoreline plants such as lizard's tail, bullrush, turtlehead, and blueflag iris. The success of habitat for birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles is embodied in sightings of species of dragon-fly not previously sighted in Central Park.

Channel

The Belvedere Castle area serves not only as a lovely space in Central Park, but the interior is a public meeting place for Kindred loyal to the Prince of New York. Court Sessions, introductions or meetings are often held inside of the castle. The interior of the channel is only available to Kindred, ghouls or those escorted by Kindred. Kindred who abuse the ability to escort someone else in by escorting hostiles or ignorant mortals lose access to the place or are otherwise punished for their transgressions.

The main meeting area of the castle is an extremely large, opulent room, complete with architectural elements appropriate to the castle atmosphere: rugs, tapestries, paintings, artworks, an enormous fire place, desks and a large sitting area. The room is rearranged for Court, including a great deal more seating, sitting more than 100. A small riser is brought in where an oversized wooden chair is placed for the Prince. Other similar chairs are added around the riser for the other members of Court. The other areas of the castle are off limits unless an invitation is extended by the Prince. The entire castle and the garden around it is considered Elysium.

The castle also contains an important element for Kindred communication: a board to leave notes. The City Laws, information on contacting the Sheriff, Seneschal and information on contacting the different covenants is all listed there. A section is set aside for populous notes, things like galas, gatherings, announcements or warnings about mortals can be posted there. A third section is set aside for new Kindred announcing their arrival to the city and requesting permission to reside inside of the city from the Prince.

• This channel differs from the real location. It has been modified for use on Original Sin.