Dark Hall on Eos

Introduction

Since the creation of the Knights of Eos, the Dark Hall has been the nerve center of power and communication of the organization. First built during the reign of Darth Kane Vader, the Hall has undergone several transformations throughout its life, with each Dark Lord adding his own personal additions to the structure. While many of the lower-ranked Jedi visit the Hall for important ceremonies and functions, it is only the Shadow Chamber which has permanent residence within.

While originally constructed above ground, the Dark Lords began to see the need for concealment. Thus, the Dark Hall began to burrow its way into the crust of Eos, slowly hiding itself from the prying eyes of its enemies. Today, except for the dome of the main audience chamber and the entrance to a hidden hangar bay, the entire Hall lies beneath the surface of the moon.

Exterior (Audience Chamber Dome and Hangar)

The Dark Hall is not visible to the human eye, thanks to technology that cleverly disguises the dome of the Audience Hall and the opening of the hangar bay. The Intelligence Division has set up jamming satellites in orbit around Eos to deflect sensor scans, and the SSD Avenger and ISD-II Subjugator provide practical defense. In order to gain access to the Dark Hall proper, one must have the necessary clearance codes. Those who do not are incinerated by the concealed turbolasers on the moon's surface.

The hangar that supports the Knights of Eos consists of five separate decks, concealed within a large cliff a few miles from the hidden dome, more than enough space for visiting vehicles and Tau Squadron, the Dark Lord of the Sith's personal escort. Five turbolifts in the back of the hangar provide a way to the bottom of the hangar, where a short hall leads to the foyer of the Main Hall.

Main Hall (Foyer, Audience Chamber) [Level 1]

The foyer is the first part of the Main Hall any visitor sees. The ceiling is supported by eight columns made of durasteel. A flowing red carpet leads directly to a large pair of double doors with the Knights of Eos' insignia carved across their surfaces. Benches, chairs, lights and a few plants line the sides of the foyer, giving it a noble yet almost comfortable look. Four turbolifts, two on either side of the middle of the foyer, lead to the lower levels of the Hall.

The Audience Chamber, where formal ceremonies and similar affairs are conducted, resembles a large cathedral. Hundreds upon hundreds of dark-colored benches line the main floor, providing ample seating room for the members of the Knights of Eos. In the center of the chamber lies the seating for the Shadow Chamber on a raised dais. Each Council member is offered a tall, ebony chair furnished with cushions of the color of their order, and their position’s insignia carved on the head. The Dark Lord of the Sith sits on a large, ornate throne-like chair furnished in gold, while the Dark Prophet sits to the left in a similar chair. Above the dais hang large banners that bear the symbols of the Knights of Eos and the three Orders: the Krath, Obelisk, and Sith. The ceiling is domed, and a large fresco depicting several events from Dark Side lore and myth adorn it. Two large balconies sit opposite each other in the walls near the dais; this seating is reserved for special guests and visitors.

Recreation/Living Area (Game Room, Sparring Arena, Lounge, Members' Quarters) [Level 2]

Taking a turbolift down brings a person to one of the more comfortable areas of the Dark Hall. Level 2 is one of the largest areas, containing several recreational rooms and the quarters for visiting members and VIPs.

The Lounge is a large chamber with several chairs, couches, tables and holovids. Comfortable and relaxing in its appearance, this is where members often come after a day's work to either to watch broadcasts across the Imperial networks, to play a game of Sabacc with friends, or just to sit and rest.

The Game Room is an extension of the Lounge, separated by glass doors. Tables for holo-chess and various holo-simulators litter the room. Members have been known to use the holo-simulators to create games of their own design, some of which become rather popular throughout the Clans.

The Sparring Arena is another attachment to the Lounge, where members can duel with one another in lightsaber combat. Although used almost exclusively by those of the Obelisk Order, some Sith and Krath are known to test their mettle in the Arena. A special holographic system allows users to create environmental hazards, obstructions and other obstacles to heighten the challenge.

Connected to these areas by way of another door at the far end of the Lounge, are the Members' Quarters, the living area for many people. Each room contains a bed, couch, table, bureau, and shelf, as well as a bathroom. Rooms reserved for special visitors are more spacious and ornate.

Work Area (Offices, Cafeteria, Conference Rooms) [Level 3]

Below the recreational area lies the office space of the Dark Hall. This is where the Shadow Chamber normally meets with fellow Council members, visitors and other members of the Knights of Eos in addition to conducting normal day-to-day work. To the left of the turbolift are the actual offices. They lie down a long corridor, with the Dark Lord of the Sith's office straight at the end. Each office is decorated in a fashion that best befits its current occupant.

Opposite the corridor of offices is another corridor which contains a number of meeting rooms that are used by the Shadow Chamber when conferring with each other, with visitors, and even for long-distance communication. Tribunes and their entourage are also free to use the meeting rooms. The rooms themselves are spacious, with long tables and plush swivel chairs.

The first room one sees when getting off the turbolift, however, is the cafeteria. Dark Adept and Acolyte alike often eat in this room. Circular tables surrounded by chairs sit on a carpeted floor, with all the food displayed out in a buffet style. While all of the Dark Lord's have been radically different, they all seemed to know this important tenet of morality: feed your people well. The meals served in the Dark Halls cafeteria have gained fleet-wide recognition as being among the best served anywhere in Imperial space. It has been said that the Battlegroup Commanders and even the Flight Officer have badgered Grand Admiral Ronin for such a stellar cooking staff on the ships, but the Fleet Commander has as yet to approve the idea.

Archives/Order Areas (Library, Archives, Krath, Sith, and Obelisk Training Areas) [Level 4]

At this level the need for special access codes begins. Assuming access is granted, the turbolifts descend into the center of a dark, quiet room, permeated with silence. This is the Library, which is lined with shelves upon shelves of books filled with Dark Side knowledge and lore. Krath scholars are frequently seen scouring the shelves at all hours, hoping to discover another key to power or the location of a long lost Dark Side artifact.

The room itself is a square, with four doors in the center of each wall. Three of the doors are suffused by colored lights, each with the color of a respective Order. These are the training areas. The Krath's area is the most mundane of the three, lined with more books and a few artifacts, the Krath come in here to study and confer with fellow scholars on obscure points of philosophy. A larger, open part of the area is lined with chairs and a small stage-like structure, which is used for lectures.

The Obelisk area contains small, mini-arenas in which to practice. However, the entire section may be transformed into one vast holographic representation of a certain area or place, which is often done when the Lancearius wishes to run a large scale practice operation. This area is sometimes borrowed by the Imperial Guard for training operations as well.

The Sith area is a jumbled collection of holo-simulators, all of which are networked together. This permits Squadron Commanders and Sith Navarchus to lead their men in simulated battles. All of these areas are restricted to the members of the respective Orders, except in the case of the Imperial Guard, where Krath and Sith members may enter the Obelisk area for training. This separation is done mostly to keep down inter-Order tension.

The final door, suffused by a white light, is also restricted access. Therein lies the Brotherhoods' vast collection of artifacts. Some of the most powerful objects known to the Dark Side are contained in the room, which is why it is under constant surveillance. No one enters the room without the permission of the Dark Lord, the Constable, and the Pontifex Maximus, who keep the records of the artifacts.

Shadow Chamber Chambers [Level 5a]

In one of the lowest areas of the Dark Hall lie the personal chambers of the Shadow Chamber. Few people, except the Shadow Chamber members, have ever entered this area. So naturally, there are many rumors about what lies in it.

The turbolift from level four will descend into this level, assuming one has access. The area itself is in the form of a vast arch, with Shadow Chamber suites lining each side, with a massive polished oak door leading to the chambers of the Dark Prophet and the Dark Lord. The chambers of a particular Council member are denoted by the lock in the center of the door; it resembles the position badge that they wear on their robes. In the rare occasion that a Shadow Chamber member holds two positions, he or she owns the chambers of both positions. This often causes a little jealousy among Council members, though it has never escalated to serious proportions. Like their offices, the chambers of each Council member vary according to the tastes of the member.

The door to the chambers of the Dark Lord of the Sith and Dark Prophet is guarded not only by lock, but by powerful Force wards that very few could hope to break. Beyond the door lies a small hall, with two doors facing opposite each other, one bearing the Dark Lord's symbol, the other the Dark Prophet's. Rumors say that at the end of the hall in a large alcove lies a statue of indeterminate age, supposedly of the very first Lord of the Sith. The interiors of the chambers are, like those other Shadow Chamber members, unknown.

Prison/Labyrinth [Level 5b/6]

The entrance to the prison lies level with the Shadow Chamber chambers. It is a bare room with exactly twenty holes, ten on each side. The room itself is guarded by a contingent of the Imperial Guard. Prisoners are dropped into a hole, which leads into a cell. The cells are sealed with the conventional bar-type door and lock, albeit they are reinforced durasteel.

In the unlikely event that a prisoner, or prisoners, escapes they run right into the Labyrinth, a nightmarish combination of intricate, winding passageways, traps, and monsters that crawl in the dark. Ysalamiri nests have been placed throughout the Labyrinth, effectively nullifying the Force throughout the maze. No one has made it out alive from the Labyrinth. The cell area of the prison may be accessed by a hidden turbolift on level 5b, which must be activated by telekinesis when going either up or down. Only Shadow Chamber members are permitted within that area.

Power Room [Level 7]

Accessed from a hidden turbolift at the bottom of the hangar, only classified personnel are permitted within the Power Room. The turbolift shaft contains security checkpoints within and, if someone fails a checkpoint, they are riddled with blasterfire. At the bottom of the shaft a small, barren hallway of durasteel leads to a large, sealed door. Access codes, retina scans, and voice detection are done to open the door and grant access to the room proper. Failure to pass any of these precautions leads to immediate death.

The Power Room contains not only the generators that give electricity to the entire Dark Hall, but the Dark Hall's mainframe and security system, nicknamed DSM (Dark Security Machine). Only the Dark Lord of the Sith and the Patrician have complete access to DSM, and no major changes can occur to the system without the Dark Lord and the Patrician simultaneously unlocking the special security locks.