King's Palace

The King's Palace is the main administrative and ceremonial centre of the Kingdom of Skyss, situated on the eastern bank of the Northern Fjord within the capital city of Kronstadt. It serves as the official residence of King Thirfinn and houses the executive organs of the state, including the Council of Electors and the King's Small Council. The complex is noted for its grand white stone architecture and its situation within a vast, meticulously maintained park designed to insulate the royal household from the pervasive urban odours of the surrounding metropolis.

The palace is topographically isolated from the dense tenements of Kronstadt by an expansive parkland. This green belt is not merely ornamental but serves a critical public health function: the distance and vegetation act as a buffer against the intense smell of rot, sweat, and night-soil characteristic of the city’s industrial sectors. The park features colour-coordinated flower beds and paved stone roads that are kept free of refuse, contrasting sharply with the overlapping upper storeys and filth-strewn alleys of the mercantile districts.

The palace is serviced by a grand white stone wharf on the Northern Fjord. This facility is separate from the primary mercantile docks and the Board of Trade slipways. It allows for the direct arrival of high-ranking officials and foreign dignitaries, such as those arriving on the King's Ships, who are then escorted through the park to the palace proper.

The entrance to the palace involves a traversal of a paved diagonal courtyard leading into a polished stone hallway. The Great Hall is accessed through imposing polished wood doors flanked by guards in blue livery, each armed with halberds. The interior is defined by:

• The Celestial Ceiling: A massive overhead mural depicting the summer sky at one end, fading into a winter night at the other, with superimposed images of the Nine Gods of Skyss.
• The Blue Carpet: A ceremonial walkway leading to a central dais and high table.
• Roast Trestles: Large trestles set in front of the table for the presentation of whole roast animals during state banquets.

Situated within the administrative wing, this chamber is panelled in birch wood and furnished with nine ornately carved, high-backed chairs. This is the main site for high-level state administration, where the secretary of the Board of Trade, the Keeper of the Keys, and the Keeper of Treasures meet to coordinate national policy and diplomatic gifts.

The wider palace complex includes multiple side buildings that serve as official residences for high-ranking naval and judicial officers. For example, Lady Helga Trollslayer maintains a residence here in her capacity as Second Sea Lord. These buildings are typically three storeys high with wood-panelled internal walls, stone fireplaces, and glazed windows (a significant luxury in the northern latitudes).

The palace is the site of the King’s daily administration of justice and the receipt of petitions. While King Thirfinn acts as a senior arbiter, most executive power regarding the collection of taxes and enforcement of the peace is managed by the Electors who convene within these walls. The palace also houses one of the copies of the Book of Heroes, the definitive genealogical record of those carrying divine blood.

• King Thirfinn: The current occupant and elective monarch.
• Lady Helga Trollslayer: Resident official and future First Sea Lord.
• Council of Electors: The body that meets here to determine the succession.
• King's Justice: High-ranking legal officers who operate from the nearby House of Justice but report to the palace.

• Kronstadt: The primate city containing the palace.
• Board of Trade: The commercial authority whose offices are located near the palace docks.
• House of Justice: The main judicial building located one hundred yards from the palace gates.