Candletower

Candletower or "Haurdis Tau" in Low Elven is a Dark Elven castle surrounded by a city of the same name in the Rysh District of Spookshire.

The castle is highly impressive and odd, even by Dark Elven standards, it is made of basalt which was said to be risen from the ground from basalt, pillar by pillar by the great sorcerer, Eldranamyn. The Castle is now maintained by spellmasons who hold it together with warding magic, fungus, ivy, and mud.

It supposedly has a massive beacon of green fire atop it eminating with magical energy, because of this some call the castle "the lighthouse of bad omens".

History
Candletower is built in a very odd manor because when the borders were drawn it was not very rich or large, it was a house of bookworms and rune-writers. But St. Eldranamyn rose these lowly people up, both literally and metaphorically. He showed that with the power of one's mind (and the mana deposits later discovered within the mushrooms of the region) that one can do whatever they want. So from the seemingly impossible to work basalt of the region, and the funal spores of the mushrooms, he molded a massive fortress, with a lighthouse reaching to the sky.

Culture and Structure
Much like Rysh and House Eldra itself, Candletower is referred to by many Dark Elves and outsiders as a stinking pit of nonsense where obsessive magicians and degenerates intoxicated by fungal fumes dwell. They are partially right, the fumes of the mushrooms enveloping Candletower are intoxicating, and the magicians dwelling within the city are fairly dedicated. However, the citizens of Candletower can often be found wearing goggles, and face covers, as for the wizards; they are obsessive because they know dedication and understand that time stops for no elf. Candletower abides little time for leisure, to the Elves of Rysh hobbies and work are one in the same.

Candletower is constructed mostly of basalt rock and fungus. Because of this the buildings are almost all massive towers linked together by a series of bridges made from the fungus.The castle itself consists of these main parts:
 * Volkhall, The deposit of magma beneath the caslte that keeps it warm during the winter.
 * Underhall, The Living Quarters, Dungeons, and Mess Halls of the Castle
 * Library, The Massive Library located above the Underhall.
 * Council Hall, The 'throne room' and debate hall of the castle.
 * Command, The planning and military operation section of the castle.
 * High Tower, The major tower of the castle, it is mainly the High Councilor's quarters.
 * Low Tower, The training rooms and quarters for the other major members of House Eldra.
 * Heir Tower, A small offsprout tower next to High Tower, usually home to the High Councilor's apprentice or children.
 * High Command, the chambers atop High Tower, often used as a place for secret meetings, rituals, or divine communion.
 * Skyreach, The roof of High Command