Floor 1, Lobby

Begin royal tour:

1. Read the description first

2. Investigate the area as Yourself

3. Turn to the next reference by clicking a link

Floor 1

The Lobby

The front doors are crudely painted in medieval green and speckled with studs, both doors have a heavy iron dragonhead knocker on it. Pushing through them opens into a rectangular lobby or small narrow hall, which is lit by two chandeliers and six thin vaulted windows; three on either side. Guarding the hall are two light marble Poseidon statues, their bodies are sticking halfway out of the walls, one on each side facing each other. They grasp tightly onto a sharp golden trident, the staff's base touching the white stone floor. The walls are decorated with clam shells that cascade and slightly overlap each other and cover every inch of the walls perfecting a frosty white theme. Between each window are four extravagant chairs; they are carved golden with tall backs and red plush velvety cushioning. They were imported from a dwarven settlement and too small for a human to sit in, at this point, they only offer fancy decoration. The ceiling is vaulted with wooden beams and adorned by two iron wrought octopus chandeliers each able to hold twelve grey candles. Whitewash stone slabs make up the floor and is fashioned with an accompanying red Persian rug runner. At the end of the lobby are two more doors set in paneled oak which lead into the foyer. The six windows mentioned earlier are made of stained glass, narrow and vaulted at the top, and patterned by intricate art. Of the first two windows: the one on the right depicts a mermaid with turquoise blue hair and seated upon a rock in the ocean somewhere, the window on the left is of a beautiful Siren brushing her long grey hair with a conch brush; she is sitting on a rock in a cavern. The next set of windows in the center it is of two whales swimming up to a sparkly surface while the other window shows a kraken in its lair sticking its tentacles out. The last two windows has one showing two mermen with red eyes reaching out as if preparing the grab the person viewing the glass. Their webbed claws are like sharp talons and their scaly flesh is like the texture of a reptile, ugly and warty. Across from them is that of an oversized seahorse floating in the fading blue light of day. These windows had to be put together as they arrived in jigsaw pieces then had to be framed. The business of this lobby constructed with such a strong ocean theme was incorporated by his lordship at the last minute, that is why the lobby is actually detached from the front part of the palace, and sticks outward. If the lobby was removed entirely it would be the double oak doors used as a front entrance. The layout of the shells on the walls are measured to be in the hundreds and carefully picked out of Oyster Bay. The modesty of the mermaid and Siren is not concealed by their hair like in most innocent pictures. The lobby is no doubt one of Azzur's favorite areas, but he also does not use this entrance at all.

***

Now, imagine that you are a special guest to the palace and allowed full access to anywhere within. YOU decide to begin from the start, and now stand atop a set of stone steps at two green double doors. You bang the knocker of one and the door opens by itself, surprisingly you did not encounter any guards but you did see a few gardeners and barn workers walking about the grounds when you came in the front gates. You promised yourself that you will look about the flower plots later, guards here also do not pay attention to you as they engulfed in their bone dice and card games to pass the time. You step into what appears to be a lobby and although it is a lot to digest at first glimpse you nearly bump into the tridents of a Poseidon statue avoiding awakening the golem. The lobby is vaguely lit by candles above and the glittering sparkle of the colorful windows from the beautiful sunlight outside. You stop to stare at the window art and are creeped out by the mermen one, for at every blink they seem to be edging closer and closer to you. One slowly drops its jaw and hisses, its eyes glowing amber now alarming you that your presence is no longer welcome here. Then as you step back a bit you can hear someone humming, yes, it's one of the windows singing to itself, and you deduce it to be the Siren. She says that you should bring the Poseidon to life so he can fork you to death. The window art is coming to life now, and although fascinating, one of the statues turns its head in your direction and glares angrily. It's getting heated now, and you assume that it's time to try the oak doors now when you see a tentacle reaching out of one of the windows. You have now seen the lobby, and it's in your opinion rather peculiar and interesting, and if you weren't in any danger in there you'd stay a moment longer to count the seashells on the walls. Whoever glued them there must've been busy at it for hours, days, weeks even.

YOU go through the oak doors and exit the lobby; you find yourself in the Main Foyer now.

Main Foyer, turn to .