Shoon Palace

The Shoon Palace was the seat of the Shoon Imperium government during the reign of Qysar Shoon III, in the 1 century DR.

Structure
The palace was a strong and imposing building, the largest of all Shoonach. It was made of stone and sported two levels: the first floor contained public rooms and entertaining chambers, whereas the second floor contained bedchambers used by the dignitaries and their guests. The palace was surrounded by beautiful gardens that were bound by walls&mdash;something quite unusual for the region.

Interior
The palace also served as a harem for the Qysar. It had large, open rooms brightly lit by lamps or braziers.

Throne room
The palace had a throne room in which Shoon III would receive petitioners and dignitaries. It was decorated with ostentatious furniture, ornate braziers and and luxurious wall-hangings, over floors of polished marble. A secret tunnel behind the throne led to the bedrooms of Qysar on the upper floor.

Solarium
Next to the throne room was a solarium, whose floor-to-ceiling windows allowed sunlight to shine in freely. the Emperir and his brother, Amahl Shoon IV, loved to relax among the lush vegetation of this chamber when not performing their royal duties.

Library
The great library of the palace was a large room furnished with floor-to-ceiling bookcases, full of maps, books and other published works. Several tables and sitting areas allowed guests to peruse the collection without leaving the room. Several windows allowed natural light to illuminate the place during the day, and secret passages were said to be hidden behind rotating shelves.

Gardens
The gardens of the palace were full of plants, vibrant flowers and water fountains. The lush vegetation of the garden were akin to a maze, allowing the guests some measure of privacy. A couple braziers provided light during the late hours of the day. While the gardens were walled, a secret passage allowed whoever knew of it to sneak outside unnoticed.

Atmosphere
During Shoon III reign, distrust could be felt among the palace residents. The qysar was known to regularly show cruelty towards his palace staff, causing him to be disliked by most servants.

Defenses
Patrols of five guards roamed the palace and gardens, while two guards stood watch in the throne room to watch over the suzerain. Each patrol carried whistles, allowing them to alert each other in case of trouble.

History
After his ascension to the throne in the, Shoon III moves the seat of his government from Calimport to Shoonach, and settles in the palace.

During the, Amahl Shoon IV took opportunity of a party held in the palace to plot a coup against his brother, the reigning Emperor Shoon III. The plot was successful and resulted in the death of Shoon III and in Amahl Shoon IV taking the crown.

Inhabitants
In addition to Shoon III and Amahl Shoon IV, the following inhabitants notably lived in the palace:
 * Artor Morlin was for a while a mercenary at the service of Shoon III.
 * Saama was the head cook of the palace in 130 DR.
 * Halaster Blackcloak was sometimes seen in the palace while he created the 13 demonshields for the monarchs.