Oligarden

Oligarden is a castle located on the coast near Birch in western Fleur. It is the house seat of the Olivarden family but is often inhabited by the distant members of the royal family. The castle is famous for its beauty.

Architecture
Castle Oligarden is built onto a hill near the cliffside, so that its western back faces the sea and cliffs. Its front gate is on its eastern face and is surrounded by a thick wall. The castle is divided into four parts: the outer wall, the inner wall, the keep, and the castle proper. The outerwall is located around the base of the hill and contains within several important buildings and shops as well as an inn. It is where most of the horses are stabled, near the northern gate. The outer wall features a number of towers and two gates: the eastern gate and the northern gate. The inner wall is located around the hilltop, with one entrance: the East Gate. The gate is always manned and is flanked by two towers of white sea stone. Inside is the keep, a courtyard with elaborate gardens and the entrance to the manor section of the castle. The front of the castle is much more like a Fleurian manor than a castle, owing to the fact that it was originally such a manor house. Surrounding the main castle entrance are several smaller buildings that house various members of the castle staff.

The keep and castle proper are quite larger and mostly verticle. Originally, the building was a small and boxy sea stone and green rock building, used to defend ships in port below. However, as time went on, the building was expanded in various styles. The manor portions were added sometime before the First Lily War and the Lord Pedur Olivarden added Sikkudian style minarettes after his trip to Palmiros in 389 A.E. The building is somewhat of a mismatch of various design elements throughout history, though the beautiful white stone and green glass makes it quite a sight. On the western edge of the castle, a large upper garden was added in the Ihjargan style, making for excellent viewing of the sea. The Varden Chair sits at the end of the feast hall, made of the wood of olive trees twisted into a throne and half carved with the faces of women and nymphs.

In modern times, a small village has sprung up around the outerwalls, surrounded by fields of grapes, apple orchards, and olive trees.

History
Built c. 900 A.E., the original keep was small and boxy, used only to protect from coastal raids and to guard the bay below. After the Olivardens succesfully protected the keep in the First Lily War after the Osters fled. The Fleurian fleet which was docked below was saved, and for this the keep was taken from the Osters and gifted to the Olivardens. After many years of expansion and repairs, the fort has become the massive castle it is today.

Notable Information
Several important works of art lie within the walls of the castle as well as other interesting artifacts.
 * The Varden Chair, carved of living olive wood which seemingly flowers and grows olives still. It is carved with the faces of women and nymphs and is said to have been a gift from the god Holmir.
 * Treachery, house sword of Olivarden. Named as it was stolen from the Osters, who left it in the keep when they fled. The ownership of the sword is still debated today.
 * Imogenia Taking the Crown of Fleur is a painting by famous artist Viktor Aselin, which hangs in the hall outside of the lord's chambers. It is considered one of the most important works in the Fleurian Romanticism movement.
 * The Griffin of Kuz is an ancient statue from a ruined city in Kudd, gifted to the Oster's prior to the First Lily War. It is made of smooth sandstone and sits in the garden on the western side of the castle.