Dark Hall on Antei

Introduction

Since the creation of the Dark Brotherhood, the Dark Hall has been the nerve center of power and communication of the large organization. First built during the reign of Grand Master Kane Vader, the Hall has undergone several transformations throughout its life, each Grand Master adding his own personal additions on to the structure. While many of the lower-ranked Jedi visit the Hall for important ceremonies and functions, it is only the Dark Council which has permanent residence within.
While originally constructed above ground, the Grand Masters began to see the need for concealment; thus, the Dark Hall began to burrow its way into the crust of Antei, slowly hiding itself from the prying eyes of its enemies. Today, except for the dome of the main audience chamber and the entrance to a hidden hangar bay, the entire Hall lies beneath the surface of the moon.

Exterior (Audience Chamber Dome and Hangar)

The Dark Hall is not visible to the human eye, thanks to technology that cleverly disguises the dome of the Audience Hall and the opening of the hangar bay. Special signal jamming techniques maintained by the Intelligence Division also further to hide the already illusory Hall. In order to gain access to the Dark Hall proper, one must have the necessary access codes. Those who do not are incinerated by the concealed turbolasers on the moon's surface.
The hangar that supports the Brotherhood consists of five separate decks, concealed within a large cliff a few miles from the hidden dome; more than enough for visiting vehicles and Tau Squadron, the Grand Master's personal escort. A simple collection of five turbolifts in the back of the hangar provide a way to the bottom of the hangar, where a short hall leads to the foyer of the Main Hall.

Main Hall (Foyer, Audience Chamber) [Level 1]

The foyer is the first part of the Main Hall any visitor sees. The ceiling is supported by eight columns made of durasteel. A flowing red carpet leads directly to a large pair of double doors with the Brotherhood's insignia carved into their surfaces. Benches, chairs, lights and a few plants line the sides of the foyer, giving it a noble, yet almost comfortable look. Four turbolifts, two on either side of the foyer, lead to the lower levels of the Hall.
The Audience Chamber, where formal ceremonies and other affairs are conducted, resembles a large cathedral. Hundreds upon hundreds of dark-colored benches line the main floor, providing ample seating room for the members of the Brotherhood. In the center of the chamber lies the seating for the Dark Council, on a raised dais. Each Council member is offered a tall, ebony chair furnished with cushions of the color of their order. The Grand Master sits on a large, ornate throne-like chair furnished in gold, while the Deputy Grand Master sits to the left of the Grand Master in a similar chair. Above the dais hang large banners that bear the symbols of the three Orders of the Brotherhood: the Krath, Obelisk, and Sith. The ceiling is domed, a large fresco depicting several events from Dark Side lore and myth. Two large balconies sit opposite each other in the walls; this seating is reserved for special guests and visitors.

Recreation/Living Area (Game Room, Sparring Arena, Lounge, Members' Quarters) [Level 2]

Taking a turbolift down another level brings a regular person to one of the more comfortable areas of the Dark Hall. Level 2 is one of the largest areas in the Hall, containing several recreational areas and the quarters for visiting members and VIPs.
The Lounge is a large chamber with several chairs, couches, tables and holovids. Comfortable and relaxing in its appearance, this is where members often come after a day's work to either watch broadcasts across the Imperial networks, play a game of Sabacc with friends, or just to sit and rest.
The Game Room is an extension of the Lounge, separated by glass doors. Tables for holo-chess and various holo-simulators litter the room. Members have been known to use the holo-simulators to create games of their own design, some of the most widely played being a fighting combat type game called Holo Fighter, as well as an interactive role-playing game called Khyron's Call (named after the former Grand Master).
The Sparring Arena is another attachment to the Lounge, where members can dual one another in lightsaber combat. Although almost used exclusively by those of the Obelisk Order, some Sith and Krath are known to test their mettle in the Arena. A special holographic system allows users to create environmental hazards, obstructions and other holograms to heighten the challenge.
Connected to these areas by way of another door at the far end of the Lounge, are the Members' Quarters, the living area for many people. Each room contains a small living space; a bed, couch, a table, bureau and a shelf. Each room also has its own bathroom. Rooms reserved for special visitors are more spacious and ornate.

Work Area (Offices, Cafeteria, Conference Rooms) [Level 3]

Taking a turbolift down another level takes a person to the office area of the Dark Hall. This is where the Dark Council normally meets with fellow Council members, visitors and other members of the Brotherhood, as well as conduct their normal day-to-day work. The offices lie down a long corridor, with the Grand Master's office straight at the end. Each office is decorated in a fashion that best befits its current occupant. Unlike previous Grand Masters, Firefox's office is known for its spartan like appearance. It contains a few holovids of the Avenger, a desk with neat stacks of paper, and a few bureaus and shelves. The contents of other offices are always not so commonplace. It is rumored that the Krath High Priest's office is stacked with ancient tomes and other antiques, and no one seems to speak of what lies in the Deputy Grand Master's office.
Opposite the corridor of offices is another corridor which contains a number of meeting rooms that are used by the Dark Council when conferring amongst each other, with visitors and even for long-distance communication. Consuls and their entourage are also free to use the meeting rooms. The rooms themselves are spacious, with long tables and plush chair placed around them.
The first room one sees when getting off the turbolift, however, is the cafeteria. Dark Adept and Acolyte alike often eat in this room. Circular tables surrounded by chairs sit on a carpeted floor, with all the food out in a buffet style. While all of the Grand Masters have been radically different, they all seemed to know this important tenet of morality: feed your people well. The meals served in the Dark Hall's cafeteria have gained fleet-wide recognition as being among the best served anywhere in Imperial space.

Archives/Order Areas (Library, Archives, Krath, Sith, and Obelisk Training Areas) [Level 4]

At this level is where the need for special access codes begins. Two turbolifts located near the back of the Lounge offer access to the Archives only if one has a proper code. Assuming access is granted, the turbolifts descend into the center of a dark, quiet room, permeated with the sound of silence. This is the Library, which is lined with shelves upon shelves of books filled with Dark Side knowledge and lore. Krath scholars are frequently seen scouring the shelves at all hours, hoping to discover another key to power or the location of a long lost Dark Side artifact.
The room itself is a square, with four doors in the center of each opposing wall. Three of the doors are suffused by color lights, each with the color of the respecting Order. These are the training areas. The Krath's area is the most mundane of the three. Lined with more books and a few artifacts, the Krath come in here to study their books and confer with fellow scholars on obscure points of philosophy. A larger, open area of the area is lined with chairs and a small stage-like structure; this is used for lectures. The Obelisk have small, mini-arenas in which to practice in. However, the entire area may be transformed into one vast holographic representation of a certain area or place. This is often done when the Obelisk High Commander wishes to run a large scale practice operation. This area is sometimes borrowed by the Grand Master's Royal Guard for training operations as well. The Sith area is a jumbled collection of holo-simulators all networked together. This permits Squadron Commanders and Sith Quaestors to lead their men in simulated battles. All of these areas are restricted to the members of the respective Orders, except in the case of the Grand Master's Royal Guard, where Krath and Sith members may enter the Obelisk area for training. This is done mostly to keep down inter-Order tension.
The final fourth door, suffused by a white light, is also restricted access. Therein lies the Brotherhood's vast collection of artifacts. Some of the powerful objects known to the Dark Side are contained in the room, which is why it is under twenty-four hour surveillance. No one enters the room without the permission of the Grand Master and the Krath High Priest, who is keeper of the records of the artifacts. While the specific artifacts are not entirely known, it is said that the legendary Stone of Light was recently recovered by the Dark Brotherhood and placed into the chamber.

Dark Council Chambers [Level 5a]

In one of the lowest areas of the Dark Hall lie the personal chambers of the Dark Council. Few people, except the Dark Council members, have ever entered this area. So, naturally, there are many rumors about what lies in it.
If one has the proper codes, the turbolift from level four will descend down into this level. The area itself is on the form of a vast arch, with Dark Council chambers lining each side, with a massive polished oak door leading to the chambers of the Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Master. The chambers of a particular council member are denoted by the lock in the center of the door; it resembles the position badge that they wear on their robes. In the rare occasion that a Dark Council member holds two positions, he or she of course owns the chambers of both positions. This often causes a little jealousy among Council members, though it has never escalated to serious proportions. Like their offices, the chambers of each Council member vary according to the tastes of the member.
The door to the chambers of the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master is guarded not only by lock, but also by powerful Force wards that very few could hope to break. Beyond the door lies a small hall, with two doors facing opposite each other, one bearing the Grand Master's symbol, the other the Deputy Grand Master. Rumors say that at the end of the hall, in a large alcove, lies a statue of indeterminate age, supposedly of the very first Lord of the Sith. The interior of the chambers are, like the other Dark Council members, unknown. Fact, however, tells us that a fair few female Dark Jedi Acolytes have been seen entering the Deputy Grand Master's chambers at odd hours.

Prison/Labyrinth [Level 5b/6]

The entrance to the prison lies level with the Dark Council Chamber. It is a bare room with exactly twenty holes, ten on each side of the chamber. The room itself is guarded by a contingent of the Grand Master's Royal Guard. From there, prisoners are dropped from below into their cells. The cells are sealed with the conventional bar-type door and lock, albeit they are reinforced durasteel. In the unlikely event that a prisoner, or prisoners, escape, they run right into the Labyrinth, a nightmarish combination of intricate, winding passageways, traps, and monsters that crawl in the dark. Ysalamiri nests have been placed throughout the Labyrinth, effectively nullifying the Force throughout the maze. No one has made it out alive from the Labyrinth. The cell area of the prison may be accessed by a hidden turbolift on level 5c, which must be activated by telekinesis when going either up or down. Only Dark Council members are permitted within this area.

Power Room [Level 7]

Accessed from a hidden turbolift from the bottom of the hangar, only classified personnel are permitted within the Power Room. The turbolift shaft itself contains various security checkpoints within, and if someone fails a checkpoint, they are riddled with blaster fire. When the bottom is reached, a small, barren hallway of durasteel leads to a large, sealed door. Access codes, retina scans and voice detection are done to open the door and grant access to the room proper. Failure to pass any of these precautions leads to immediate death.
The Power Room contains not only the generators that give electricity to the entire Dark Hall, but the Dark Hall's mainframe and security system, nicknamed DSM (Dark Security Machine). Only the Grand Master and the Seneschal have complete access to DSM, and no major changes can occur to the system without the Grand Master and the Seneschal simultaneously unlocking the special security locks.