Ages ago, as one of the first major architectural ventures of the post Pact era, Defirium Karthswane, first overseer of the Keepers, commissioned the soon to be famous "Miles" Milo Glannon to build his order a magnificent keep. Milo designed Sanctum to resemble the planar representation of the cosmos. A ring of
16 amphitheatres surrounds the complex while four covered practice rings and two outbuildings nest against the tower itself. The tower stands a remarkable 10 stories high, its grey, yellow and white granite visible for miles in the
countryside (it is oft remarked that this is how Milo gained his nickname).
The main floor houses the atrium, a beautiful entrance that boasts
an arboretum and gives entry to the common area and the mess hall. Grand marble
stairs lead up to the second floor where the initiates take residence and have
their classes. The fine marble for this project was mined from all over Ascoria, some of the furthest coming from Pell and some of the most expensive coming from Tirinas.
The third floor contains the acolyte residences and the indoor
training area, the fourth floor contains further classrooms. It is typical for more than 300 initiates, acolytes and adepts to reside within these residences, and still more are to be found about keepers business within the real. It is estimated that in times of need Sanctum could accommodate a reasonably sized legion.
The fifth and
sixth floors make up Sanctum's extensive library, vast sums of knowledge
from all realms of life are kept here and the collection grows continuously. It is a collection said to rival that of the ancient Library at Sorica Tor, but since its loss to the sea no one can verify this.
The seventh floor is where the keepers hold daily council and where the
initiates and acolytes can seek private and group audiences with their elders
outside of scheduled study time. The eighth floor contains the quarters for all
higher ranking Keepers. The ninth floor is the site of the alchemical
laboratories. Although procuring and placing the equipment and supplies there
is often difficult, the safety from aberrant experiments is increased due to
its proximity to senior members and distance from common residences. The tenth
floor opens up to the Panoptikon. It is a covered balcony that contains the
Planar Focus, as well as affords a generous view of the surrounding
countryside. It is unsure who was commissioned to create the Planar Focus, it is for the most part considered a piece of art, but it is rumoured to be salvage from the pre-Pact era, and possibly of Cathucan design.
