Doravor

Those who come to Ciniz and visit the large market square of the capital, can overlook the mountains of the Cin-Vally. In the south they will see, among the dark pines and red oaks in the gloomy shadows of the White Mountains, crouching on a cliff the Castle of Ciniz. It lurks there in the dark, overlooking the valley, but above all keeping an eye on Doravor.
When the visitor turns his eye towards the north, he will see more mountains, bathing in the bright light of Fon. Many grapevines drink in the light, and twist and curl their branches around Doravor. Doravor, a bright chalk-clad building, set on the mountains, many windows like an inviting inn. But this building also seems to crouch and watch the Castle on the other side of the valley.
The visitor might shiver a bit, feeling the connection between the castle and Doravor. But there is nothing to be afraid of. The two buildings belong together and together guard the Cin Valley and its many mysterious secrets.

Through the fields of Ciniz, over the meadows on the banks of the Cin, a stroll through the Haithan and the glades of Tauvàr, brings one to the foot of the hill Doravor has been built upon. It is a nice place for a picnic. Fon shows his face all day here, warm winds flow over the lush, whispering grasses. Flowers grow here almost all year, in the warm corners of the briskly chalk walls that surround the vast vineyards. Some grapevines have wriggled their way out of the garden and found freedom in the ancient oaks that line the way past Doravor, like the tree huggers do.
One can walk up the hill, through ancient and hollow paths, under a green roof of tentacle-like branches, and in the Aftersummer the juicy grapes are in reach - but behold! These are not to be touched by the mortals. The Keepers of Doravor guard their grapes very good, and make them into the most delicious wines in Daleth.

Near the top of the hill, the path is steep and windy. Suddenly, the path ends and stops in front of a gate. The iron bars of its doors are decorated like grapevines, between the leaves there are strange iron animals and magical symbols. Usually, the gate is opened; it only closes at dusk and opens again at sunrise. On special days, the gate might be closed during the day or opened at night. When the gate is closed, don’t try to get inside Doravor. The guards are well trained to keep unwanted visitors out.
However, when the gate is open, you are very welcome.

Walk through the gate, pass the Guardhouse, and on the right, there is a small Foodparlour. It has a large outdoor area, under a wooden roof. Inside, there are tables surrounding an open fire. In the back wall is a beautifully decorated door that leads to a broad staircase, leading down into the wine cellar. This foodparlour is the place all of the trendy Cinizians go to on the bright summer evenings, in order to drink the Dragons Blood. The food is fine, too. In the Bakery, cakes, bread and pies are baked.
This foodparlour is were the Keepers used to eat their meals together, but now they leave it to their guests who are welcome all through the year.

Left from the gate are the Stables. Beyond the stables are the Workshops where the grapes are made into wine. There are some other Workshops as well, because the Keepers of Doravor have a tendency for independence. Stables and workshops take two sides of a square, the third side is a Dormitory for the Keepers. The Dormitory is the large white building with the many windows that can be seen from far, even in the light of Lukarna.

Straight ahead is the impressive Keep, a nearly solid round tower, rising up above the other buildings in all its gloom. This probably is the oldest part of Doravor. The tower is much older than the Castle of Ciniz It has no windows, just a few holes in the walls to shoot arrows trough. Nowadays, it is mostly a birdhouse. Surrounding the Keep is a wide moat. It is filled with clear water from a nearby forrest-brook. The brook also provides the fresh water for Doravor, but rumours have it that inside the dungeons there are several wells as well.

Beyond the foodparlour is the largest building of Doravor. Right behind the wine garden is the Library. This is not open for visitors, it is one of the best guarded buildings in Doravor. The library has a connection to the Temple.
It is not clear what the Temple is for. Apparently, it is there to give the impression of a religious order to the Keepers of Doravor. However, it is unknown what gods the Keepers do worship, in the temple is an assembly of several gods of Daleth, including the four evil gods, and a halfhearted tucked away statue of Phyarx with a huge phallus. Some idols are taken from the ruins of the Giants, some others seem to come as far as Luban.
In the middle of the Temple is an altar, but services are never held here, unless someone asks for a special ceremony. The Counts of Ciniz get married here on the altar, in a revealing ceremony where they learn the secrets of Doravor - that is what voices on the streets of Ciniz whisper, when they point out the mystic connection between the House of Ciniz and Doravor... and the role of the Phyarxidol in this ceremony.

Keepers walk freely through the Temple and other buildings, always willing to answer questions as long as they don’t touch the mysteries of this place. They keep an eye on the visitors, but let them roam freely through the wonders of the Temple. The Keepers have never been caught in religious acts, or maybe the ordinary visitor doesn’t see their behaviour as being religious. The religion of the Keepers might be based on the Natural religion of the Naglani.

At the northern side of the Temple is the Administration and the Home of the Master of the Keepers. The Administration is not a forbidden place, but the dreadful numbers in the books that keep account of the incoming money and outgoing wine is plain boring. The Home of the Master is the place where all official meetings with Doravor are held. The Master should be seen as the leader of the Keepers. Usually, it is the oldest of the Keepers that still is able to perform the task of Master.

An ordinary visitor might think this is all there is to see. He might walk into the Temple again to gaze at the art in there. He might go back to the foodparlour and have another glass of Dragon Blood. Those who have studied Doravor a little bit longer might guess, there is more to see.

The wine cellars are just another place to visit. Rows and rows of casks, filled with valuable wine. Dark and dusty it is in there, a gloomy place. Keepers here will tell all the secrets of the wine, and let you taste it until you can take no more.
Underneath the cellars are the dungeons, obscured for the visitors, darkened in shadows that lurk where the light of a torch can’t reach. Subterranean halls, high and echoing, and long paths, connecting many places of Doravor and beyond. Some say, underground roads lead to the Castle of Ciniz, and maybe further, to Salamandran, to Klainskrizzon.

In one of the halls, out of light and sight, is the Portal. This is supposed to be the Original Portal, the reason for the Keepers of Doravor to build their Keep here. They do study the other portals, and try to find out which is active, which will be active, and where the next portal will be. But here, near the Original Portal, they have their Headquarters, near the centre of Daleth, close enough to take their weapons and fight any fiend that might come through the portal.
This is their reason to be: the Keepers of Doravor are a group of soldiers, that will protect Daleth against any evil coming from the portals, they will negotiate with visitors, will study the known portals and its surroundings to protect the citizens of Daleth from being taken away by the Portal.