The Dwelling of The North Winds Fitting with the predominant style of Ahnatep’s structures, the Dwelling of the North Winds has an outer wall and an inner structure with a courtyard at its heart. Its outer walls are mostly solid with carved reliefs of columns painted with the motif of wadj plants. The main home of the North Winds has changed hands and ruling figures since its construction two-hundred years prior, but one thing remains constant: its gardens. They fill the spaces between the outer wall and the inner building with soft green, cool tile and shade. In a desert, only would those as wealthy as the North Winds liberally create shallow pools and fountains. The tall wadj plant is the dominant theme of the gardens, showing reverence for the resource that has brought them such wealth. Great time and attention is given to the garden, maintaining its appearance of controlled beauty. Red roses are cultivated to wind around gazebos and over walls, white lotus float in the pools, and potted palms shade the tiled path. Nature still flourishes the innate design of the garden, but under strict supervision. The house boasts four levels and a cellar. Each room has windows or a balcony facing both outward and inward. Bedrooms vary in size and adornment, but all have an adjoined bath. Only a handful servants live in the house continually, the rest live in a separate structure nearby and work in shifts. The roof is used only for stargazing, as the North Winds prefer to keep their parties and meals private. The first level is comprised entirely of common rooms. All the bedrooms are in the top three levels, the highest level belonging to the head of the house, Sadiki, and his family. Each level has a main dining hall, but the second level has the largest, usually used for family gatherings or parties. On the first level among the sitting rooms and kitchens, is a modest library containing a small stage for private productions. The unofficial colors of the House of the North Winds are pale green and silver. They are displayed in the livery of the servants, the guards and in decorative elements throughout the house. |