Kurgans Ak

Kurgans Ak is the ancient mountain fortress of the Kurgans of the High Vale. Located at the northermost reaches of the impassable mountains, built atop a peak jutting from the south side of the two biggest and northermost mountains of the vale, it is fabled to mark the point where the earth last closed over the Dying God as it buried itself.

Structure
Kurgans Ak is truly vast, half built upon it's mountain, half carved into it, given it's position it can only be accessed from one side and even then only by walking up the narrow mountain pass of the Kurgans road. The Castle has a round curtain wall 4 meters thick at it's thinnest point and getting broader as it meets the the sections carved from the mountain itself until it eventually meets itself and forms a basin at the bottom of the castle, this wall is studded with two stout towers. Within the built wall the central keep towers high above and reaches deep into the ground, the keep becomes narrower as it reaches higher until a thin third tower reaches from the centre of the keep to as high as the two vast mountains behind Kurgans Ak. Kurgans Ak is also protected by a series of strong fortresses along the mountain built where the first Kurgans corpses were placed with the largest being Kurgans Gatehouse built for the first Kurgan and controlling the mouth of the pass, Kurgans Gate is as large as most average castles and none of the other gatehouses and forts are inconsequential however they are rarely all garrisoned.

The Princes
The two round defensive towers of Kurgans Ak are known as The Princes as they are regarded as the sons of the larger keep they defend, in addition to this they are traditionally commanded by the two eldest sons of the ruling Kurgan. Given the immense size of Kurgans Ak The Princes are as large as some castles.

Corpses Crown
Corpses Crown is the highest tower in all of the High Vale, it reaches as tall as the highest mountains and it's highest point is almost always empty as the air is too thin to be breathed for extended periods of time. The name Corpses Crown refers in some way or another to the three functions of the tower. The first is that as all castles in the High Vale do it honours The Dead Gods resting place but as Kurgans Ak is believed to be built the last point that The Dying God sealed over itself so the tallest and grandest castle must be there and this makes it the Corpses Crown, the second function is to be a place where the Kurgan can see out to his realm and behold it all at once, although in actuality The High Vale is far too large for this function, it is because of this that Kurgans are coronated here, and the third function as a place where duels of great importance and stakes can be resolved, the Corpses crown has no crenulations or walls at it's peak only a flat wooden top and the flat top of the tower walls, whether before or after they slay their enemy the victor is decided by who can drive their opponent of the tower and to the ground below.

Lambs Hall
Originally known as Rams Hall (a name taken from the rams skulls that have always adorned it's walls) Lambs Hall is the Kurgans feasting hall. It came to be known as Lambs Hall as a point of derision after Harlann the Drowned Kurgan swore fealty to the Cetvel Emperor and was rewarded by his new liege with a rebuilding of the hall, walled with exotic woods from the distant reaches of the Cetvel Empire at it's height and gold and resplendent with other symbols of imperial wealth, the irony being that once he had surrendered to the Emperor none of Harlanns vassals would feast with him anymore and the hall remained empty until the castle was taken by Clan Dyaus after Harlanns death. Although all overt symbols of the empire were removed and destroyed Lambs Hall retains it's incongrous wealth and comfort.

Last Whisper
The lowest floor of Kurgans Ak is deep underground and carved into the mountain, it's floor is not flat but is a curved basin, the center of which marks the exact last point that sealed as the Dying God buried itself and is known as Last Whisper as it said the wisdom of the Dying Gods Last Whisper was heard there the echos of the Dead Gods wisdom can be heard by those that are worthy and by the hundreds of snakes that reside there. The Snake Pit of Last Whisper is used as method of execution for those judged guilty by the Kurgan on the basis that those who the Dead God would want to live would be spared by the snakes that hear the echoes of its wisdom and there are legends of those who have climbed from the pit unbitten to walk free, most famously the tale of a Kurgan who had his brothers cast into the pit, all of whom died but one who was instead bitten by the snake used by beserkers to grant them immunity to pain. He clambered out and slew the Kurgan and took the crown for himself.