The Barrow

From Beyond the Frontier
The Barrow
Location: Kaisa, Dracar, Tensa System
Purpose: Ceremonial
Controlled By: Empire of Tensa

The Barrow is the formal resting place of members of the noble families of the Empire of Tensa. In addition to the funerary role, it serves as the reliquary for numerous religious artifacts, and contains a vast complex of religious facilities. Initiative intelligence suggests that portions of the Barrow have been hardened to serve as emergency shelters against orbital strikes, and may house things of scientific or symbolic value.

Layout

The Barrow is a sprawling complex, comprising of several sections built in stages. The original sections are catacombs, originally excavated as emergency shelters in 2218 CE during a series of severe weather circumstances in the region. Several sections of the original complex are known to be abandoned, having collapsed shortly after construction due to a combination of factors. Remains are believe to still be entombed there. The surviving sections were later converted for use as storage, and form the site for the storage of the most important religious and cultural artifacts.

Later tunnels were excavated, with branching catacombs and crypts branching out from these, each serving as the final resting place of figures of note. Above the crypts and catacombs much of the excavated debris was piled up to form a visible mount, into which a number of sprawl temples were built. These temples were later joined together in the 2300s to form a single, cohesive, complex, with numerous entrances to the below-ground resting places.