The Asterion

Overview

The Asterion is the government complex in Arkaster that serves as the seat of Asgartha’s executive power. It houses the Basileus’s palace and the administrative offices where the government’s daily operations are conducted. Much of The Asterion was damaged during the 305 AC Tsunami, which also killed Basileus Itzamna ruun-Heeren and much of the government.

Name Origin Theories

The name “Asterion” was initially thought to convey the idea of a star or light in the sky. Teija and historian Abiram Okech noted connections to pre-Confluence mythology: in ancient myths, Asterion was both a king married to the Phoenician princess Europa and the name given to the Minotaur born from Pasiphaë and a bull sent by Poseidon. Asgartha occupies territory previously known as “Europe,” linking the government building’s name to this mythological tradition.

Political Structure

The Asterion is where Chambellans and other political officials work to manage the affairs of state. Sigismar Synd’s father works late in the corridors of the Basileus’s palace, demonstrating the demanding nature of government service at this level.

The highest echelons of the Asterion hold significant power over the Ordis faction’s internal affairs. When Sigismar contested his father’s intervention in his military career, his father had appealed to these highest echelons, and the Faction’s hands and feet were tied in the matter.

Basileus’s Chambers

The Basileus’s private quarters include a bedchamber containing portraits of Ayxas and Aysar, the twin sons of Aysun. Avkan ruun-Heshkari kept these portraits as reminders of the temptation and corruption any ruler might succumb to during their reign—Ayxas representing tyranny, Aysar representing humility. A tapestry depicting Chiara Caceres presiding over the March of the Sahankas hangs in the chambers, alongside other tapestries commemorating major turning points in Asgarthan history.

Role in the Rediscovery Endeavor

The Asterion played a central role in organizing the Rediscovery Endeavor. Avkan ruun-Heshkari’s rise to power culminated in his position within the Asterion’s leadership structure, and his opponents formed a cabal to thwart his plans from within these very halls.

Waru Toowoom gradually extended his influence within the Asterion’s political circles after being recruited by emissaries representing opposition figures. He was invited into the palaces of some governors and met prestigious dignitaries, taking a central position among Avkan’s opponents while operating from the Asterion’s sphere of influence.

Relationships

• Abiram Okech: Historian who discussed Asterion mythology (393 AC)
• Arkaster: City where The Asterion is located
• Avkan ruun-Heshkari: Basileus who resided at The Asterion (361-393 AC)
• Aysar: Former prince whose portrait hangs in Basileus’s bedchamber
• Ayxas: Former ruler whose portrait hangs in Basileus’s bedchamber
• Chiara Caceres: Hero depicted in tapestry within the chambers
• Itzamna ruun-Heeren: Basileus who perished when The Asterion was damaged by tsunami (305 AC)
• Somayeh Bahman: Basilissa who took residence following investiture (393 AC)
• Teija: Muna Exalt who discussed the building’s name origin (393 AC)
• Waru Toowoom: Ordis Exalt who operated within Asterion’s political circles as part of opposition cabal