- For other uses, see Pyris.
Castle Pyris was a 25th century building, a castle constructed by the Old Ones on Pyris VII, a class M planet located in the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrant. It was overseen by Old One Alpha Yenvep. (STO - Terran Gambit mission: "Cat's Tale")
History
First iteration
In the 2260s, the extragalactic Old Ones Korob and Sylvia used their transmuter technology to establish a castle based on outdated Human nightmares. In 2267, Sylvia had become deranged in her humanoid form and took a Starfleet landing party from the USS Enterprise captive. Korob sided with Captain James T. Kirk but was incapacitated by Sylvia. When Kirk destroyed the transmuter wand, the illusory castle disappeared, leaving Korob and Sylvia in their ornithoid forms. They perished moments later. (TOS episode: "Catspaw")
Second iteration
In the 25th century, the Old Ones returned to Pyris VII and established Castle Pyris. This time, the extragalactic explorers were partners of the Khitomer Alliance. Yenvep, taking the role of Old One Alpha, served as the spokesperson to Alliance personnel.
In the year 2411, the Devidians invaded Castle Pyris and acquired transmuter tech from the Old Ones. Yenvep called the Khitomer Alliance for help, who dispatched a task force away team. The Devidians used their growing understanding of the transmuter to bring mythological creatures to life and capture Old Ones. As the task force moved through Castle Pyris, they were beset by witches, skeletons and Carrion spiders. After defeating the Devidian lord, Yenvep promised that the Old Ones would be on their guard for further Devidian attacks. (STO - Terran Gambit mission: "Cat's Tale")
Specifics
Environment and location
Castle Pyris was located on the surface of Pyris VII. The planet's moon was visible from the large windows of a hall in the castle. The moon looked like Earth's moon Luna.
The area surrounding the castle was mountainous. Tall green pine trees sprouted outside the window. Castle Pyris included rooms built partially into the rocky underground. (STO - Terran Gambit mission: "Cat's Tale")
Layout
In the 2410s, Castle Pyris incorporated multiple rooms, halls and basement chambers connected by corridors. The Old Ones aesthetic led to the castle's gothic decor. In place of energy-based lights, locations were lit with candelabras and floor-bound candles.
The Main Hall included the main entrance. A red carpet covered the floor, with candelabras suspended from the ceiling above. The Old One alpha would stand on a pedestal on that carpet, to see Khitomer Alliance personnel eye to eye. On three sides, corridors led to other areas of the castle.
These areas included a representative room that was seized by the Devidian lord and their forces. It was the only room on the ground floor with windows and included staircases and raised balconies. It included an antechamber, reached through a split corridor from the Main Hall.
Other locations included a cellar equipped with racks of wine barrels. There was a dining room, occupied by Shar'lat and her Carrion spider children, with a skeleton of a previous victim on the table. Another low-lying rooms was filled with animate skeletons who erupted from prison cells.
The Ghostly Librarian oversaw the library, which the witches had left in a state of disarray.
The witches and elder witches were led by hags, who operated their coven from a room dominated by a large cauldron. The Skull of Foul Fortune kept emerging from the cauldron. While floating, it provided the trio of hags with a personal shield that rendered them invulnerable.
Residents
In the 23rd century, only Korob and Sylvia inhabited their illusory castle. They temporarily took a landing party from the USS Enterprise hostage. (TOS episode: "Catspaw")
In the 25th century, the Old Ones Yenvep, Livia and Holuk lived at Castle Pyris. Faux magical residents included the Ghostly Librarian in the library, and wandering spirits "swimming" through the air around the Main Hall candelabras.
During the Devidian attack, a lord of the Devidians used Old One transmuter technology to bring hostile entities to the castle: a coven of witches, animate skeleton under the skeleton lord, and the Carrion spiders led by Shar'lat. (STO - Terran Gambit mission: "Cat's Tale")