Castle Heterodyne

From Girl Genius

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This article is about the family seat and residence. For the noble lineage, see House Heterodyne. For other uses, see Heterodyne (disambiguation).

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Castle Heterodyne
Damaged, but still impressive.
Name	Castle Heterodyne, der Kestle
Age	Several centuries
Occupation	Home of the Heterodyne family, giant mechanical deathtrap, romantic matchmaker
Residence	Mechanicsburg
First Appearance	Agatha entering Mechanicsburg...
Death
Parents	Knife (original builder), Faustus Heterodyne (who gave it a mind)
Relatives
Children
Marital Status

Castle Heterodyne is the ancestral home of the Heterodyne family. Its early history is described by Ardsley Wooster, including several rebuildings over the years.

Legend says the castle was first programmed with self-awareness by Faustus Heterodyne, one of Agatha's mad scientist ancestors.^[1] Its charming personality is said to be a copy of his. Since then, it has been considered to be alive. It thinks it has a sense of humor. The castle was nearly destroyed 19 years prior to the beginning of Girl Genius in a mysterious and as-yet-unexplained attack by The Other. Many people were killed in the Castle that night, including Agatha's infant brother Klaus Barry Heterodyne, her grandfather Dr. Mongfish, and the then-new seneschal (the son of Carson von Mekkhan). It was the same night that Lucrezia Mongfish went missing.

Today, the Baron sends criminals into Castle Heterodyne to assist it with repairs. This is considered the ultimate punishment detail, as the chances making it out alive again are extremely slim. Some of the current inmates in Castle Heterodyne play significant roles in Agatha's story.

Contents 1 Intelligence and behavior 2 Named locations within Castle Heterodyne 2.1 Gates 2.2 Corridors 2.3 Rooms 2.4 Other 3 Monsters, Clanks, and Traps 4 Devices 5 Rules of Castle Heterodyne 6 In our last episode... 7 References

[edit] Intelligence and behavior

Castle Heterodyne is, in effect, a giant clank. Its central brain is located in the Heterodyne family crypt, and has the limitation at that location of being unable to speak directly, but only through a human linked to it.^[2]

The Castle is described (by Zola) as being able to reshape itself, and this capability is later demonstrated^[3] by a part of the Castle that came to acknowledge Agatha as the new Heterodyne.

On two occasions so far, the scene cuts away to show us three lights during interactions with Agatha Heterodyne. It appears to be strongly suggested that each light comes on in turn when an important stage in confirming Agatha to be the new Heterodyne is reached, as the first time this happened was when Agatha's voice was found to be similar to that of Lucrezia Mongfish, and the second time was after a blood sample from Agatha was analyzed, confirming her to be of Heterodyne descent.

[edit] Named locations within Castle Heterodyne

[edit] Gates

• Front Gate - there is an implication this may be the same as the Prisoner's Gate
• Gate of Lamps
• Phosphorous Gate
• Prisoner's Gate
• Red Gate

[edit] Corridors

• Corridor of Fish
• Corridor of Glass
• Corridor of Smoke
• Gallery of Razors
• Red Hall
• Serpent's Gallery

[edit] Rooms

• Chapel of Bones
• The Great Movement Chamber
• Harem Quarters
• Heterodyne family crypt
• Master Kitchen
• The Master's Library
• The Octagon
• Red Playroom (medical lab)
• Room of Lead
• Venthraxus Heterodyne's personal kitchen
• Vipsania Heterodyne's Cabinet of Contagion
• The Great Movement Chamber, from which The Dyne springs (mentioned first here).

[edit] Other

• Central Control Conduit
• Cistern (the one with the giant squid clanks)
• First Courtyard
• Foundations - The Castle AI does not go as deep
• Throne of Faustus Heterodyne

[edit] Monsters, Clanks, and Traps

• Fun-Sized Mobile Agony and Death Dispensers
• Ghostmaker Mice
• The Happy Fun Ball of Death
• Nyar Spider
• Spiderroach
• Venomous Rafter Toad

[edit] Devices

• Many-Brushed Birdbaths

[edit] Rules of Castle Heterodyne

As thoughtfully compiled by untold numbers of prisoners at great hazard, and explained by surviving sources:

• Flagstones and parts of the ceiling marked in white are traps that will kill you. (Source: Zola "Heterodyne" when entering the castle.)

• Duck under any doorway taller than one meter; these will also kill you. (Zola)

• Don't touch any metal surface; it will also kill you. (Zola)
  • Gold coins are metal too: Don't try to pick them up; they are pit traps. (Castle demonstration.)

• Don't list your number of points out loud. (Hristo Tiktoffen rebukes Sanaa Wilhelm.)

• Refusing to repair the Castle will get you squished. (Ardsley Wooster)

[edit] In our last episode...

Following Judy's instructions^[4], Agatha travels to Mechanicsburg, speaks to the broken Castle^[5], and enters the Castle. Zola "Heterodyne" also enters the Castle in a quest for legitimacy, though she plans to kill the Castle rather than repair it.

It gets to be quite crowded inside the walls. Tarvek enters the Castle and joins Agatha's party. Gilgamesh Wulfenbach, Schmott Guy enters with Zeetha. Von Pinn descends from above. Various parts of the Castle are still bent on killing everyone.^[6][7] Outside, Klaus prepares units to destroy the Castle.

References

1. ↑ Conspirators discuss the Castle legends
2. ↑ Carson prepares to speak for the Castle
3. ↑ A 'Bridge of Trust' is built
4. ↑ "Go. Get to Castle Heterodyne. It will help you."
5. ↑ The Castle Speaks
6. ↑ "But theoretically, it's my huge mechanical death trap..."
7. ↑ See also forum discussion on Multiple AIs in the castle