The Kingdom called Kandrakar

Kandrakar is often referred to, not only as the fortress where the Congregation of Brothers takes place, but also as a kingdom. 

It has a people, it has a ruler (the Oracle) and a purpose. It has politics and the Towers of Mist - a magical prison for the worst criminals of the universe. But that is not all. 
Many forget about the Tower of Ice that was mentioned in the special "Core of Kandrakar".
It is not clear what purpose this tower serves or once served. It is build completely of ice and is being protected by magical gargoyles that come to live if the tower is entered (without permission).

 

Language

It is nothing new to see a wall filled with pictures and symbols in Kandrakar. However in issue 86 for the very first time we get a glimpse on a writing which at least is NOT earthen. Some of the letters resemble the symbols for the elements fire and air for example. It could be the language or at least alphabet of the Kingdom of Kandrakar.


They are located even below the underworld (read more "Design of the fortress") at the entrance to the Sky Anchor, a support device that keeps the fortress afloat and prevents it from flying away through infinity. Before reaching the anchor one must step through a big portal. It is this portal where the writing is chiselled into the stone. 

The fortress was build and extended towards the sky layer by layer with every Oracle that ruled which means that the inscription has to be very, very old. In fact, it will probably be many thousand years old, back from the beginning of Kandrakar as a whole if it is this close to the anchor.

 


Inhabitants

When the comics start it seems as if only males are allowed to the congregation and we rarely see anyone outside of that meeting.
Later on we get to know that both males and females come to the congregation.

But not only the wise men live at Kandrakar. The kingdom has its own people. They have white hair and are of different age. There are elders, adults, even children can be seen and some seem young like teens or young adults. They usually have very light skin with a slight rosy colour and many of them have an alien look. They have strange ears or eyes, markings or horns, tentacles and what not. But all have two arms and legs which are human-like. Some wear green tattoos in the colour of the Mark of the Oracle.

Since Kandrakar is located in the middle of infinity without space or time, these people should not be able to age. That would mean that they cannot have been born there and that again means that the children for example probably have come to the kingdom with their parents at some point in their life and then stopped ageing.
The history of Kandrakar tells us that only the wise and exceptionally intelligent people come to the kingdom. So maybe some of them took their family with them which then means that any of the people, including the children could be thousands of years old.


Personal Rooms

Every inhabitant of Kandrakar has his/her own room.

Every member also has a  special room attached to it where all the memories of the owner are kept. Those rooms can be vast, filled with trinkets and junk with endless walls of story paintings or nothing but a little cubby filled with a few special events.
Every person also has his/her own bath.

Since we later know that families live in Kandrakar also we can assume that they live together and share a bath.


Daily Life

Kandrakar is a place of quiet and meditation. It's not clear where the children where playing during Himerish's reign since we only get to see them during Dark Mother's attack on the fortress where they run around her black tree.

During the festivities we see musicians that must be practising their instruments somewhere in the fortress, too.
Luckily since Yan Lin became Oracle, the fortress holds many joyful places such as the "Hall of Gathering" which is actually a park. There's even a cinema and a fighting arena which was shown in the issues where Endarno was to be become oracle. There's also a steady flow of festivities with music and cake and once in a while there are guests roaming through the halls.
Several inhabitants work at the Tower of Mist as guards or watchmen but we also see some roaming the prison's corridors that don't look like they could handle a break out. A prison of this kind probably also needs administrative work.

The fortress also has a sort of healing centre and several other rooms that seem busy with workers, though it is not entirely clear, what they are doing.

 


Clothing

In Kandrakar everyone wears the same white-greenish robes.
The only exceptions are the guardians, the Oracle and few other exceptions such as the Guardian at the Shrine of Powers or the master of ceremony.

Every Oracle seems to have to freedom to choose their special wardrobe. Himerish for example wears the typical robe with an occasional shawl of colour with patterns showing moon, sun and stars. Endarno also wears the typical robe but later wears a dark red cloak on top for ceremonies.

Yan Lin on the other hand goes pretty wild with her entire wardrobe and wears more colourful clothes with Chinese design in white, white-green, gold and two different kinds of blues.

During her reign she has a dress maker who prepares several new robes for the W.i.t.c.h. girls.

 

PICTURES TO COME...