Black Mountain
Black Mountain is the headquarters of Raven, located in Dunwich City within the Northern European International Zone. The sprawling facility is composed of both an above and below-ground area, referred to as Topside and The Descent. It is defended by personnel from the Raven Facility Protection Division, as well as autonomous turrets, electronic countermeasures, anti-missile systems, and anti-UAV lasers. It was constructed between 2122 and 2145 by CORE Heavy Industries and a large number of Raven personnel as part of a massive security enhancement project.
| Black Mountain | |
|---|---|
 | |
| File:Black Mountain.png | |
 Interactive map of the Black Mountain area | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Military installation |
| Architectural style | Neo-futurism |
| Location | 1 Progress Square IP17 5E7, Dunwich City, Northern European International Zone |
| Coordinates | 52°16′40″N 1°37′57″E / 52.27774°N 1.63261°E |
| Current tenants |  Raven |
| Year built | 2122–2145 |
| Completed | 2145 |
| Cost | U€17.7 trillion |
| Owner |  The Coalition |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Nanocomposite armour, polycarbonate ballistic glass |
| Floor count | 93 (20 above ground and 73 below) |
| Grounds | 2,311 m2 (24,880 sq ft) above ground, approximately 30,000 m2 (320,000 sq ft) below ground |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Vanderberg Revström |
| Architecture firm | Revström Engineering |
| Main contractor | CORE Heavy Industries |
| Other information | |
| Public transit access | Progress Square Station |
Areas
Topside
The most striking part of Black Mountain is its jagged, mountain-like above-ground superstructure, made of sleek, armoured black metal and glass slopes. The building, designed by Swedish architect Vanderberg Revström, is built in the style of neo-futurism, and was commissioned to "provide a robust and functional security model, and convey the true gravity of Raven's mission". Its mirror surfaces are designed to deflect laser satellite strikes.
These above-ground areas of Black Mountain are referred to as "Topside" and contain diplomatic, legal, and public relations offices, as well as facility logistics management and perimeter security components. Topside areas are frequented by Interdimensional Research Treaty Organisation (IRTO) officials, as well as delegates from the governments of signatory countries, in order to facilitate compliance and mutual aid.
The Descent
The below-ground component of Black Mountain is known as The Descent and contains the higher-security military, intelligence, and strategic areas of the facility. It is fortified as a bunker, capable of withstanding a ground-zero antimatter attack, and is located approximately 1,500m below sea level. It is further protected by an extensive series of Voimalock (conventional) and fractal armour plates at regular intervals along the entire distance up to the surface. The Descent is by far the largest section of the facility: at nearly ten times the size of Topside, it essentially functions as an entire city, with personnel accommodation, entertainment, and recreational areas. It also operates as a hermetically sealed biosphere and does not exchange air with the external environment; heat rejection is performed via sealed exchangers.