Castle Heterodyne

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

Castle Heterodyne (or as the Jägers say, der Kestle) is the ancestral home of the Heterodyne family, and a character in its own right. It is built at the source of the River Dyne, from which it extracts the energy to power itself.

Pre-Attack
Castle Heterodyne was originally built in 1042 by Knife, who seems therefore to be the first Heterodyne to drink the water of the Dyne. This first fortress was accidentally destroyed by Egregious Heterodyne. Evidently, the Castle was rebuilt and destroyed two more times “before the present structure was erected in 1298.”

The Castle was first programmed with self-awareness by Faustus Heterodyne (perhaps in 1677), one of Agatha's mad scientist ancestors. Since then, it has been considered to be alive. Its charming personality — it thinks it has a sense of humor — is said to be a copy of his.

Attack
Main Article: Attack on Castle Heterodyne

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 that night, including Agatha's infant brother Klaus Barry Heterodyne and the then-new seneschal (the son of Carson von Mekkhan). It was the same night that Lucrezia Mongfish went missing.

Subsequent History
About four or five years later a “professor from Transylvania Polygnostic University led a team of researchers inside” ... who were captured and tasked with repairs.

After Baron Klaus Wulfenbach returned (from wherever Lucrezia had sent him prior to her marrying Bill Heterodyne) and, eventually, took over Mechanicsburg, the Castle released an assistant from the TPU team to procure food, tools, and more help. The Baron, ever able to apply the right monster to the job, negotiated with the Castle and proceeded to send it his most difficult prisoners. This is considered the ultimate punishment detail, as the chances making it out alive again are extremely slim.

Such is the situation when Girl Genius opens.

Story Start
Some of the current inmates in Castle Heterodyne play significant roles in Agatha's story.

It is currently unknown how far the Castles' systems extend into the surrounding city of Mechanicsburg, having control of Mechanicsburgs' air defenses know as the Torchmen. When the Castle was shut down, large sections of the city systems — clocks, fountains, draw bridges, lights — immediately stopped working.

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.

The Castle is described (by Zola) as being able to reshape itself, and this capability is later demonstrated 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.

Gates

 * - there is an implication this may be the same as the Prisoner's Gate
 * Prisoner's Gate
 * Prisoner's Gate
 * Prisoner's Gate

Rooms

 * Chapel of Bones
 * (presumably the Seraglio of Satyricus Heterodyne)
 * Heterodyne family crypt
 * Red Playroom
 * (In times when the ruling Heterodyne is of a more monogamy's preservation it is evidently used for servant quarter)
 * Venthraxus Heterodyne's personal kitchen
 * Vipsania Heterodyne's
 * The Great Movement Chamber, from which The Dyne springs (mentioned first ).
 * (In times when the ruling Heterodyne is of a more monogamy's preservation it is evidently used for servant quarter)
 * Venthraxus Heterodyne's personal kitchen
 * Vipsania Heterodyne's
 * The Great Movement Chamber, from which The Dyne springs (mentioned first ).

Other

 * Throne of Faustus Heterodyne
 * Throne of Faustus Heterodyne
 * Throne of Faustus Heterodyne
 * Throne of Faustus Heterodyne
 * Throne of Faustus Heterodyne
 * Throne of Faustus Heterodyne

Monsters, Clanks, and Traps

 * Fun-Sized Mobile Agony and Death Dispensers
 * The Happy Fun Ball of Death
 * Nyar Spider
 * Spiderroach
 * Venomous Rafter Toad
 * Bloodbats
 * Bloodbats

Devices

 * Amusing Octo Electrocuter
 * Artful Blood Drainer
 * Human to Pet Brain Transplant Device
 * Iago's Mechanicsburg Toaster
 * Many-Brushed Birdbaths
 * Scream Emulator

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 .)


 * 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. (.)


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


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

In our last episode...
Following Judy's instructions, Agatha travels to Mechanicsburg, speaks to the broken Castle , and the Castle. Zola "Heterodyne" also  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 the Castle and joins Agatha's party. Gilgamesh Wulfenbach, Schmott Guy with Zeetha. Von Pinn. Various parts of the Castle are still bent on killing everyone. Outside, Klaus  units to destroy the Castle.

, the Castle appears to have been shut down as the result of Agatha's use of a modified Fra Pelagatti's Lion.