Crossings
There is a beauty to the duplicity of the guild. This beauty may be the best outcome for unfettered wealth that we could hope for. This place captures that beauty. Gone are the friezes, plinths, filigree, and other ostentation. Wealth doesn't need to flaunt itself because the truly wealthy are already known. Dark corners, intimate rooms, and narrow hallways were wiped away in favor of open spaces. Nothing stands in the way of power. Servant corridors and dormitories are abolished since wealth establishes rank without a penny being passed. Voices echo and boom, faces are seen in polished floors. There are secrets in these halls, but they are not hidden. The wealthy dare those who want information to take it... and deal with the consequences. We all partake in this consensual hallucination that money separates those who walk the same ground. We all fall for this ordering of our lives, all striving to reinforce these ideas no matter our station, so that our lives can be predictable, comfortable. When looking at how money has created the guild, the building designed itself.The wealth of nations, the secrets of courts, and the path to wealth are all very easy to find within Crossings because most people aren't stupid enough to pick their eyes up and look. It would take a foolish person to actively seek out secrets without considering the consequences of carrying such knowledge. Spies and thieves are welcome along with any other person but few of those unsavory sort ply their trade within Crossings since the few who would escape the political vipers' den would be hunted across Corvayn until their lives ended in some quiet corner of the continent, forgotten forever before they could use what ever they had found out. Everyone is welcome to play the political mind game that is constantly going on within Crossings. But the stakes for the game are deadly and losing is met with a swift end. It's not enough to be a good Jewelcrafter to rise through the ranks of the guild, you must survive the political quagmire long enough to get your bearings and carve a niche for yourself within the designs and plans of nations, guilds, barons, kings, and gods.- Crossing's architect
Purpose / Function
Centuries ago, Jewelcrafting was used to create clocks and other apparatuses that marked the passage of time, planets, and other heavenly bodies. Years of research have expanded the capabilities of gem cutters as well as the means of income. Now, the guild hall has shifted from a common ground for like minded hobbyists to share information on their craft. It's now an organized hierarchy of power, wealth, access, and secrets. Jewelcrafting may be what found these halls, but it's not what it's best at any more.
Alterations
As Jewelcrafting shifted from creating simply utilitarian pieces such time keepers, to more martial pieces such as gem inserts for weapons, Crossings shifted as well. As jewelry became more popular in the high courts, Crossings adapted to this. As exploration became an inseparable necessity for the advancement of Jewelcrafting, Crossing changed yet again. For centuries, the guild hall was a thing of eclectic beauty as different wings of the building were raised, merged, renovated, torn down, or abandoned. It was only recently, within the past two hundred years, that the hall was completely renovated by the unnamed Crossing's architect. It is now a cohesive design, genius in its simplicity and cunning in its deceptive size and utility. It is said that the Ruby Crown is the only one who knows all of its secrets.
Architecture
It is important to understand why Crossings was built before genius of the architecture can be seen. Firstly, Crossings is the humming heart of courtly intrigue. Since all courts have a Jewelcrafter and all Jewelcrafters frequent Crossings, gossip and rumors can be found in these hallways as dust and cobwebs may be found in other buildings. Crossings needs to allow the guild to process rumors and connect the threads that bind nations in order to establish a cohesive and intelligent decision on how to manage the wealth of nations. Secondly, Crossings is an import/export thoroughfare. Portals to any nation, from any nation brings unimaginable wealth to the guild through mild tolls merchants pay to move their goods across leagues in a matter of moments. Thirdly, Jewelcrafting requires a substantial investment to continue and advance the practice. Research must be conducted to further the use of gems, whether that's to make more beautiful pieces or more devastating weapons. The portals allow access both to research locations, Gemmed Coves where research is conducted, and workshops where pieces are created. Fourth, Crossings is the public face for a guild that is openly manipulating the direction national policies choose. Appearances must be maintained that the Gem Cutters Guild is acting in the common man's best interest rather than more sinister motives. Whether that is true or not is immaterial to the need for good publicity. Lastly, Crossings is the site for advancement through the Jewelcrafting ranks. Mentorship, certification, education, and selling would-be gem cutters their necessary tools must also be facilitated within these halls.
It is a monumental task, asking one building to encompass these needs. Creating a functional building that must meet so many needs with any reasonable level of artistry is near impossible. Crossings doesn't even try. Rather, it relies on what created the guild hall in the first place to meet the guild's needs. Crossing's itself is but a hub. The grand foyer, stair cases and meeting halls that greet all who enter the building by foot is spacious and harkens back to the days when Jewelcrafting was used to mark the passage of heavenly bodies. There is little in the way of decorations but the materials that were used to create the hall establish the unattainable amount of wealth that the guild has acquired.
Commerce and travel is a more complicated affair. Merchants and Jewelcrafters often share the need for discretion, and the occasional breach of security has created a unique use of pocket dimensions to facilitate travels between portals. When a traveler enters a guild portal, they emerge into a pocket dimension. A pocket dimension created this way is unique to that person to that time and to their intentions. It reflects the traveler's intentions, mood, memories, and the company they keep. If the person wishes to trade goods from Itand to Bushos, it may be that several doors appear surrounded by Champion Bindweed, marking various portals into Itand while fog shrouded trees wrap around a creek similar to Stanfil Run near doors marking various points of egress into Bushos. Reflecting a traveler's intentions is the first form of security of the guild's portal system. Those with intentions of theft or murder are taken to pocket dimensions filled with creatures of similar intent. Many paupers and corpses have emerged from guild portals.
It is this portal network that facilitates the rest of the guild hall's needs. Portals are taken to places of research for those who are interested. These Gemmed Coves are unique to their masters and do not follow Crossing's architectural design rules. Training areas are accessed the same way, as well as vendors, and secret keepers. Expert - Jewelcrafting are those who manage and maintain the list of secrets and reaching them is no easy task.
Defenses
There is a bevy of defenses for all Jewelcrafting locations. The portal system has built in defenses using the traveler's intentions to reflect the pocket dimension they create to travel. If there is a security breach, the pocket dimension network also allows all parts of Crossings to be partitioned. The Ruby Crown can shut off the portal system, effectively trapping everyone in the pocket dimension or location they are in until the threat can be located and dealt with. Most locations are secured with Gem Golems so if a nefarious actor attempts to flee, they will not go far. These portals can also be selectively opened to other places so that threats can be neutralized swiftly. A murderer caught in a pocket dimension may find the portal open to the bottom of the ocean where they will be drowned. If they are unlucky, the portal will instead open to Avernus and they may try their luck with devils instead.
What is unknown should be regarded as more dangerous than the listed defenses. Jewelcrafting is a discipline shrouded in mystery and danger. There are ways to kill a person that few know but those few can certainly be found in the halls of Crossings.
Tourism
Crossings has become more accessible to those outside of the guild in a bid to better public sentiment about their worst kept secret. Manipulating nations does not create many friends. Shops, oddities, easy access to exotic locations, and a generous philanthropic program has increased the foot traffic into Crossings proper.
Type
Guildhall
Related Professions
Owner
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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